bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adult congenital heart disease care in a municipal public health system
Authors: Tinsay Maria Andrea Francesca M. , Halpern Dan G. , Feinberg Jodi L. , Vorsanger Matthew , Keller Norma , Small Adam J.
Published: November 2023

Specialty care is associated with improved outcomes for adults with adult CHD and must be extended to the underserved. A retrospective cohort study was performed to describe the provision of care to adult CHD patients in America’s largest municipal public health system including patient demographics, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and adherence to guideline-recommended surveillance. We identified 229 adult CHD patients aged >18 years through electronic medical records. The most common diagnoses were atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and valvular pulmonary stenosis. In total, 65% had moderate or greater anatomic complexity. A large number of patients were uninsured (45%), non-white (96%), and non-English speaking (44%). One hundred forty-six patients (64%) presented with unrepaired primary defects. Fifty eight patients underwent primary repair during the study period; 48 of those repairs were surgical and 10 were transcatheter. Collaboration with an affiliated Comprehensive Care Center was utilised for 28% of patients. A high proportion of patients received adult CHD speciality visits (78%), echocardiograms (66%), and electrocardiograms (56%) at the guideline-recommended frequency throughout the study period. There was no significant difference in the rate of adherence to guideline-recommended surveillance based on insurance status, race/ethnicity, or primary language status. The proportion of patients who had guideline-recommended adult CHD visits, echocardiograms, and electrocardiograms was significantly lower for those with more advanced physiological stages. These results can inform the provision of adult CHD care in other public health system settings.
The Effects of Water Column Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations on Lake Methane Emissions—Results From a Whole‐Lake Oxygenation Experiment
Authors: Pajala Gustav , Sawakuchi Henrique O. , Rudberg David , Schenk Jonathan , Sieczko Anna , Gålfalk Magnus , Seekell David , Sundgren Ingrid , Thanh Duc Nguyen , Karlsson Jan , Bastviken David
Published: November 2023

Lakes contribute 9%–19% of global methane (CH4) emissions to the atmosphere. Dissolved molecular oxygen (DO) in lakes can inhibit the production of CH4 and promote CH4 oxidation. DO is therefore often considered an important regulator of CH4 emissions from lakes. Presence or absence of DO in the water above the sediments can affect CH4 production and emissions by (a) influencing if methane production can be fueled by the most reactive organic matter in the top sediment layer or rely on deeper and less degradable organic matter, and (b) enabling CH4 accumulation in deep waters and potentially large emissions upon water column turnover. However, the relative importance of these two DO effects on CH4 fluxes is still unclear. We assessed CH4 fluxes from two connected lake basins in northern boreal Sweden where one was experimentally oxygenated. Results showed no clear difference in summer CH4 emissions attributable to water column DO concentrations. Large amounts of CH4 accumulated in the anoxic hypolimnion of the reference basin but little of this may have been emitted because of incomplete mixing, and effective methane oxidation of stored CH4 reaching oxic water layers. Accordingly, ≤24% of the stored CH4 was likely emitted in the experimental lake. Overall, our results suggest that hypolimnetic DO and water column CH4 storage might have a smaller impact on CH4 emissions in boreal forest lakes than previous estimates, yet potential fluxes associated with water column turnover events remain a significant uncertainty in lake CH4 emission estimates.
Direct Observation of Rising‐Tone Chorus Triggered by Enhanced Solar Wind Pressure
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Gao Xinliang , Chen Rui , Lu Quanming , Ke Yangguang , Ma Jiuqi , Kong Zhenyu
Published: November 2023

Chorus waves play a significant role in both electron precipitation and acceleration in Earth's radiation belts. Their generation includes the initial linear process and subsequent nonlinear process. After the amplitude of whistler‐mode waves reaches a sufficient value in the linear phase, the nonlinear process takes effect and results in the frequency chirping of chorus waves. Here we present the first report on the generation and intensification of rising‐tone chorus driven by two sudden increases of solar wind dynamic pressure observed by Van Allen Probes on 20 December 2015. First, whistler‐mode waves are excited by the anisotropic thermal electrons (∼10s keV), which is quite consistent with the linear theoretical expectation. Then, rising‐tone chorus waves are nonlinearly generated from the existing whistler‐mode waves, triggered by the first increase of solar wind dynamic pressure. Subsequently, the second increase of solar wind pressure further intensifies the rising‐tone chorus. Based on the nonlinear theoretical model and Ts04 magnetic field model, we demonstrate that the decreasing inhomogeneity of the background magnetic field due to the increasing solar wind dynamic pressure is the major cause to trigger rising tones, which essentially reduces the wave amplitude threshold of the nonlinear process. Our study emphasizes the significance of solar wind dynamic pressure in the Earth's radiation belts from a micro perspective.
PLCγ1 in dopamine neurons critically regulates striatal dopamine release via VMAT2 and synapsin III
Authors: Kim Hye Yun , Lee Jieun , Kim Hyun-Jin , Lee Byeong Eun , Jeong Jaewook , Cho Eun Jeong , Jang Hyun-Jun , Shin Kyeong Jin , Kim Min Ji , Chae Young Chan , Lee Seung Eun , Myung Kyungjae , Baik Ja-Hyun , Suh Pann-Ghill , Kim Jae-Ick
Published: November 2023

Dopamine neurons are essential for voluntary movement, reward learning, and motivation, and their dysfunction is closely linked to various psychological and neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, understanding the detailed signaling mechanisms that functionally modulate dopamine neurons is crucial for the development of better therapeutic strategies against dopamine-related disorders. Phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1) is a key enzyme in intracellular signaling that regulates diverse neuronal functions in the brain. It was proposed that PLCγ1 is implicated in the development of dopaminergic neurons, while the physiological function of PLCγ1 remains to be determined. In this study, we investigated the physiological role of PLCγ1, one of the key effector enzymes in intracellular signaling, in regulating dopaminergic function in vivo. We found that cell type-specific deletion of PLCγ1 does not adversely affect the development and cellular morphology of midbrain dopamine neurons but does facilitate dopamine release from dopaminergic axon terminals in the striatum. The enhancement of dopamine release was accompanied by increased colocalization of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) at dopaminergic axon terminals. Notably, dopamine neuron-specific knockout of PLCγ1 also led to heightened expression and colocalization of synapsin III, which controls the trafficking of synaptic vesicles. Furthermore, the knockdown of VMAT2 and synapsin III in dopamine neurons resulted in a significant attenuation of dopamine release, while this attenuation was less severe in PLCγ1 cKO mice. Our findings suggest that PLCγ1 in dopamine neurons could critically modulate dopamine release at axon terminals by directly or indirectly interacting with synaptic machinery, including VMAT2 and synapsin III.
Circular RNA cFAM210A, degradable by HBx, inhibits HCC tumorigenesis by suppressing YBX1 transactivation
Authors: Yu Jian , Li Wen , Hou Guo-jun , Sun Da-peng , Yang Yuan , Yuan Sheng-xian , Dai Zhi-hui , Yin Hao-zan , Sun Shu-han , Huang Gang , Zhou Wei-ping , Yang Fu
Published: November 2023

Hepatitis B protein x (HBx) has been reported to promote tumorigenesis in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the mechanism awaits further investigation. In this study, we found that cFAM210A (a circular RNA derived from the third exon of transcript NM_001098801 of the FAM210A gene; CircBase ID: hsa_circ_0003979) can be silenced by HBx. cFAM210A expression was downregulated and negatively correlated with tumorigenesis in patients with HBV-related HCC. Furthermore, cFAM210A reduced the proliferation, stemness, and tumorigenicity of HCC cells. Mechanistically, HBx increased the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) level of cFAM210A by promoting the expression of RBM15 (an m6A methyltransferase), thus inducing the degradation of cFAM210A via the YTHDF2-HRSP12-RNase P/MRP pathway. cFAM210A bound to YBX1 and inhibited its phosphorylation, suppressing its transactivation function toward MET. These findings suggest the important role of circular RNAs in HBx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and identify cFAM210A a potential target in the prevention and treatment of HBV-related HCC.
Ketohexokinase-dependent metabolism of cerebral endogenous fructose in microglia drives diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction
Authors: Li Yansong , Jiang Tao , Du Mengyu , He Shuxuan , Huang Ning , Cheng Bo , Yan Chaoying , Tang Wenxin , Gao Wei , Guo Hongyan , Li Qiao , Wang Qiang
Published: November 2023

Dementia, as an advanced diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction (DACD), has become the second leading cause of death among diabetes patients. Given that little guidance is currently available to address the DACD process, it is imperative to understand the underlying mechanisms and screen out specific therapeutic targets. The excessive endogenous fructose produced under high glucose conditions can lead to metabolic syndrome and peripheral organ damage. Although generated by the brain, the role of endogenous fructose in the exacerbation of cognitive dysfunction is still unclear. Here, we performed a comprehensive study on leptin receptor-deficient T2DM mice and their littermate m/m mice and revealed that 24-week-old db/db mice had cognitive dysfunction and excessive endogenous fructose metabolism in the hippocampus by multiomics analysis and further experimental validation. We found that the rate-limiting enzyme of fructose metabolism, ketohexokinase, is primarily localized in microglia. It is upregulated in the hippocampus of db/db mice, which enhances mitochondrial damage and reactive oxygen species production by promoting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4) expression and mitochondrial translocation. Inhibiting fructose metabolism via ketohexokinase depletion reduces microglial activation, leading to the restoration of mitochondrial homeostasis, recovery of structural synaptic plasticity, improvement of CA1 pyramidal neuron electrophysiology and alleviation of cognitive dysfunction. Our findings demonstrated that enhanced endogenous fructose metabolism in microglia plays a dominant role in diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction and could become a potential target for DACD.
Normalization of the tumor microenvironment by harnessing vascular and immune modulation to achieve enhanced cancer therapy
Authors: Choi Yechan , Jung Keehoon
Published: November 2023

Solid tumors are complex entities that actively shape their microenvironment to create a supportive environment for their own growth. Angiogenesis and immune suppression are two key characteristics of this tumor microenvironment. Despite attempts to deplete tumor blood vessels using antiangiogenic drugs, extensive vessel pruning has shown limited efficacy. Instead, a targeted approach involving the judicious use of drugs at specific time points can normalize the function and structure of tumor vessels, leading to improved outcomes when combined with other anticancer therapies. Additionally, normalizing the immune microenvironment by suppressing immunosuppressive cells and activating immunostimulatory cells has shown promise in suppressing tumor growth and improving overall survival. Based on these findings, many studies have been conducted to normalize each component of the tumor microenvironment, leading to the development of a variety of strategies. In this review, we provide an overview of the concepts of vascular and immune normalization and discuss some of the strategies employed to achieve these goals.
Mitochondrial hypermetabolism precedes impaired autophagy and synaptic disorganization in App knock-in Alzheimer mouse models
Authors: Naia Luana , Shimozawa Makoto , Bereczki Erika , Li Xidan , Liu Jianping , Jiang Richeng , Giraud Romain , Leal Nuno Santos , Pinho Catarina Moreira , Berger Erik , Falk Victoria Lim , Dentoni Giacomo , Ankarcrona Maria , Nilsson Per
Published: November 2023

Accumulation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) is a driver of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Amyloid precursor protein (App) knock-in mouse models recapitulate AD-associated Aβ pathology, allowing elucidation of downstream effects of Aβ accumulation and their temporal appearance upon disease progression. Here we have investigated the sequential onset of AD-like pathologies inAppNL-FandAppNL-G-Fknock-in mice by time-course transcriptome analysis of hippocampus, a region severely affected in AD. Strikingly, energy metabolism emerged as one of the most significantly altered pathways already at an early stage of pathology. Functional experiments in isolated mitochondria from hippocampus of bothAppNL-FandAppNL-G-Fmice confirmed an upregulation of oxidative phosphorylation driven by the activity of mitochondrial complexes I, IV and V, associated with higher susceptibility to oxidative damage and Ca2+-overload. Upon increasing pathologies, the brain shifts to a state of hypometabolism with reduced abundancy of mitochondria in presynaptic terminals. These late-stage mice also displayed enlarged presynaptic areas associated with abnormal accumulation of synaptic vesicles and autophagosomes, the latter ultimately leading to local autophagy impairment in the synapses. In summary, we report that Aβ-induced pathways inAppknock-in mouse models recapitulate key pathologies observed in AD brain, and our data herein adds a comprehensive understanding of the pathologies including dysregulated metabolism and synapses and their timewise appearance to find new therapeutic approaches for AD.
Fossil evidence for a pharyngeal origin of the vertebrate pectoral girdle
Authors: Brazeau Martin D. , Castiello Marco , El Fassi El Fehri Amin , Hamilton Louis , Ivanov Alexander O. , Johanson Zerina , Friedman Matt
Published: November 2023

The origin of vertebrate paired appendages is one of the most investigated and debated examples of evolutionary novelty1–7. Paired appendages are widely considered as key innovations that enabled new opportunities for controlled swimming and gill ventilation and were prerequisites for the eventual transition from water to land. The past 150 years of debate8–10 has been shaped by two contentious theories4,5: the ventrolateral fin-fold hypothesis9,10 and the archipterygium hypothesis8. The latter proposes that fins and girdles evolved from an ancestral gill arch. Although studies in animal development have revived interest in this idea11–13, it is apparently unsupported by fossil evidence. Here we present palaeontological support for a pharyngeal basis for the vertebrate shoulder girdle. We use computed tomography scanning to reveal details of the braincase of Kolymaspis sibirica14, an Early Devonian placoderm fish from Siberia, that suggests a pharyngeal component of the shoulder. We combine these findings with refreshed comparative anatomy of placoderms and jawless outgroups to place the origin of the shoulder girdle on the sixth branchial arch. These findings provide a novel framework for understanding the origin of the pectoral girdle. Our evidence clarifies the location of the presumptive head–trunk interface in jawless fishes and explains the constraint on branchial arch number in gnathostomes15. The results revive a key aspect of the archipterygium hypothesis and help reconcile it with the ventrolateral fin-fold model.
Association between needle track bleeding and postoperative immediate pneumothorax in CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsies: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhou Shao-Quan , Luo Fang , Li Kang , Ran Xiong , Lv Fu-Rong
Published: November 2023

The relationship between Needle Track Bleeding (NTB) and the occurrence of postoperative immediate pneumothorax remains unclear. In our cross-sectional study, we conducted a retrospective collected of data from 674 consecutive patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsies between 2019 and 2022. A logistic regression model was employed to explore the association between NTB and postoperative immediate pneumothorax, and restricted cubic spline curves was used to investigate the link and its explicit curve shape. A sensitivity analysis was performed by transforming the continuous NTB into categorical variable and calculated an E-value. A total of 453 participants (47.90% male) were included in our analysis. The postoperative immediate pneumothorax rate was 41.05% (186/453). We found a negative correlation between NTB and postoperative immediate pneumothorax (OR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.88–0.95) after adjusting for confounding factors. This relationship was nonlinear, with a key inflection point at NTB of 8 mm. No significant link was noted for NTB > 8 mm (OR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.95–1.02), while a protective association was observed for NTB ≤ 8 mm (OR = 0.74, 95%CI 0.66–0.81). NTB showed a nonlinear, protective correlation with postoperative immediate pneumothorax. However, when NTB exceeded 8 mm, the protective association was not observed.
Numerical analysis of pressure drop reduction of bubbly flows through hydrophobic microgrooved channels
Authors: Javaherchian Javane , Moosavi Ali , Tabatabaei Seyed Ali
Published: November 2023

Due to the high performance of hydrophobic surfaces in pressure drop reduction, they have been proposed for various applications. However, despite the extensive uses of two-phase flows in many industries, the effect of hydrophobic surfaces on the pressure drop reduction of two-phase flows has not been well understood yet. Thus, in the present study, by implementing the phase-field and finite element methods, the bubbly flows as an example of two-phase flows are considered for examining the effect of hydrophobic microgrooved microchannels on the pressure drop reduction of these regimes in the laminar state. We found out that hydrophobic microgrooved surfaces not only can be efficient in the bubbly flow but also can even cause a maximum pressure drop reduction of up to 70%, which is almost 3.5 times higher than in single-phase flow. We also studied the influence of each parameter, such as bubbles volume or length, Reynolds number, capillary number, and their combination on this phenomenon. The pressure drop reduction grows by increasing the volume of the bubbles but decreases by increasing the flow velocity or the surface tension coefficient. The combination of these parameters demonstrated different results in some circumstances.
Ultra-sensitive pressure sensing capabilities of defective one-dimensional photonic crystal
Authors: Aly Arafa H. , Mohamed B. A. , Al-Dossari M. , Mohamed D. , Awasthi S. K. , Sillanpää Mika
Published: November 2023

Present research work deals with the extremely sensitive pressure-sensing capabilities of defective one-dimensional photonic crystal structure (GaP/SiO2)N/Al2O3/(GaP/SiO2)N. The proposed structure is realized by putting a defective layer of material Al2O3 in the middle of a structure consisting of alternating layers of GaP and SiO2. The transfer matrix method has been employed to examine the transmission characteristics of the proposed defective one-dimensional photonic crystal in addition to MATLAB software. An external application of the hydrostatic pressure on the proposed structure is responsible for the change in the position and intensity of defect mode inside the photonic band gap of the structure due to pressure-dependent refractive index properties of the materials being used in the design of the sructure. Additionally, the dependence of the transmission properties of the structure on other parameters like incident angle and defect layer thickness has also studied. The theoretical obtained numeric values of the quality factor and sensitivity are 17,870 and 72 nm/GPa respectively. These results are enough to support our claim that the present design can be used as an ultra-sensitive pressure sensor.
Nagaoka ferromagnetism in an array of phosphorene quantum dots
Authors: Thakur Tanmay , Szafran Bartłomiej
Published: November 2023

We consider an array of four quantum dots defined in phosphorene containing three excess electrons, i.e., in the conditions of near half filling when itinerant Nagaoka ferromagnetism is expected to appear in a square array with isotropic interdot hopping. The interdot hopping in the array arranged in a square inherits the anisotropy from the form of the phosphorene conduction band. We apply the configuration interaction method for discussion of the appearance and stability of the spin-polarized ground state and discuss the compensation of the effective mass anisotropy by the geometry of the quantum dot array. Our study shows strong stability of Nagaoka ferromagnetism for optimized geometry of the array, with the Nagaoka gap as large as ∼ 230 µeV. A phase diagram for the ground-state spin ordering versus the geometric parameters of the array is presented. We study the suppression of the ferromagnetism in a transition of the $$2\times 2$$

2
×
2

array to a quasi-1D chain and indicate that the shift of one of the quantum dots away from the array center is enough to transform the system to a quantum dot chain. A shift in the zigzag crystal direction induces the low-spin ground state more effectively than a shift along the armchair direction. We also discuss the robustness of the spin ordering against detuning one of the dots. The ferromagnetic ground-state survives as long as the detuning is not large enough to trap one of the electrons within a single quantum dot (for positive detuning) or remove one of the quantum dots of the accessible energy range (for negative detuning).
Exploring hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of digested sewage sludge (DSS) at 5.3 L and 0.025 L bench scale using experimental design
Authors: Hegdahl Stian Hersvik , Ghoreishi Solmaz , Løhre Camilla , Barth Tanja
Published: November 2023

A common perspective within the prospect of a greener future is utilising our waste materials. One waste material of which the world has abundant resources, and where we will keep having resources, is sewage sludge. This waste material is getting an increased focus, and is commonly utilised by anaerobic digestion processes for methane production. This leaves a bioresidue of digested sewage sludge (DSS). In this study, DSS is submitted to hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to produce bio-oil. The studied process includes upscaling as well as considering the effects of temperature, reaction medium of water or ethanol, degree of reactor filling and stirring rate. Promising results are found as high oil yields are obtained also after upscaling. The results reported here show that stirring reduces the need of high temperatures during HTL, providing energy savings that are promising for further upscaling. In addition, a total of 18 compounds are identified and semi-quantified, showing an abundance of fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives within the oil, encouraging further studies towards separation of said fatty acids for use as biodiesel.
Statin use and outcomes of oncological treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Peltomaa A. I. , Talala K. , Taari K. , Tammela T. L. J. , Auvinen A. , Murtola T. J.
Published: November 2023

To compare the effect of statin use in relation to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treatment, we assessed the risk of ADT-treated PCa-patients to initiate CRPC treatment by statin use and the outcomes of CRPC treatment by statin use. Our study cohort consisted of 1169 men who participated in the Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (FinRSPC) and initiated androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) during the follow-up (1996–2017). Statin use was associated with slightly decreased risk of initiating CRPC treatment (HR 0.68; 95% CI 0.47–0.97) with a 5.7 years’ median follow-up until CRPC for non-users and 7.5 years for statin users. The risk of discontinuation of first or second line CRPC treatment due to inefficacy was not modified by statin use and the results remained similar in subgroup analysis assessing separately patients treated with taxans or androgen receptor signaling inhibitors. We observed an inverse association between statin use and the risk of initiation of the CRPC treatment. No beneficial risk modification by statin use during CRPC treatment was observed. These results suggest that statins might be beneficial during hormone-sensitive phase but not in the later phases of prostate cancer treatment.
Roman water management impacted the hydrological functioning of wetlands during drought periods
Authors: Gázquez-Sánchez Fernando , Jiménez-Espejo Francisco , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Miguel , Martegani Lucía , Voigt Claudia , Ruíz-Lara Dolores , Moreno Ana , Valero-Garcés Blas , Morellón Mario , Martín-Puertas Celia
Published: November 2023

During the Roman domain of the Iberian Peninsula (from 201 BCE to 460 CE) water management infrastructures were built to satisfy high water demand. However, whether the Roman activities affected the hydrological balance of Iberian wetlands remains unclear. Here, we investigate the paleo-hydrology of Lake Zóñar (southern Iberia) by using the stable isotopes (16O, 17O, 18O, 1H and 2H) of its gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) sediments and reconstruct the isotopic composition of the lake water during Roman times. A period of recurrent lake low stand occurred between 2120 and 1890 cal. yr BP (ca. 170 BCE to 60 CE), coinciding with a relatively dry climate stage recorded by most regional paleoclimate archives. The stable isotopes and hydrochemistry of the lake water during gypsum precipitation are consistent with a shallow saline lake that evaporated under relative humidity ~ 10% lower than the present annual mean and at least 20% less rainfall amount. Our analytical and archeological findings support lake level lowering during the Roman period was probably caused by combined arid climate conditions and diversion of the inlets feeding the lake. Spring capturing was likely necessary to satisfy the high water demand of nearby Roman settlements, in the framework of a period of persistent droughts.
Bradyrhizobium ottawaense efficiently reduces nitrous oxide through high nosZ gene expression
Authors: Wasai-Hara Sawa , Itakura Manabu , Fernandes Siqueira Arthur , Takemoto Daisaku , Sugawara Masayuki , Mitsui Hisayuki , Sato Shusei , Inagaki Noritoshi , Yamazaki Toshimasa , Imaizumi-Anraku Haruko , Shimoda Yoshikazu , Minamisawa Kiwamu
Published: November 2023

N2O is an important greenhouse gas influencing global warming, and agricultural land is the predominant (anthropogenic) source of N2O emissions. Here, we report the high N2O-reducing activity of Bradyrhizobium ottawaense, suggesting the potential for efficiently mitigating N2O emission from agricultural lands. Among the 15 B. ottawaense isolates examined, the N2O-reducing activities of most (13) strains were approximately five-fold higher than that of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA110T under anaerobic conditions. This robust N2O-reducing activity of B. ottawaense was confirmed by N2O reductase (NosZ) protein levels and by mitigation of N2O emitted by nodule decomposition in laboratory system. While the NosZ of B. ottawaense and B. diazoefficiens showed high homology, nosZ gene expression in B. ottawaense was over 150-fold higher than that in B. diazoefficiens USDA110T, suggesting the high N2O-reducing activity of B. ottawaense is achieved by high nos expression. Furthermore, we examined the nos operon transcription start sites and found that, unlike B. diazoefficiens, B. ottawaense has two transcription start sites under N2O-respiring conditions, which may contribute to the high nosZ expression. Our study indicates the potential of B. ottawaense for effective N2O reduction and unique regulation of nos gene expression towards the high performance of N2O mitigation in the soil.
Artificial surface labelling of Escherichia coli with StrepTagII antigen to study how monoclonal antibodies drive complement-mediated killing
Authors: Muts Remy M. , den Boer Maurits A. , Bardoel Bart W. , Aerts Piet C. , de Haas Carla J. C. , Heck Albert J. R. , Rooijakkers Suzan H. M. , Heesterbeek Dani A. C.
Published: November 2023

Antibodies play a key role in the immune defence against Gram-negative bacteria. After binding to bacterial surface antigens, IgG and IgM can activate the complement system and trigger formation of lytic membrane attack complex (MAC) pores. Molecular studies to compare functional activity of antibodies on bacteria are hampered by the limited availability of well-defined antibodies against bacterial surface antigens. Therefore, we genetically engineered E. coli by expressing the StrepTagII antigen into outer membrane protein X (OmpX) and validated that these engineered bacteria were recognised by anti-StrepTagII antibodies. We then combined this antigen–antibody system with a purified complement assay to avoid interference of serum components and directly compare MAC-mediated bacterial killing via IgG1 and pentameric IgM. While both IgG1 and IgM could induce MAC-mediated killing, we show that IgM has an increased capacity to induce complement-mediated killing of E. coli compared to IgG1. While Fc mutations that enhance IgG clustering after target binding could not improve MAC formation, mutations that cause formation of pre-assembled IgG hexamers enhanced the complement activating capacity of IgG1. Altogether, we here present a system to study antibody-dependent complement activation on E. coli and show IgM’s enhanced capacity over IgG to induce complement-mediated lysis of E. coli.
Causal effect of gallstone disease on the risk of coronary heart disease or acute myocardial infarction: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Fu Qingan , Shen Tianzhou , Yu Qingyun , Jiang Long , Yang Renqiang
Published: November 2023

Gallstone disease (GSD) is thought to be associated with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which may be due to abnormal cholesterol metabolism. We used multiple Mendelian randomization (MR) methods based on publicly available genome-wide association study data to assess whether this association is genetically causal and to search for loci driving causality. Pooled data for GSD were obtained from FinnGen Biobank and Biobank Japan, while CHD and AMI were obtained as pooled data from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D consortium. In this MR study, we found a significant negative causal effect of genetic susceptibility to GSD on AMI in the Finnish population, but no causal effect was found on CHD. This causal effect was not confounded by reverse causality and the same findings were obtained in the Japanese population. Furthermore, the negative causal effect of GSD on AMI risk may be driven by the rs4245791-regulated ABCG5/8 protein. In conclusion, the results of this MR study support a negative causal effect of GSD on AMI and suggest that rs4245791 is the causal driver locus of this effect, which provides new ideas and evidence for the prevention and etiologic study of AMI in patients with GSD.
Comparison of three bioinformatics tools in the detection of ASD candidate variants from whole exome sequencing data
Authors: Shil Apurba , Levin Liron , Golan Hava , Meiri Gal , Michaelovski Analya , Sadaka Yair , Aran Adi , Dinstein Ilan , Menashe Idan
Published: November 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogenous multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition with a significant genetic susceptibility component. Thus, identifying genetic variations associated with ASD is a complex task. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is an effective approach for detecting extremely rare protein-coding single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and short insertions/deletions (INDELs). However, interpreting these variants' functional and clinical consequences requires integrating multifaceted genomic information. We compared the concordance and effectiveness of three bioinformatics tools in detecting ASD candidate variants (SNVs and short INDELs) from WES data of 220 ASD family trios registered in the National Autism Database of Israel. We studied only rare (< 1% population frequency) proband-specific variants. According to the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines, the pathogenicity of variants was evaluated by the InterVar and TAPES tools. In addition, likely gene-disrupting (LGD) variants were detected based on an in-house bioinformatics tool, Psi-Variant, that integrates results from seven in-silico prediction tools. Overall, 372 variants in 311 genes distributed in 168 probands were detected by these tools. The overlap between the tools was 64.1, 22.9, and 23.1% for InterVar–TAPES, InterVar–Psi-Variant, and TAPES–Psi-Variant, respectively. The intersection between InterVar and Psi-Variant (I ∩ P) was the most effective approach in detecting variants in known ASD genes (PPV = 0.274; OR = 7.09, 95% CI = 3.92–12.22), while the union of InterVar and Psi Variant (I U P) achieved the highest diagnostic yield (20.5%).Our results suggest that integrating different variant interpretation approaches in detecting ASD candidate variants from WES data is superior to each approach alone. The inclusion of additional criteria could further improve the detection of ASD candidate variants.
Dimeric Transmembrane Structure of the SARS-CoV-2 E Protein
Authors: Zhang Rongfu , Qin Huajun , Prasad Ramesh , Fu Riqiang , Zhou Huan-Xiang , Cross Timothy A.
Published: November 2023

The SARS-CoV-2 E protein is a transmembrane (TM) protein with its N-terminus exposed on the external surface of the virus. At debate is its oligomeric state, let alone its function. Here, the TM structure of the E protein is characterized by oriented sample and magic angle spinning solid-state NMR in lipid bilayers and refined by molecular dynamics simulations. This protein was previously found to be a pentamer, with a hydrophobic pore that appears to function as an ion channel. We identify only a front-to-front, symmetric helix-helix interface, leading to a dimeric structure that does not support channel activity. The two helices have a tilt angle of only 6°, resulting in an extended interface dominated by Leu and Val sidechains. While residues Val14-Thr35 are almost all buried in the hydrophobic region of the membrane, Asn15 lines a water-filled pocket that potentially serves as a drug-binding site. The E and other viral proteins may adopt different oligomeric states to help perform multiple functions.
Biotemplated heterostructure materials: opportunities for the elaboration of new photocatalysts and selective-oxidation catalysts
Authors: Ma Xiaoqian , Bai Xiaoli , Chen Xiaohong , Zhang Chunyan , Leng Junyang , Zhang Anlong , Chen Daomei , Wang Jiaqiang
Published: November 2023

Natural biological materials display a large number of sophisticated nanostructures that are difficult to acquire even using the most technologically advanced synthetic methodologies.
Spin-state versatility in FeII4L6 supramolecular cages with a pyridyl-hydrazone ligand scaffold modulated by solvents and counter anions
Authors: Li Weiyang , Li Xiaochun , Robeyns Koen , Wolff Mariusz , Kfoury Joseph , Oláh Julianna , Herchel Radovan , Demeshko Serhiy , Meyer Franc , Garcia Yann
Published: November 2023

Discrete spin crossover (SCO) tetranuclear cages are a unique class of materials that have potential use in next-generation molecular recognition and sensing.
Corrosion-assisted in situ growth of NiCoFe-layered double hydroxides on Fe foam for sensitive non-enzymatic glucose detection
Authors: Dong Yi , Zhang Yuchi , Xu Yan
Published: November 2023

Ni/Co modified iron layered hydroxide nanofilms prepared through corrosion engineering exhibited excellent selectivity and high sensitivity for non-enzymatic glucose detection.
Interlayer interaction-force-tuned magnetic responses in CoII-tetrazolate–carboxylate system from canted antiferromagnet to field-induced metamagnet
Authors: Ding Bo , Liu Zhong-Yi , Gong Xin-Jing , Tang Hui-Min , Wang Xiu-Guang , Liu Zheng-Yu , Dong Hui-Ming , Liu Jing , Yang En-Cui
Published: November 2023

Interlayer interaction force (covalent bond vs. hydrogen-bond)-dominated magnetic responses (canted antiferromagnet vs. field-induced metamagnet) have been achieved in the CoII-tetrazolate–carboxylate system.
Novel organically linked ZnII hydrogenselenite coordination polymers: synthesis, characterization, and efficient TiO2 photosensitization for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production
Authors: Lunardi Andressa , Bortolotto Tanize , Nunes Cechin Camila , Daudt Natália de Freitas , Mello Melina de Azevedo , dos Santos Sailer S. , Cargnelutti Roberta , Lang Ernesto Schulz , Tirloni Bárbara
Published: November 2023

This work is focused on the solvothermal synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic activities of the first organically linked ZnII hydrogenselenite coordination polymers.
A planar per-borylated digermene
Authors: Zheng Xiongfei , Crumpton Agamemnon E. , Ellwanger Mathias A. , Aldridge Simon
Published: November 2023

A tetraboryl digermene features both a planar ‘alkene-like’ geometry for the Ge2B4 core, and an exceptionally short GeGe double bond, consistent with lowest energy (in silico) fragmentation into two triplet bis(boryl)germylene fragments.
Lewis base-catalyzed cascade [4 + 2]-annulation reaction of N-alkoxy acrylamides and acyl isothiocyanates: facile access to 2-imino-1,3-thiazinone derivatives
Authors: Wang Zhaoxue , Tian Ge , Shi Yuying , Liu Wanxing , Xu Xiangdong , Li Xiaojing , Wu Lingang , Xie Lei
Published: November 2023

A Lewis base-catalyzed cascade aza-nucleophilic addition/thio-Michael addition reaction of N-alkoxy acrylamides with acyl isothiocyanates has been developed to afford various 2-imino-1,3-thiazinone derivatives in 40–97% yields.
Direct arene trifluoromethylation enabled by promiscuous activity of fungal laccase
Authors: Goh Yi Ling , Long Shi Yang Preston , Wong Mun Fei Eddy , Tan Lee Ling , Tiong Elaine , Wong Fong Tian , Liu Zhennan
Published: November 2023

Laccase from T. versicolor catalyzed the trifluoromethylation of non-phenolic arenes at a 0.0034% catalyst loading with a yield up to 70%.
Direct coupling of two inert CO2 molecules to form a C–C bond on the Cu0 atomic interfaces of the nitrogen-doped graphene-supported Cu4 cluster
Authors: Cui Xin-Jia , Qiu Yong-Qing , Wang Hong-Qiang , Liu Chun-Guang
Published: November 2023

Direct coupling of two inert CO2 molecules to form a CO2 dimer with strong C–C bond over the Cu0 atomic interfaces is proposed based on our periodic density functional theory calculations.
Exploration of linear and third-order nonlinear optical properties for donor–π-linker–acceptor chromophores derived from ATT-2 based non-fullerene molecule
Authors: Sagir Muhammad , Mushtaq Kalsoom , Khalid Muhammad , Khan Mashal , Tahir Muhammad Bilal , Braga Ataualpa A. C.
Published: November 2023

In the current study, seven non-fullerene compounds abbreviated as ATTD2–ATTD8 were designed through structural tailoring and their nonlinear optical (NLO) properties were reported.
Fixed-bed adsorption of Pb(ii) and Cu(ii) from multi-metal aqueous systems onto cellulose-g-hydroxyapatite granules: optimization using response surface methodology
Authors: Marrane Salah Eddine , Dânoun Karim , Essamlali Youness , Aboulhrouz Soumia , Sair Said , Amadine Othmane , Jioui Ilham , Rhihil Abdallah , Zahouily Mohamed
Published: November 2023

Prepared CMFs-g-HAPN was an efficient and effective reusable adsorbent for removal of heavy metals from aqueous systems, and could be a suitable candidate for wastewater treatment on a large scale.
DFT calculations and giant dielectric responses in (Ni1/3Nb2/3)xTi1−xO2
Authors: Thongyong Nateeporn , Thongbai Prasit , Srepusharawoot Pornjuk
Published: November 2023

The dielectric response of the (Ni1/3Nb2/3)0.025Ti0.975O2 attributed to defect dipoles and grain boundary/surface barrier layer capacitor effects.
Copper nanoparticles embedded fungal chitosan as a rational and sustainable bionanozyme with robust laccase activity for catalytic oxidation of phenolic pollutants
Authors: Mekonnen Efrata Getachew , Shitaw Kassie Nigus , Hwang Bing-Joe , Workie Yitayal Admassu , Abda Ebrahim M. , Mekonnen Menbere Leul
Published: November 2023

Chitosan–Cu represents a rational design of laccase nanozyme with robust catalytic oxidation of phenolic compounds.
High precision measurements of lithium isotopic composition at sub-nanogram by MC-ICP-MS with membrane desolvation
Authors: He Mao-Yong , Deng Li , Liu Jianni , Jin Zhang dong , Ren Tongxiang
Published: November 2023

The δ7Li measured with different sample sizes and different introduction system (“Wet plasma” and “Dry plasma”).
Impact of fill-in-the-nodes concept maps on low prior-knowledge students learning chemistry: a study on the learning achievements and attitude toward concept maps
Authors: Huynh Quan-Thanh , Yang Yu-Chuan
Published: November 2023

Numerous studies have proven the learning benefits of concept maps in science subjects, particularly for students with low prior knowledge. There is a scarcity of research dedicated to the examination of chemistry courses at the university level, and the findings pertaining to academic performance in that subject exhibit a lack of consistency. This study examined the impact of concept maps on students of a General Chemistry course who had low prior knowledge. The study applied a quasi-experimental design to collect data on two topics: uncertainties of measurements (Topic 1) and acid–base (Topic 2). Fill-in-the-nodes concept maps were developed and served as learning materials. ANCOVA and Johnson–Neyman techniques were used to analyze the scores of concept tests of Topic 1 and Topic 2, respectively. In both Topics 1 and 2, the results showed that the treatment group outperformed the control group. However, the aforementioned finding was limited to the subset of students whose pre-test scores were below 30.7 out of a total of 47. From the analysis of the attitude questionnaire, the authors concluded that the students appreciated the usefulness of concept maps. However, they might hesitate to engage in using this new learning tool. The study's findings strengthen the evidence of the learning benefits of concept mapping. Moreover, using concept maps in teaching is feasible because of their low cost and minimally invasive modification to instructional design. The practices for implication of concept mapping are also discussed.
Post-synthesis modification of metal–organic frameworks: synthesis, characteristics, and applications
Authors: He Wanjun , Lv Danyu , Guan Yongguang , Yu Siming
Published: November 2023

Post-synthesis modification (PSM) is an efficient means to introduce functional chemical groups into metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) by modifying metal clusters or ligands after MOFs have been synthesized.
Rapidly tuning the electrocatalytic activity of perovskite oxides by plasma treatment
Authors: Sun Zhu , Fan Weiwei , Lin Tianquan
Published: November 2023

Exsolution-based nanoparticle-decorated materials can be rapidly fabricated in several minutes by plasma treatment.
A robust conductive covalent organic framework for ultra-stable potassium storage
Authors: Li Yu-Yang , Xiao Ji-Miao , Xie Mo , Wu Lei-Feng , Chen Yan-Fei , Yuan Shuai , Bin De-Shan , Zuo Jing-lin
Published: November 2023

A conductive and redox-active COF (Ni-TTF) have been synthesized and applied as an promising anode for KIBs, exhibiting remarkable stability with no capacity loss after 2500 cycles at 2C, making it one of the best organic anode materials for KIBs.
A fuel-initiated DNA molecular machine for microRNA detection in serum via poly-adenine-mediated spherical nucleic acids
Authors: Gu Menghan , Yi Xiaoqing , Shang Zhiwei , Nong Xianliang , Lin Meihua , Xia Fan
Published: November 2023

By combining polyA-mediated spherical nucleic acids with toehold mediated strand displacement reaction, a fuel-initiated DNA molecular machine has been constructed for sensitively and selectively detecting microRNA-22 in fetal bovine serum.
Intensive emission of Eu(iii) β-diketonate complexes with arsine oxide ligands
Authors: Shimoji Haruki , Fujii Toshiki , Sumida Akifumi , Kitagawa Yuichi , Hasegawa Yasuchika , Imoto Hiroaki , Naka Kensuke
Published: November 2023

Europium(iii) hexafluoroacetylacetonates incorporating arsine oxides were synthesized. Tris(1-naphthyl)arsine oxide yielded a notably more intense emission and higher thermal stability than triphenylphosphine oxide, which is conventionally used.
MELCHIORS
Authors: Royer P. , Merle T. , Dsilva K. , Sekaran S. , Van Winckel H. , Frémat Y. , Van der Swaelmen M. , Gebruers S. , Tkachenko A. , Laverick M. , Dirickx M. , Raskin G. , Hensberge H. , Abdul-Masih M. , Acke B. , Alonso M. L. , Bandhu Mahato S. , Beck P. G. , Behara N. , Bloemen S. , Buysschaert B. , Cox N. , Debosscher J. , De Cat P. , Degroote P. , De Nutte R. , De Smedt K. , de Vries B. , Dumortier L. , Escorza A. , Exter K. , Goriely S. , Gorlova N. , Hillen M. , Homan W. , Jorissen A. , Kamath D. , Karjalainen M. , Karjalainen R. , Lampens P. , Lobel A. , Lombaert R. , Marcos-Arenal P. , Menu J. , Merges F. , Moravveji E. , Nemeth P. , Neyskens P. , Ostensen R. , Pápics P. I. , Perez J. , Prins S. , Royer S. , Samadi-Ghadim A. , Sana H. , Sans Fuentes A. , Scaringi S. , Schmid V. , Siess L. , Siopis C. , Smolders K. , Sódor Á. , Thoul A. , Triana S. , Vandenbussche B. , Van de Sande M. , Van De Steene G. , Van Eck S. , van Hoof P. A. M. , Van Marle A. J. , Van Reeth T. , Vermeylen L. , Volpi D. , Vos J. , Waelkens C.
Published: November 2023

Aims. Over the past decades, libraries of stellar spectra have been used in a large variety of science cases, including as sources of reference spectra for a given object or a given spectral type. Despite the existence of large libraries and the increasing number of projects of large-scale spectral surveys, there is to date only one very high-resolution spectral library offering spectra from a few hundred objects from the southern hemisphere (UVES-POP). We aim to extend the sample, offering a finer coverage of effective temperatures and surface gravity with a uniform collection of spectra obtained in the northern hemisphere.

Methods. Between 2010 and 2020, we acquired several thousand echelle spectra of bright stars with the Mercator-HERMES spectrograph located in the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory in La Palma, whose pipeline offers high-quality data reduction products. We have also developed methods to correct for the instrumental response in order to approach the true shape of the spectral continuum. Additionally, we have devised a normalisation process to provide a homogeneous normalisation of the full spectral range for most of the objects.

Results. We present a new spectral library consisting of 3256 spectra covering 2043 stars. It combines high signal-to-noise and high spectral resolution over the entire range of effective temperatures and luminosity classes. The spectra are presented in four versions: raw, corrected from the instrumental response, with and without correction from the atmospheric molecular absorption, and normalised (including the telluric correction).