bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Co-functioning of 2AP precursor amino acids enhances 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline under salt stress in aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars
Authors: Renuka N. , Barvkar Vitthal T. , Ansari Zahid , Zhao Chunfang , Wang Cailin , Zhang Yadong , Nadaf Altafhusain B.
Published: March 2022

Aromatic rice (Oryza sativa) fetches a premium price due to the pleasant aroma. The major aroma compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) has been found to be enhanced under stress. This condition can be considered to study the genes, precursors, enzymes, and metabolites involved in elevated levels of 2AP biosynthesis. In the present study, 100 mM salt treatment was given to two aromatic rice cultivars Ambemohar-157 (A-157) and Basmati-370 (B-370) at the vegetative stage (VS3). After salt treatment, in the leaves, 2AP contents were elevated by 2.2 and 1.8 fold in A-157 and B-370, respectively. Under these elevated 2AP conditions, the precursor amino acids (glutamate, putrescine, ornithine, and proline), their related genes, enzymes, and metabolites (methylglyoxal and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) related to 2AP biosynthesis were analyzed. In addition, agronomic characters were also studied. It was observed that the proline content was enhanced in both the cultivars by 29% (A-157) and 40% (B-370) as compared to control. The Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) enzyme activity was increased in salt-treated plants leaf tissue by 31% (A-157) and 40% (B-370) compared to control. The P5CS gene expression was enhanced by A-157 (1.8 fold) and B-370 (2.2 fold) compared to control, putrescine content in A-157 and B-370 decreased by 2.5 and 2.7 fold respectively as compared to control. The ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity was enhanced in A-157 (12%) and B-370 (35%) over control. Further, ODC gene expression was enhanced in both the cultivars A-157 (1.5 fold) and B-370 (1.3 fold). The diamino oxidase (DAO) enzyme activity was increased by 28% (A-157) and 35% (B-370) respectively over control. The GABA content marginally increased over control in both the cultivars namely, A-157 (1.9%) and B-370 (9.5%). The methylglyoxal levels were enhanced by 1.4 fold in A-157 and 1.6 fold in B-370. Interestingly, the enhancement in 2AP in the vegetative stage also helped to accumulate it in mature grains (twofold in A-157 and 1.5 fold in B-370) without test weight penalty. The study indicated that the ornithine and proline together along with methylglyoxal contribute towards the enhancement of 2AP under salt stress.
miR-378 affects metabolic disturbances in the mdx model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Podkalicka Paulina , Mucha Olga , Kaziród Katarzyna , Szade Krzysztof , Stępniewski Jacek , Ivanishchuk Liudmyla , Hirao Hirofumi , Pośpiech Ewelina , Józkowicz Alicja , Kupiec-Weglinski Jerzy W. , Dulak Józef , Łoboda Agnieszka
Published: March 2022

Although Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) primarily affects muscle tissues, the alterations to systemic metabolism manifested in DMD patients contribute to the severe phenotype of this fatal disorder. We propose that microRNA-378a (miR-378) alters carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in dystrophic mdx mice. In our study, we utilized double knockout animals which lacked both dystrophin and miR-378 (mdx/miR-378−/−). RNA sequencing of the liver identified 561 and 194 differentially expressed genes that distinguished mdx versus wild-type (WT) and mdx/miR-378−/− versus mdx counterparts, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis predicted, among others, carbohydrate metabolism disorder in dystrophic mice, as functionally proven by impaired glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. The lack of miR-378 in mdx animals mitigated those effects with a faster glucose clearance in a glucose tolerance test (GTT) and normalization of liver glycogen levels. The absence of miR-378 also restored the expression of genes regulating lipid homeostasis, such as Acly, Fasn, Gpam, Pnpla3, and Scd1. In conclusion, we report for the first time that miR-378 loss results in increased systemic metabolism of mdx mice. Together with our previous finding, demonstrating alleviation of the muscle-related symptoms of DMD, we propose that the inhibition of miR-378 may represent a new strategy to attenuate the multifaceted symptoms of DMD.
Source time functions of earthquakes based on a stochastic differential equation
Authors: Hirano Shiro
Published: March 2022

Source time functions are essential observable quantities in seismology; they have been investigated via kinematic inversion analyses and compiled into databases. Given the numerous available results, some empirical laws on source time functions have been established, even though they are complicated and fluctuated time series. Theoretically, stochastic differential equations, including a random variable and white noise, are suitable for modeling complicated phenomena. In this study, we model source time functions as the convolution of two stochastic processes (known as Bessel processes). We mathematically and numerically demonstrate that this convolution satisfies some of the empirical laws of source time functions, including non-negativity, finite duration, unimodality, a growth rate proportional to $$t^3$$

t
3

, $$\omega ^{-2}$$

ω

-
2

-type spectra, and frequency distribution (i.e., the Gutenberg–Richter law). We interpret this convolution and speculate that the stress drop rate and fault impedance follow the same Bessel process.
The RNA helicase DDX3 promotes IFNB transcription via enhancing IRF-3/p300 holocomplex binding to the IFNB promoter
Authors: Saikruang Wilaiporn , Ang Yan Ping Lena , Abe Hiroto , Kasumba Dacquin M. , Kato Hiroki , Fujita Takashi
Published: March 2022

The human DEAD-box protein 3 (DDX3) has been reported as a positive regulator and functions in the induction of type I interferon signaling. We elucidated the function of DDX3 in the positive regulation of IFNB production in non-pDC cells. We found that DDX3 regulates virus-induced activation of IFNB at the level of IRF-3. However, it does not affect conventional innate signaling, including IRF-3 phosphorylation, dimerization, or nuclear translocation of IRF-3, but has some downstream events after IRF-3 phosphorylation. Co-immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that DDX3 interacts with IRF-3 through its DNA-binding domain and promotes IRF-3-mediated IFNB promoter activation. DDX3 does not affect the formation of the IRF-3/p300/CBP complex. Instead, ChIP and EMSA assay revealed that DDX3 promotes the recruitment of IRF-3 and transcriptional co-activator p300/CBP to the IFNB promoter. The ATP binding pocket of DDX3 is involved in this association and is essential for the transcriptional activation. Taken together, our study demonstrates that DDX3 plays an important role in guiding a transcription factor complex formed by antiviral signaling to the target gene promoter.
Interpreting the role of nuchal fold for fetal growth restriction prediction using machine learning
Authors: Teng Lung Yun , Mattar Citra Nurfarah Zaini , Biswas Arijit , Hoo Wai Lam , Saw Shier Nee
Published: March 2022

The objective of the study is to investigate the effect of Nuchal Fold (NF) in predicting Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR) using machine learning (ML), to explain the model's results using model-agnostic interpretable techniques, and to compare the results with clinical guidelines. This study used second-trimester ultrasound biometry and Doppler velocimetry were used to construct six FGR (birthweight < 3rd centile) ML models. Interpretability analysis was conducted using Accumulated Local Effects (ALE) and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP). The results were compared with clinical guidelines based on the most optimal model. Support Vector Machine (SVM) exhibited the most consistent performance in FGR prediction. SHAP showed that the top contributors to identify FGR were Abdominal Circumference (AC), NF, Uterine RI (Ut RI), and Uterine PI (Ut PI). ALE showed that the cutoff values of Ut RI, Ut PI, and AC in differentiating FGR from normal were comparable with clinical guidelines (Errors between model and clinical; Ut RI: 15%, Ut PI: 8%, and AC: 11%). The cutoff value for NF to differentiate between healthy and FGR is 5.4 mm, where low NF may indicate FGR. The SVM model is the most stable in FGR prediction. ALE can be a potential tool to identify a cutoff value for novel parameters to differentiate between healthy and FGR.
Scanning laser-induced endothelial injury: a standardized and reproducible thrombosis model for intravital microscopy
Authors: Larsson P. , Tarlac V. , Wang T.-Y. , Bonnard T. , Hagemeyer C. E. , Hamilton J. R. , Medcalf R. L. , Cody S. H. , Boknäs N.
Published: March 2022

Vascular injury models are indispensable for studying thrombotic processes in vivo. Amongst the available methods for inducing thrombosis, laser-induced endothelial injury (LIEI) has several unique advantages. However, a lack of methodological standardization and expensive instrumentation remain significant problems decreasing reproducibility and impeding the adoption of LIEI in the wider scientific community. In this, study, we developed a standardized protocol for scanning laser-induced endothelial injury (scanning-LIEI) of murine mesenteric veins using the intrinsic 405 nm laser of a conventional laser scanning confocal microscope. We show that our model produces thrombi with prominent core–shell architectures and minimal radiation-related fluorescence artefacts. In comparison with previous methods, the scanning-LIEI model exhibits reduced experimental variability, enabling the demonstration of dose–response effects for anti-thrombotic drugs using small animal cohorts. Scanning-LIEI using the intrinsic 405 nm laser of a confocal laser scanning microscope represents a new method to induce standardized vascular injury with improved reproducibility of thrombus formation. The reduced need for instrument customisation and user experience means that this model could be more readily adopted in the research community.
Object detectors involving a NAS-gate convolutional module and capsule attention module
Authors: Viriyasaranon Thanaporn , Choi Jang-Hwan
Published: March 2022

Several state-of-the-art object detectors have demonstrated outstanding performances by optimizing feature representation through modification of the backbone architecture and exploitation of a feature pyramid. To determine the effectiveness of this approach, we explore the modification of object detectors’ backbone and feature pyramid by utilizing Neural Architecture Search (NAS) and Capsule Network. We introduce two modules, namely, NAS-gate convolutional module and Capsule Attention module. The NAS-gate convolutional module optimizes standard convolution in a backbone network based on differentiable architecture search cooperation with multiple convolution conditions to overcome object scale variation problems. The Capsule Attention module exploits the strong spatial relationship encoding ability of the capsule network to generate a spatial attention mask, which emphasizes important features and suppresses unnecessary features in the feature pyramid, in order to optimize the feature representation and localization capability of the detectors. Experimental results indicate that the NAS-gate convolutional module can alleviate the object scale variation problem and the Capsule Attention network can help to avoid inaccurate localization. Next, we introduce NASGC-CapANet, which incorporates the two modules, i.e., a NAS-gate convolutional module and capsule attention module. Results of comparisons against state-of-the-art object detectors on the MS COCO val-2017 dataset demonstrate that NASGC-CapANet-based Faster R-CNN significantly outperforms the baseline Faster R-CNN with a ResNet-50 backbone and a ResNet-101 backbone by mAPs of 2.7% and 2.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the NASGC-CapANet-based Cascade R-CNN achieves a box mAP of 43.8% on the MS COCO test-dev dataset.
Synthesis and investigation of dielectric ceramic nanoparticles for microstrip patch antenna applications
Authors: Siragam Srilali , Dubey R. S. , Pappula Lakshman , Satheesh Babu G.
Published: March 2022

Zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) is a well-recognized ceramic demanded in several microwave applications. Further, the addition of dielectric materials in ZnAl2O4 improved its dielectric properties, which is promising for the realization of a microstrip patch antenna. This article reports the investigation of ZnAl2O4TiO2 (ZAT) dielectric ceramic nanoparticles synthesized by the sol–gel process. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the crystalline nature of the prepared nanoparticles, with a tetragonal structure of anatase-, and rutile-TiO2 phases coexisting with the cubic phase of ZnAl2O4. The estimated crystallite size of the dielectric ceramic is 13.3 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs demonstrated the spherical grains with their mean diameter of 14.75 nm, whereas the selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern endorsed the crystallinity of the sample. Raman measurement revealed the vibrational modes in accordance with the TiO2 and ZnAl2O4 compounds. The dielectric properties of the ZAT sample showed the dielectric permittivity in the range of 22.12–21.63, with its minimum loss from 0.056 to 0.041. Finally, a prototype microstrip antenna was fabricated using the prepared nanoparticles, which demonstrated a return loss of − 30.72 dB at the resonant frequency of 4.85 GHz with its bandwidth of 830 MHz.
Hidden transition in multiplex networks
Authors: da Costa R. A. , Baxter G. J. , Dorogovtsev S. N. , Mendes J. F. F.
Published: March 2022

Weak multiplex percolation generalizes percolation to multi-layer networks, represented as networks with a common set of nodes linked by multiple types (colors) of edges. We report a novel discontinuous phase transition in this problem. This anomalous transition occurs in networks of three or more layers without unconnected nodes, $$P(0)\,=\,0$$

P
(
0
)

=

0

. Above a critical value of a control parameter, the removal of a tiny fraction $$\Delta$$
Δ
of nodes or edges triggers a failure cascade which ends either with the total collapse of the network, or a return to stability with the system essentially intact. The discontinuity is not accompanied by any singularity of the giant component, in contrast to the discontinuous hybrid transition which usually appears in such problems. The control parameter is the fraction of nodes in each layer with a single connection, $$\Pi \,=\,P(1)$$

Π

=

P
(
1
)

. We obtain asymptotic expressions for the collapse time and relaxation time, above and below the critical point $$\Pi _c$$

Π
c

, respectively. In the limit $$\Delta \rightarrow 0$$

Δ
→
0

the total collapse for $$\Pi \,>\,\Pi _\text {c}$$

Π

>

Π
c

takes a time $$T \propto 1/(\Pi -\Pi _\text {c})$$

T
∝
1
/
(
Π
-

Π
c

)

, while there is an exponential relaxation below $$\Pi _\text {c}$$

Π
c

with a relaxation time $$\tau \propto 1/[\Pi _\text {c}-\Pi ]$$

τ
∝
1
/
[

Π
c

-
Π
]

.
The effect of combining vibratory platform and unstable footwear on static balance in active young people
Authors: Varangot-Reille C. , Salvador-Coloma P. , Biviá-Roig G. , Múzquiz-Barberá P. , Lisón J. F.
Published: March 2022

Vibratory platforms (VPs) and unstable footwear (UF) have both shown benefits on balance in some populations. However, there is no evidence about the combined effects of using UF while training on an VP in healthy and physically active young people. We aimed to evaluate the effects of wearing unstable footwear (UF) while training on a whole-body VP on balance in healthy, physically active young people. 23 participants were randomized into groups assigned UF (n = 11) or stable footwear (SF; n = 12). Both groups followed the same training program on an VP with the assigned footwear type twice a week for 12 weeks. The training consisted of performing 8 isometric exercises for progressively longer periods and higher oscillation amplitudes (15–60 s, 1–3 mm), at a fixed vibration frequency (20 Hz). The main outcomes were the antero-posterior and medio-lateral velocities of the center of pressure (COP) recorded using a plantar pressure corridor at baseline, post-treatment and 1-month follow-up. We found a statistically significant difference in the antero-posterior velocity during the monopodal test in the UF group between the different time-points (χ2(2) = 13.282, p = 0.001). Mediolateral COP velocity ranking during the bipodal test was lower for UF than for SF group (U = 19.50, z = − 2.86, p = 0.003) at follow-up. The traditional vibratory platform training does not seem to be effective to improve static balance in physically active young people, however, adding UF provided slightly greater effect.
Real-time imaging of glutamate transients in the extracellular space of acute human brain slices using a single-wavelength glutamate fluorescence nanosensor
Authors: Brandner Sebastian , Aicher Simon , Schroeter Sarah , Swierzy Izabela , Kinfe Thomas M. , Buchfelder Michael , Maslarova Anna , Stadlbauer Andreas
Published: March 2022

Glutamate is the most important excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. The ability to assess glutamate release and re-uptake with high spatial and temporal resolution is crucial to understand the involvement of this primary excitatory neurotransmitter in both normal brain function and different neurological disorders. Real-time imaging of glutamate transients by fluorescent nanosensors has been accomplished in rat brain slices. We performed for the first time single-wavelength glutamate nanosensor imaging in human cortical brain slices obtained from patients who underwent epilepsy surgery. The glutamate fluorescence nanosensor signals of the electrically stimulated human cortical brain slices showed steep intensity increase followed by an exponential decrease. The spatial distribution and the time course of the signal were in good agreement with the position of the stimulation electrode and the dynamics of the electrical stimulation, respectively. Pharmacological manipulation of glutamate release and reuptake was associated with corresponding changes in the glutamate fluorescence nanosensor signals. We demonstrated that the recently developed fluorescent nanosensors for glutamate allow to detect neuronal activity in acute human cortical brain slices with high spatiotemporal precision. Future application to tissue samples from different pathologies may provide new insights into pathophysiology without the limitations of an animal model.
Characterization of rice farming systems, production constraints and determinants of adoption of improved varieties by smallholder farmers of the Republic of Benin
Authors: Loko Yêyinou Laura Estelle , Gbemavo Charlemagne D. S. J. , Djedatin Gustave , Ewedje Eben-Ezer , Orobiyi Azize , Toffa Joelle , Tchakpa Cyrille , Sedah Paulin , Sabot François
Published: March 2022

The identification of technological and policy interventions allowing to improve the performance of Beninese rice systems is necessary to reduce the heavy dependence on rice imports. This study characterized the Beninese rice farming systems, identified the production constraints, and determinants of the adoption of improved varieties by farmers. Four hundred eighteen rice farm households were surveyed across 39 villages using participatory research tools and methods. Cluster analysis was used to classify the surveyed farm households and revealed four typologies of rice farming systems differentiated by 8 variables. These are, the intensive rice farming system (cluster 4; 33.7%), semi-intensive rice farming system (cluster 1; 31.8%), integrated rice–livestock farming system (cluster 3; 11.8%), and subsistence rice farming (cluster 2; 22.7%). The integrated rice–livestock farming system was the dominant type practiced in the northern Benin, while, it is the intensive rice farming system in the south. Fifteen production constraints across rice-growing areas were recorded. Our results suggest that to increase adoption of improved rice varieties, agricultural extension services should target landowners’ farmers practicing off-season rice production, and having other sources of income. Initiatives to boost rice production in Benin should prioritize the establishment of formal agricultural credit and mechanization option policies.
Monitoring the impact of COVID-19 in France on cancer care: a differentiated impact
Authors: Le Bihan Benjamin Christine , Simonnet Julien-Aymeric , Rocchi Mathieu , Khati Inès , Ménard Estelle , Houas-Bernat Emilie , Méric Jean-Baptiste , Bousquet Philippe-Jean
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial and lasting impact on care provision, particularly in the field of cancer care. National steering has helped monitor the health situation and adapt the provision and organisation of care. Based on data from the French administrative healthcare database (SNDS) on the entire French population (67 million people), screening, diagnostic and therapeutic activity was monitored and compared 2019 on a monthly basis. A noteworthy decline in all activities (with the exception of chemotherapy) was observed during the first lockdown in France. Over the months that followed, this activity returned to normal but did not make up for the shortfall from the first lockdown. Finally, during the lockdown in late 2020, cancer care activity was conserved. In brief, in 2020, the number of mammograms decreased by 10% (− 492,500 procedures), digestive endoscopies by 19% (− 648,500), and cancer-related excision by 6% (− 23,000 surgical procedures). Hospital radiotherapy activity was down 3.8% (− 4400 patients) and that in private practice was down 1.4% (− 1600 patients). Chemotherapy activity increased by 2.2% (7200 patients), however. To summarize, COVID-19 had a very substantial impact during the first lockdown. Safeguarding cancer care activity helped limit this impact over the months that followed, but the situation remains uncertain. Further studies on the medium- and long-term impact on individuals (survival, recurrence, after-effects) will be conducted.
Effects of void nodes on epidemic spreads in networks
Authors: Kuga Kazuki , Tanimoto Jun
Published: March 2022

We present the pair approximation models for susceptible–infected–recovered (SIR) epidemic dynamics in a sparse network based on a regular network. Two processes are considered, namely, a Markovian process with a constant recovery rate and a non-Markovian process with a fixed recovery time. We derive the implicit analytical expression for the final epidemic size and explicitly show the epidemic threshold in both Markovian and non-Markovian processes. As the connection rate decreases from the original network connection, the epidemic threshold in which epidemic phase transits from disease-free to endemic increases, and the final epidemic size decreases. Additionally, for comparison with sparse and heterogeneous networks, the pair approximation models were applied to a heterogeneous network with a degree distribution. The obtained phase diagram reveals that, upon increasing the degree of the original random regular networks and decreasing the effective connections by introducing void nodes accordingly, the final epidemic size of the sparse network is close to that of the random network with average degree of 4. Thus, introducing the void nodes in the network leads to more heterogeneous network and reduces the final epidemic size.
Enhancing the decoding accuracy of EEG signals by the introduction of anchored-STFT and adversarial data augmentation method
Authors: Ali Omair , Saif-ur-Rehman Muhammad , Dyck Susanne , Glasmachers Tobias , Iossifidis Ioannis , Klaes Christian
Published: March 2022

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) enable communication between humans and machines by translating brain activity into control commands. Electroencephalography (EEG) signals are one of the most used brain signals in non-invasive BCI applications but are often contaminated with noise. Therefore, it is possible that meaningful patterns for classifying EEG signals are deeply hidden. State-of-the-art deep-learning algorithms are successful in learning hidden, meaningful patterns. However, the quality and the quantity of the presented inputs are pivotal. Here, we propose a feature extraction method called anchored Short Time Fourier Transform (anchored-STFT), which is an advanced version of STFT, as it minimizes the trade-off between temporal and spectral resolution presented by STFT. In addition, we propose a data augmentation method derived from l2-norm fast gradient sign method (FGSM), called gradient norm adversarial augmentation (GNAA). GNAA is not only an augmentation method but is also used to harness adversarial inputs in EEG data, which not only improves the classification accuracy but also enhances the robustness of the classifier. In addition, we also propose a CNN architecture, namely Skip-Net, for the classification of EEG signals. The proposed pipeline outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods and yields classification accuracies of 90.7% on BCI competition II dataset III and 89.5%, 81.8%, 76.0% and 85.4%, 69.1%, 80.9% on different data distributions of BCI Competition IV dataset 2b and 2a, respectively.
Uncertainty quantification for basin-scale geothermal conduction models
Authors: Degen Denise , Veroy Karen , Wellmann Florian
Published: March 2022

Geothermal energy plays an important role in the energy transition by providing a renewable energy source with a low CO2footprint. For this reason, this paper uses state-of-the-art simulations for geothermal applications, enabling predictions for a responsible usage of this earth’s resource. Especially in complex simulations, it is still common practice to provide a single deterministic outcome although it is widely recognized that the characterization of the subsurface is associated with partly high uncertainties. Therefore, often a probabilistic approach would be preferable, as a way to quantify and communicate uncertainties, but is infeasible due to long simulation times. We present here a method to generate full state predictions based on a reduced basis method that significantly reduces simulation time, thus enabling studies that require a large number of simulations, such as probabilistic simulations and inverse approaches. We implemented this approach in an existing simulation framework and showcase the application in a geothermal study, where we generate 2D and 3D predictive uncertainty maps. These maps allow a detailed model insight, identifying regions with both high temperatures and low uncertainties. Due to the flexible implementation, the methods are transferable to other geophysical simulations, where both the state and the uncertainty are important.
Cellobiose phosphorylase from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii catalyzes reversible phosphorolysis via different kinetic mechanisms
Authors: Bai Shaowei , Yang Liangzhen , Wang Honglei , Yang Chao , Hou Xuechen , Gao Jingjie , Zhang Zuoming
Published: March 2022

In the process of yielding biofuels from cellulose degradation, traditional enzymatic hydrolysis, such as β-glucosidase catalyzing cellobiose, can barely resolve the contradiction between cellulose degradation and bioenergy conservation. However, it has been shown that cellobiose phosphorylase provides energetic advantages for cellobiose degradation through a phosphorolytic pathway, which has attracted wide attention. Here, the cellobiose phosphorylase gene from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii (CbCBP) was cloned, expressed, and purified. Analysis of the enzymatic properties and kinetic mechanisms indicated that CbCBP catalyzed reversible phosphorolysis and had good thermal stability and broad substrate selectivity. In addition, the phosphorolytic reaction of cellobiose by CbCBP proceeded via an ordered Bi Bi mechanism, while the synthetic reaction proceeded via a ping pong Bi Bi mechanism. The present study lays the foundation for optimizing the degradation of cellulose and the synthesis of functional oligosaccharides.
Multi-dimensional-double-spiral (MDDS) inertial microfluidic platform for sperm isolation directly from the raw semen sample
Authors: Jeon Hyungkook , Cremers Claudia , Le Doris , Abell Justin , Han Jongyoon
Published: March 2022

Here, we propose a fully-automated platform using a spiral inertial microfluidic device for standardized semen preparation that can process patient-derived semen samples with diverse fluidic conditions without any pre-washing steps. We utilized the multi-dimensional double spiral (MDDS) device to effectively isolate sperm cells from other non-sperm seminal cells (e.g., leukocytes) in the semen sample. The recirculation platform was employed to minimize sample dependency and achieve highly purified and concentrated (up to tenfold) sperm cells in a rapid and fully-automated manner (~ 10 min processing time for 50 mL of diluted semen sample). The clinical (raw) semen samples obtained from healthy donors were directly used without any pre-washing step to evaluate the developed separation platform, which showed excellent performance with ~ 80% of sperm cell recovery, and > 99.95% and > 98% removal of 10-μm beads (a surrogate for leukocytes) from low-viscosity and high-viscosity semen samples, respectively. We expect that the novel platform will be an efficient and automated tool to achieve purified sperm cells directly from raw semen samples for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) as an alternative to density centrifugation or swim-up methods, which often suffer from the low recovery of sperm cells and labor-intensive steps.
Selenium supplementation influences mice testicular selenoproteins driven by gut microbiota
Authors: Ramírez-Acosta Sara , Selma-Royo Marta , Collado María Carmen , Navarro-Roldán Francisco , Abril Nieves , García-Barrera Tamara
Published: March 2022

Selenium is a well-known essential element with important roles in human reproductive health mainly due to its antioxidant character. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of selenoproteins on gut microbiota and male reproductive health. A new assay for the absolute quantification of selenoproteins in testicular tissue based on two dimensional chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was performed for the first time. The gut microbiota profile was obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Numerous associations were found between testicular selenoproteins and gut microbiota (e.g.Mucispirillum, related with sperm activity and testosterone, was associated with glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and selenoalbumin (SeAlb), whileEscherichia/Shigella, related to sex hormones, correlated with GPx, selenoprotein P (SelP) and SeAlb). The effects of Se-supplementation on testicular selenoproteins only occur in conventional mice, suggesting a potential selenoproteins-microbiota interplay that underlies testicular function. The selenoproteins GPx and SelP have been quantified for the first time in the testicles, and the novel identification of SeAlb, a protein with nonspecifically incorporated Se, is also reported. These findings demonstrate the significant impact of Se-supplementation on gut microbiota and male reproductive health. In addition, the analytical methodology applied here in selenoprotein quantification in testicular tissue opens new possibilities to evaluate their role in gut microbiota and reproductive health axis.
Inter-strides variability affects internal foot tissue loadings during running
Authors: Van Waerbeke Coline , Jacques André , Berton Eric , Rao Guillaume
Published: March 2022

Running overuse injuries result from an imbalance between repetitive loadings on the anatomical structures and their ability to adapt to these loadings. Unfortunately, the measure of these in-vivo loadings is not easily accessible. An optimal amount of movement variability is thought to decrease the running overuse injury risk, but the influence of movement variability on local tissue loading is still not known. A 3D dynamic finite element foot model driven by extrinsic muscle forces was developed to estimate the stress undergone by the different internal foot structures during the stance phase. The boundary conditions of different trials with similar running speed were used as input. Variability in bone stress (10%) and cartilage pressure (16%) can be expected while keeping the overall running speed constant. Bone and cartilage stress were mainly influenced by the muscle force profiles rather than by ground reaction force. These findings suggest, first, that the analysis of a single trial only is not representative of the internal tissue loadings distribution in the foot and second, that muscle forces must be considered when estimating bone and cartilage loadings at the foot level. This model could be applied to an optimal clinical management of the overuse injury.
Inverting angiogenesis with interstitial flow and chemokine matrix-binding affinity
Authors: Moure Adrian , Vilanova Guillermo , Gomez Hector
Published: March 2022

The molecular signaling pathways that orchestrate angiogenesis have been widely studied, but the role of biophysical cues has received less attention. Interstitial flow is unavoidable in vivo, and has been shown to dramatically change the neovascular patterns, but the mechanisms by which flow regulates angiogenesis remain poorly understood. Here, we study the complex interactions between interstitial flow and the affinity for matrix binding of different chemokine isoforms. Using a computational model, we find that changing the matrix affinity of the chemokine isoform can invert the effect of interstitial flow on angiogenesis—from preferential growth in the direction of the flow when the chemokine is initially matrix-bound to preferential flow against the flow when it is unbound. Although fluid forces signal endothelial cells directly, our data suggests a mechanism for the inversion based on biotransport arguments only, and offers a potential explanation for experimental results in which interstitial flow produced preferential vessel growth with and against the flow. Our results point to a particularly intricate effect of interstitial flow on angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment, where the vessel network geometry and the interstitial flow patterns are complex.
Design of robust cubature fission particle filter algorithm in multi-source cooperative navigation
Authors: Sun Wei , Liu Jingzhou
Published: March 2022

As a part of the multi-source cooperative navigation scheme, data fusion has a significant impact on the quality of state estimation. Particle filtering has gradually become the focus of many fusion methods due to its unique theoretical advantages in nonlinear non-Gaussian systems. However, the particle degradation and the resulting sample impoverishment restrict its application in complex engineering scenarios. In this paper, a robust cubature fission particle filter (RCFPF) is proposed to deal with these problems. First, in the framework of cubature rule, Huber function is used to combine the L2 norm and L1 norm to improve the importance density function(IDF), suppress the observation noise. Meanwhile, the proposed distribution(PD) is further optimized by combining the Gaussian distribution with Laplace distribution to alleviate particle degradation. Second, the particle swarm is fissioned before resampling, and the particle weight is reconstructed by fission of high weight particles and covering low weight particles to inhibit sample impoverishment. The vehicle experiments of multi-source cooperative navigation show that the proposed algorithm achieves better test results in accuracy and robustness than extended Kalman filter (EKF), strong tracking particle filter (STPF), and cubature particle filter (CPF).
Salmonella Salamae and S. Waycross isolated from Nile perch in Lake Victoria show limited human pathogenic potential
Authors: Hounmanou Yaovi Mahuton Gildas , Baniga Zebedayo , García Vanesa , Dalsgaard Anders
Published: March 2022

Non-enterica subspecies of Salmonella enterica are rarely associated with human infections. Paradoxically, food safety legislations consider the entire genus Salmonella as pathogenic to humans. Globally, large amounts of seafoods are rejected and wasted due to findings of Salmonella. To inform better food safety decisions, we investigated the pathogenicity of Salmonella Salamae 42:r- and Salmonella Waycross isolated from Nile perch from Lake Victoria. Genome-wide analysis revealed absence of significant virulence determinants including on key Salmonella pathogenicity islands in both serovars. In epithelial cells, S. Salamae showed a weak invasion ability that was lower than the invH mutant of S. Typhimiurium used as negative control. Similarly, S. Salamae could not replicate inside macrophages. Moreover, intracellular replication in S. Waycross strains was significantly lower compared to the wild type S. Typhimurium. Our findings suggest a low pathogenicity of S. Salamae reinforcing the existing literature that non-enterica subspecies are avirulent. We propose that food legislations and actions taken on findings of Salmonella are revisited to avoid wasting valuable sea- and other foods.
The relevance of migraine in the clinical spectrum of mitochondrial disorders
Authors: Terrin Alberto , Bello Luca , Valentino Maria Lucia , Caporali Leonardo , Sorarù Gianni , Carelli Valerio , Maggioni Ferdinando , Zeviani Massimo , Pegoraro Elena
Published: March 2022

Recent scientific evidence suggests a link between migraine and brain energy metabolism. In fact, migraine is frequently observed in mitochondrial disorders. We studied 46 patients affected by mitochondrial disorders, through a headache-focused semi-structured interview, to evaluate the prevalence of migraine among patients affected by mitochondrial disorders, the possible correlations between migraine and neuromuscular genotype or phenotype, comorbidities, lactate acid levels and brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We explored migraine-related disability, analgesic and prophylactic treatments. Diagnoses were achieved according to International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Lifetime prevalence of migraine was 61% (28/46), with high values in both sexes (68% in females, 52% in males) and higher than the values found in both the general population and previous literature. A maternal inheritance pattern was reported in 57% of cases. MIDAS and HIT6 scores revealed a mild migraine-related disability. The high prevalence of migraine across different neuromuscular phenotypes and genotypes suggests that migraine itself may be a common clinical manifestation of brain energy dysfunction. Our results provide new relevant indications in favour of migraine as the result of brain energy unbalance.
Sarcopenia increases the risk of major organ or vessel invasion in patients with papillary thyroid cancer
Authors: Yoon Ja Kyung , Yoon Jung Hyun , Park Vivian Youngjean , Lee Minah , Kwak Jin Young
Published: March 2022

While sarcopenia is associated with poor overall survival and cancer-specific survival in solid cancer patients, the impact of sarcopenia on clinicopathologic features that can influence conventional papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) prognosis remains unclear. To investigate the impact of sarcopenia on aggressive clinicopathologic features in PTC patients, prospectively collected data on 305 patients who underwent surgery for PTC with preoperative staging ultrasonography and bioelectrical impedance analysis were retrospectively analyzed. Nine sarcopenia patients with preoperative sarcopenia showed more patients aged 55 or older (p = 0.022), higher male proportion (p < 0.001), lower body-mass index (p = 0.015), higher incidence of major organ or vessel invasion (p = 0.001), higher T stage (p = 0.002), higher TNM stage (p = 0.007), and more tumor recurrence (p = 0.023) compared to the non-sarcopenia patients. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyses showed that sarcopenia (odds ratio (OR) 9.936, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.052–48.111, p = 0.004), tumor size (OR 1.048, 95% CI 1.005–1.093, p = 0.027), and tumor multiplicity (OR 3.323, 95% CI 1.048–10.534, p = 0.041) significantly increased the risk of T4 cancer. Sarcopenia patients showed significantly lower disease-free survival probability compared to non-sarcopenia patients. Therefore, preoperative sarcopenia in PTC patients should raise clinical suspicion for a more locally advanced disease and direct appropriate management and careful follow-up.
Photocatalytic efficiency under visible light of a novel Cu–Fe oxide composite films prepared by one-step sparking process
Authors: Panthawan Arisara , Jumrus Nidchamon , Sanmuangmoon Panupong , Thongpan Winai , Kumpika Tewasin , Sroila Wattikon , Kantarak Ekkapong , Tuantranont Adisorn , Singjai Pisith , Thongsuwan Wiradej
Published: March 2022

Copper–iron (Cu–Fe) oxide composite films were successfully deposited on quartz substrate by a facile sparking process. The nanoparticles were deposited on the substrate after sparking off the Fe and Cu tips with different ratios and were then annealed at different temperatures. The network particles were observed after annealing the film at 700 °C. Meanwhile, XRD, XPS and SAED patterns of the annealed films at 700 °C consisted of a mixed phase of CuO, γ-Fe2O3, CuFe2O4 and CuFe2O. The film with the lowest energy band gap (Eg) of 2.56 eV was observed after annealing at 700 °C. Interestingly, the optimum ratio and annealing temperature show the photocatalytic activity under visible light higher than 20% and 30% compare with the annealed TiO2 at 500 and 700 °C, respectively. This is a novel photocatalyst which can be replaced TiO2 for photocatalytic applications in the future.
Population genomics of Sitka black-tailed deer supports invasive species management and ecological restoration on islands
Authors: Burgess Brock T. , Irvine Robyn L. , Russello Michael A.
Published: March 2022

Invasive mammals represent a critical threat to island biodiversity; eradications can result in ecological restoration yet may fail in the absence of key population parameters. Over-browsing by invasive Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) is causing severe ecological and cultural impacts across the Haida Gwaii archipelago (Canada). Previous eradication attempts demonstrate forest regeneration upon deer removal, but reinvasion reverses conservation gains. Here we use restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (12,947 SNPs) to investigate connectivity and gene flow of invasive deer (n = 181) across 15 islands, revealing little structure throughout Haida Gwaii and identifying the large, central island of Moresby (>2600 km2) as the greatest source of migrants. As a result, the archipelago itself should be considered the primary eradication unit, with the exception of geographically isolated islands like SGang Gwaay. Thus, limiting eradications to isolated islands combined with controlled culling and enhanced biosecurity may be the most effective strategies for achieving ecological restoration goals.
Unsupervised machine learning reveals slab hydration variations from deep earthquake distributions beneath the northwest Pacific
Authors: Mao Gilbert L. , Ferrand Thomas P. , Li Jiaqi , Zhu Brian , Xi Ziyi , Chen Min
Published: March 2022

Although transformational faulting in the rim of the metastable olivine wedge is hypothesized as a triggering mechanism of deep-focus earthquakes, there is no direct evidence of such rim. Variations of thebvalue – slope of the Gutenberg-Richter distribution – have been used to decipher triggering and rupture mechanisms of deep earthquakes. However, detection limits prevent full understanding of these mechanisms. Using the Japan Meteorological Agency catalog, we estimatebvalues of deep earthquakes in the northwestern Pacific Plate, clustered in four regions with unsupervised machine learning. Theb-value analysis of Honshu and Izu deep seismicity reveals a kink at magnitude 3.7–3.8, where thebvalue abruptly changes from 1.4–1.7 to 0.6–0.7. The anomalously highbvalues for small earthquakes highlight enhanced transformational faulting, likely catalyzed by deep hydrous defects coinciding with the unstable rim of the metastable olivine wedge, the thickness of which we estimate at$$\sim$$~1 km.
Prospective multicentre head-to-head validation of host blood transcriptomic biomarkers for pulmonary tuberculosis by real-time PCR
Authors: Mendelsohn Simon C. , Mbandi Stanley Kimbung , Fiore-Gartland Andrew , Penn-Nicholson Adam , Musvosvi Munyaradzi , Mulenga Humphrey , Fisher Michelle , Hadley Katie , Erasmus Mzwandile , Nombida Onke , Tameris Michèle , Walzl Gerhard , Naidoo Kogieleum , Churchyard Gavin , Hatherill Mark , Scriba Thomas J.
Published: March 2022

Background

Sensitive point-of-care screening tests are urgently needed to identify individuals at highest risk of tuberculosis. We prospectively tested performance of host-blood transcriptomic tuberculosis signatures.

Methods

Adults without suspicion of tuberculosis were recruited from five endemic South African communities. Eight parsimonious host-blood transcriptomic tuberculosis signatures were measured by microfluidic RT-qPCR at enrolment. Upper respiratory swab specimens were tested with a multiplex bacterial-viral RT-qPCR panel in a subset of participants. Diagnostic and prognostic performance for microbiologically confirmed prevalent and incident pulmonary tuberculosis was tested in all participants at baseline and during active surveillance through 15 months follow-up, respectively.

Results

Among 20,207 HIV-uninfected and 963 HIV-infected adults screened; 2923 and 861 were enroled. There were 61 HIV-uninfected (weighted prevalence 1.1%) and 10 HIV-infected (prevalence 1.2%) tuberculosis cases at baseline. Parsimonious signature diagnostic performance was superior among symptomatic (AUCs 0.85–0.98) as compared to asymptomatic (AUCs 0.61–0.78) HIV-uninfected participants. Thereafter, 24 HIV-uninfected and 9 HIV-infected participants progressed to incident tuberculosis (1.1 and 1.0 per 100 person-years, respectively). Among HIV-uninfected individuals, prognostic performance for incident tuberculosis occurring within 6–12 months was higher relative to 15 months. 1000 HIV-uninfected participants were tested for respiratory microorganisms and 413 HIV-infected for HIV plasma viral load; 7/8 signature scores were higher (p < 0.05) in participants with viral respiratory infections or detectable HIV viraemia than those without.

Conclusions

Several parsimonious tuberculosis transcriptomic signatures met triage test targets among symptomatic participants, and incipient test targets within 6 months. However, the signatures were upregulated with viral infection and offered poor specificity for diagnosing sub-clinical tuberculosis.
A combined experimental and computational study on the transition of the calcium isopropoxide radical as a candidate for direct laser cooling
Authors: Telfah Hamzeh , Sharma Ketan , Paul Anam C. , Riyadh S. M. Shah , Miller Terry A. , Liu Jinjun
Published: March 2022

Vibronically resolved laser-induced fluorescence/dispersed fluorescence and cavity ring-down spectra of the electronic transition of the calcium isopropoxide [CaOCH(CH3)2] radical have been obtained and simulated.
Layer-dependent electronic and optical properties of tin monoxide: a potential candidate in photovoltaic applications
Authors: Wanzhong Li , Jian Sun , Chong Deng
Published: March 2022

The layer-dependent band gaps and superior carrier transport of layered SnO ensure fine performance of trilayer SnO in solar cell applications.
Do antifreeze proteins generally possess the potential to promote ice growth?
Authors: Cui Shaoli , Zhang Weijia , Shao Xueguang , Cai Wensheng
Published: March 2022

Hyperactive AFPs can promote ice growth on the basal plane but not on the prismatic plane.
Prebiotic effect of fructans from Agave salmiana on probiotic lactic acid bacteria and in children as a supplement for malnutrition
Authors: Daniel Martinez-Gamiño , Mariano J. Garcia-Soto , Olivia Gonzalez-Acevedo , Cesar Godinez-Hernandez , Bertha Juarez-Flores , Rosa Isela Ortiz-Basurto , Maribel Rodriguez-Aguilar , Rogelio Flores-Ramirez , Marco Martinez-Martinez , Stefan Ratering , Sylvia Schnell , Horacio Bach , Fidel Martinez-Gutierrez
Published: March 2022

The obtained fructans were safe for human consumption, when included in the diet of children, these resulted in a considerable weight gain, and an increased number of bacteria on MRS agar, and a decreased concentration of volatile organic compounds.