bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expanding phenotype heterogeneity of NARS2 by presenting subdural hematoma and parenchymal hemorrhage
Authors: Khodaeian Mehrnoosh , Bitarafan Fatemeh , Garrousi Fatemeh , Sardehie Elham Amjadi , Pak Neda , Hosseinpour Sareh , Shakiba Marjan , Falah Masoumeh , Garshasbi Masoud , Tavasoli Ali Reza
Published: November 2023

Background

NARS2 encodes mitochondrial Asparaginyl‐tRNA Synthetase 2, which catalyzes the aminoacylation of tRNA‐Asn in the mitochondria. To date, 24 variants have been reported in NARS2 gene in 35 patients. The phenotypic variability of NARS2‐associated disorder is broad, ranging from neurodevelopmental disorders to hearing loss. In this study, we report some novel imaging findings in an Iranian patient suffering from epileptic encephalopathy, caused by a previously reported variant, c.500A > G; p.(His167Arg), in NARS2.

Methods

The spectrum of clinical manifestations of two Iranian patients was investigated and genetic analysis was performed by Whole‐exome sequencing (WES). Additionally, we also reviewed the literature and summarized the phenotypes of previously reported patients with variants in the NARS2 gene.

Results

Here, we present the phenotypic and genetic features of 2 unrelated Iranian infants presented with neurodevelopmental delay, seizures, hearing impairment, feeding problems, elevated serum lactate levels in addition to subdural hematoma and cerebral parenchymal hemorrhage in the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of one of the patients. Genetic analysis revealed a biallelic missense variant in NARS2: c.500A > G; p.(His167Arg). We described the subdural hematoma and cerebral parenchymal hemorrhage of the brain for the first time.

Conclusions

Our study provides new clinical findings, subdural hematoma, and parenchymal hemorrhage, in NARS2‐related disorders. Our findings along with previous studies provide more evidence of the clinical presentation of the disease caused by pathogenic variants in NARS2. Expanding the clinical spectrum increases the diagnostic rate of molecular testing and improves the quality of counseling for at‐risk couples.
SNHG1/miR‐21 axis mediates the cardioprotective role of aloin in sepsis through modulating cardiac cell viability and inflammatory responses
Authors: Peng Jin , Li Shuyuan , Han Maozhi , Gao Feng , Qiao Lujun , Tian Yonggang
Published: November 2023

Background

Aloin has cardioprotective effects, however, its cardioprotective role in sepsis remains unclear. This study aimed to analyze whether aloin could prevent sepsis‐related myocardial damage and explore the underlying mechanisms by examining the expression of long‐noncoding RNA (lncRNA) SNHG1 and microRNA‐21 (miR‐21).

Methods

The interaction of SNHG1 with miR‐21 was identified by dual‐luciferase reporter assay. The levels of SNHG1 and miR‐21 were measured by real‐time quantitative PCR. The cardioprotective function of aloin was assessed in a sepsis animal model, which was induced by cecal ligation and puncture, and in a myocardial injury cell model in H9C2 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. Myocardial injury biomarker levels and hemodynamic indicators in mice model were measured to evaluate cardiac function. The viability of H9C2 cells was assessed by cell counting kit‐8 assay. Inflammatory cytokine levels were examined by an ELISA method.

Results

Decreased SNHG1 and increased miR‐21 were found in sepsis patients with cardiac dysfunction, and they were negatively correlated. Aloin significantly attenuated myocardial damage and inflammatory responses of mice model, and increased the viability and suppressed inflammation in H9C2 cell model. In addition, SNHG1 expression was upregulated and miR‐21 expression was downregulated by aloin in both mice and cell models. Moreover, in mice and cell models, SNHG1/miR‐21 axis affected sepsis‐related myocardial damage, and mediated the cardioprotective effects of aloin.

Conclusion

Our findings indicated that aloin exerts protective effects in sepsis‐related myocardial damage through regulating cardiac cell viability and inflammatory responses via regulating the SNHG1/miR‐21 axis.
Investigations on the morpho‐anatomy and histochemistry of Aconitum napellus L.
Authors: Armstrong Lorene , Machado Camila Dias , Dell'Avanzi Gabriela Guedes , Spindola Thais , Raman Vijayasankar , Busch Joachim , Maier Jakob , da Silva Nina Cláudia Barboza , Holandino Carla , Oliveira Adriana Passos , Manfron Jane
Published: November 2023

Aconitum napellus L. is a popular medicinal plant extensively used in homeopathy. This article provides detailed morphology and microscopy, including the anatomical and histochemical features of the herb, to aid authentication and quality control. In cross‐section, the root in secondary growth shows the phloem surrounded by pericyclic fibers and a well‐developed xylem. The stem is irregular in outline, displaying unicellular trichomes and many free collateral vascular bundles encircling the pith. The leaf is dorsiventral, hypostomatic with anomocytic and anisocytic stomata, and shows non‐glandular trichomes. The floral parts are characterized by uniseriate epidermises, homogeneous mesophyll, anomocytic stomata on the abaxial surface, trichomes, and oval pollen grains. The tissue fragments in powdered herbs show these characteristics and have numerous starch grains with thimble‐shaped, linear or star‐shaped hilum. The detailed macroscopic and microscopic analysis provided in this study can help in the authentication and quality control of A. napellus raw materials.

Research Highlights

Key anatomical, micromorphological, and microchemical features of Aconitum napellus are described.

The results of the study can support the taxonomy of the genus Aconitum.

Morphological standardization of the species reported here is helpful in the quality control of this herb.
Cadaveric and Computed Tomography Analysis of the Anterior Ethmoidal Artery Flap
Authors: Donaldson Lane B. , Deeb Robert H. , Momin Suhael , Eide Jacob G. , Craig John R.
Published: November 2023

Background

The anterior ethmoidal artery (AEA) flap has been successful in repairing anterior nasal septal perforations and has been presumed to be axially based on AEA branches coursing through or around the cribriform plate (CP). However, limited evidence supports the flap's axial supply. The purposes of this cadaveric and computed tomography (CT) study were to assess the arterial anatomy from the CP to the septum, and to determine AEA flap length to predict ideal flap base width.

Methods

Ten fresh latex‐injected cadavers were utilized for endoscopic dissection to identify arteries traversing the CPs on each side. First, arterial trajectories along the dorsal septum were recorded. Measurements were then made bilaterally along the septum from the middle turbinate (MT) axilla to the nasal branch of the AEA (NBAEA) traversing the CP. Additionally, 100 sinus CTs were reviewed to measure AEA flap lengths bilaterally.

Results

From 10 cadavers, 20 sides were utilized for measurements. In all cadavers, the AEA septal branches coursed diagonally or horizontally along the dorsal septum, and never directly vertically. The mean distance from the MT axilla to the NBAEA was 1.24 ± 1.93 cm (range = 1–1.5 cm). Based on CTs, the mean AEA flap length was 6.40 ± 0.60 cm.

Conclusions

Based on the non‐vertical courses of AEA septal branches, the AEA flap is more likely a random transposition flap than an axial flap. Average AEA flap length ranged from 6.0 to 7.0 cm. Assuming 3:1 length:width ratios, AEA flap base widths should be about 2.0–2.3 cm.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 134:2100–2104, 2024
Adaptive and optimal regulation controller design for fractional linear multi‐agent systems
Authors: Zhou Tingting , Wu Huaiqin , Cao Jinde , Li Xia
Published: November 2023

This express brief is concerned with the adaptive and optimal regulation control for fractional linear multi‐agent systems (MASs). Firstly, the adaptive control strategy is applied to address the regulation issue for fractional linear MASs with time varying edges. Under the designed adaptive control protocols with adaptive edge‐dependent synchronization gain, the regulation condition is achieved by constructing a Lyapunov functional with the edges. Secondly, the optimal control approach is used to solve the regulation issue for fractional linear MASs with constant edges. The optimization gain is chosen by minimizing an appropriate performance function. Moreover, the synchronization objectives are also achieved based on the proposed the regulation conditions. Finally, the correctness of the theoretical analysis and the feasibility of the designed controllers are verified by two numerical examples.
Rapid stress relaxation of high‐Tg conjugated polymeric thin films
Authors: Ma Guorong , Zhang Song , Galuska Luke A. , Gu Xiaodan
Published: November 2023

Conjugated polymers consist of complex backbone structures and side‐chain moieties to meet various optoelectronic and processing requirements. Recent work on conjugated polymers has been devoted to studying the mechanical properties and developing new conjugated polymers with low modulus and high‐crack onset strain, while the thin film mechanical stability under long‐term external tensile strain is less investigated. Here we performed direct mechanical stress relaxation tests for both free‐standing and thin film floated on water surface on both high‐Tg and low‐Tg conjugated polymers, as well as a reference nonconjugated sample, polystyrene. We measured thin films with a range of film thickness from 38 to 179 nm to study the temperature and thickness effect on thin film relaxation, where an apparent enthalpy–entropy compensation effect for glassy polymer PS and PM6 thin films was observed. We also compared relaxation times across three different conjugated polymers and showed that both crystalline morphology and higher modulus reduce the relaxation rate besides higher glass transition temperature. Our work provides insights into the mechanical creep behavior of conjugated polymers, which will have an impact on the future design of stable functional organic electronics.
Extending Spin Dephasing Time of Perfectly Aligned Nitrogen‐Vacancy Centers by Mitigating Stress Distribution on Highly Misoriented Chemical‐Vapor‐Deposition Diamond
Authors: Tsuji Takeyuki , Sekiguchi Takeharu , Iwasaki Takayuki , Hatano Mutsuko
Published: November 2023

Extending the spin‐dephasing time (T2*) of perfectly aligned nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centers in large‐volume chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamonds leads to enhanced DC magnetic sensitivity. However, T2* of the NV centers is significantly reduced by the stress distribution in the diamond film as its thickness increases. To overcome this issue, they developed a method to mitigate the stress distribution in the CVD diamond films, leading to a T2* extension of the ensemble NV centers. CVD diamond films of ≈60 µm thickness with perfectly aligned NV centers are formed on (111) diamond substrates with misorientation angles of 2.0°, 3.7°, 5.0°, and 10.0°. The study found that T2* of the ensemble of NV centers increased to approach its value limited only by the electron and nuclear spin bath with increasing the misorientation angle. Microscopic stress imaging revealed that the stress distribution is highly inhomogeneous along the depth direction in the CVD diamond film at low misorientation angles, whereas the inhomogeneity is largely suppressed on highly misoriented substrates. The reduced stress distribution possibly originates from the reduction of the dislocation density in the CVD diamond. This study provides an important method for synthesizing high‐quality diamond materials for use in highly sensitive quantum sensors.
The effect of electrophoretic deposition of carbon nanotubes on carbon fiber on interfacial properties of the thermoplastic polyimide composite
Authors: Jian Li
Published: November 2023

In order to improve the interfacial properties of carbon fiber/polyimide (CF/PI) composite, silanization reaction carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were introduced to the surface of carbon fiber by electrophoretic deposition to prepare CF/CNT/PI composite. The effects of carbon fiber surface treatment on the mechanical properties of the composites were studied. The results showed that the interlaminar shear strength and bending strength of the composite materials were increased by 11% and 9%, respectively. The scanning electron microscope and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was used to analyze the fine structure of composite interface phase. The results show that the introduction of CNTs creates an interface transition layer of CNTs reinforced PI resin between the fiber and the matrix.
A Triazine Based Porous Organic Polymer as an Efficient Hydrogen‐Bond Donor and Acceptor Cooperative Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of 2‐Substituted Benzimidazoles
Authors: Panalukudiyil Vijayan Aswathy , Pallikkara Athira , Ramakrishnan Kala , Kumar Rakesh S , Jayasree Elambalassery G
Published: November 2023

A novel hydrogen bond donor and acceptor cooperative catalyst based on a triazine cored porous organic polymer has been developed by a simple one pot synthesis. The catalyst was demonstrated to be highly efficient for the synthesis of 2‐substituted benzimidazole and its derivatives under mild reaction condition. The major highlight of the catalyst is the presence of multiple potential sites for hydrogen bonding which facilitates hydrogen bond mediated electrophilic activation of the aldehyde carbonyl for the facile conversion to the 2‐substituted benzimidazole. A plausible reaction mechanism of the catalysis has been proposed which is validated through Density Functional Theory calculations. The method developed offers the production of benzimidazoles by green catalytic procedure with fascinating properties such as one step preparation of catalyst, very good yield of product, mild reaction condition and reusability of the catalyst.
Systematic Comparison of the Strategies for Oligonucleotide Immobilization on Ta2O5 Surface
Authors: Komarova Natalia , Panova Olga , Titov Alexey , Kuznetsov Alexander
Published: November 2023

The immobilization of oligonucleotides is an essential step for the development of various biosensors and DNA microarrays. Different methods were developed for the immobilization of oligonucleotides. Here we report a systematic comparison of several popular approaches for oligonucleotide immobilization on Ta2O5 surface: Cu(I)‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition, amine‐to‐sulfhydryl coupling via asymmetric heterobifuctional spacer in two directions, amine‐to‐amine coupling via homobifunctional spacer and disulfide linkage. The performance of these methods was analyzed for the efficiency and specificity of DNA immobilization and subsequent complementary strand hybridization using fluorescent imaging and ELONA with the assistance of atomic force microscopy. Azide‐alkyne cycloaddition and disulfide linkage demonstrated the highest load of immobilized and hybridized DNA and low rate of non‐specific DNA attachment. Both procedures allow the retention of DNA functionality and thus can be applied for the development of oligonucleotide‐based biosensors and microarrays.
Interfacial Synergy in Mo2C/MoC Heterostructure Promoting Sequential Polysulfide Conversion in High‐Performance Lithium–Sulfur Battery
Authors: Liu Ximeng , Wang Junhui , Wang Wanwan , Liu Yu , Sun Jianguo , Wang Haimei , Zhao Qi , Liu Weihao , Huang Qilin , Wang Shijie , An Qinyou , Wang Qing , Shen Lei , Wang John
Published: November 2023

A rational design of sulfur host is the key to conquering the“polysulfide shuttle effects” by accelerating the polysulfide conversion. Since the process involves solid–liquid–solid multistep phase transitions, purposely‐engineered heterostructure catalysts with various active regions for catalyzing conversion steps correspondingly are beneficial to promote the overall conversion process. However, the functionalities of the materials surface and interface in heterostructure catalysts remain unclear. In this work, an Mo2C/MoC catalyst with abundant Mo2C surface‐interface‐MoC surface tri‐active‐region is developed by in situ converting the MoZn‐metal organic framework. The experimental and simulation studies demonstrate the interface can catch long‐chain polysulfides and promote their conversion. Instead, the Mo2C and MoC tend to accommodate the short‐chain polysulfide and accelerate their conversion and the Li2S dissociation. Benefitting from the high catalytic ability, the Li–S battery assembled with the Mo2C/MoC‐S cathode shows more discrete redox reactions and delivers a high initial capacity of 1603.6 mAh g−1 at 1 C charging–discharging rate, which is over twofolds of the one assembled using individual hosts, and 80.4% capacity can be maintained after 1000 cycles at 3 C rate. This work has demonstrated a novel synergy between the interface and material surface, which will help the future design of high‐performance Li–S batteries.
Understandings of Sexual Consent Amongst Young Adults
Authors: Featherstone Lisa , Byrnes Cassandra , Maturi Jenny , Minto Kiara , Mickelburgh Renée , Donaghy Paige
Published: November 2023

Young people in Australia are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault with over 40% of reported assaults occurring between the ages of 15 and 35. Despite this, there is little research exploring how young people are engaging with changing perspectives on sexual consent negotiation. Key components of consent frameworks explored in this research are the relationship between the victim and perpetrator, and behaviours of the victim and perpetrator, including the ways in which consent is communicated or sought [or not sought]. Contemporary societal perspectives on consent were explored using survey data from 379 Australians aged 18–35. Results indicate widespread acceptance of affirmative consent approaches to consent, including recognition of passive forms of non-consent communication. However, a substantial minority of participants continue to hold consent views which demonstrate a failure to recognise non-consent in certain contexts and an absence of consideration of contextual cues that may factor into a person’s capacity to give free and enthusiastic consent. This highlights the importance of effective education on consent recognition and communication amongst young people.
Krylov complexity in the IP matrix model
Authors: Iizuka Norihiro , Nishida Mitsuhiro
Published: November 2023

Abstract

The IP matrix model is a simple large N quantum mechanical model made up of an adjoint harmonic oscillator plus a fundamental harmonic oscillator. It is a model introduced previously as a toy model of the gauge theory dual of an AdS black hole. In the large N limit, one can solve the Schwinger-Dyson equation for the fundamental correlator, and at sufficiently high temperature, this model shows key signatures of thermalization and information loss; the correlator decay exponentially in time, and the spectral density becomes continuous and gapless. We study the Lanczos coefficients bn in this model and at sufficiently high temperature, it grows linearly in n with logarithmic corrections, which is one of the fastest growth under certain conditions. As a result, the Krylov complexity grows exponentially in time as $$ \sim \exp \left(\mathcal{O}\left(\sqrt{t}\right)\right) $$
∼
exp

O

t

. These results indicate that the IP model at sufficiently high temperature is chaotic.
Evolutionary history of the salt marsh harvest mouse mitogenome is concordant with ancient patterns of sea level rise
Authors: Aylward Cody M. , Barthman-Thompson Laureen , Kelt Douglas A. , Sacks Benjamin N. , Statham Mark J.
Published: November 2023

Coastal wetland ecosystems support unique biodiversity and are imminently threatened by climate change-driven sea level rise. However, the impact of climate change on their demographic and evolutionary histories is poorly understood. To improve our understanding, we examined how past climatic events have shaped the evolutionary history of the salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris), an endangered species and a salt marsh habitat specialist, completely restricted to coastal wetlands in the San Francisco Estuary (SFE). We used whole mitochondrial genome sequences of 102 salt marsh harvest mice to characterize phylogeography and demographic history. Then, we predicted the ancient distribution of salt marsh habitat and examined correspondence between divergence, demographic history, and changes in ancient marsh habitat caused by sea level rise. A Bayesian Skyline Plot revealed demographic expansions during periods of sea level rise, particularly during the formation of the modern SFE (~ 10 kya), and rapid decline consistent with recent anthropogenic landscape change. Bayesian estimates of divergence time were consistent with subspecies divergence ~ 10 kya, and subpopulation divergence ~ 5 kya, consistent with multiple episodes of vicariance caused by Holocene sea level rise. Spatial Analysis of Molecular Variance and ΦST revealed a mismatch between the morphological and molecular subspecies assignment of two populations. Our study implicates sea level rise as a force of demographic change and evolutionary divergence in coastal marsh ecosystems. Our study also aids conservation of an endangered species by clarifying genetic subspecies boundaries and highlighting the unique nature of isolated populations that are increasingly threatened by modern sea level rise.
Reproductive Work and Productive Fairness
Authors: Olsaretti Serena
Published: November 2023

In academic and public debates, defenders of the case for sharing the costs of children often claim that by having and rearing children parents produce public goods for the rest of society, or perform socially valuable or necessary labour, and that it would be unfair to parents for others to not share the costs of children, for example through publicly funded parental leave and schools for this reason. Critics of the public goods argument have claimed that it fails because there is no defensible principle that can serve to buttress the claims of parents. Furthermore, these same critics, as well as others, have argued that a certain view of liberal equality militates against sharing the costs of children.This paper challenges both the contention that there is no defensible principle of fairness that can buttress the public goods argument and the contention that liberal equality militates against socialisation. It accomplishes these two tasks together, arguing that the ideal of equality of resources, rather than militating against socialisation, in fact grounds a principle of productive fairness that can serve as the normative premise of the public goods argument for sharing the costs of children.
Spatiotemporal Variations in Summertime Arctic Aerosol Optical Depth Caused by Synoptic‐Scale Atmospheric Circulation in Three Reanalyses
Authors: Yamagami A. , Kajino M. , Maki T. , Toyoda T.
Published: November 2023

Atmospheric aerosol affects the radiation budget, cloud cover and properties, and surface albedo of sea ice and snow over the Arctic with obvious climatological significance. However, observations are scarce and have large uncertainties. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) variability in the Arctic and its relationship with atmospheric disturbances on synoptic timescales were investigated on the basis of the JRAero, CAMSRA, and MERRA2 reanalyses. Total AODs of the three reanalyses were spatiotemporally consistent in summer, although contributions of individual aerosol species differed. Summertime AOD variability was strongly correlated with observations in all reanalyses. The predominance of organic carbon aerosol indicates that aerosols are derived mainly from biomass burning over northern Eurasia and northern North America. Differences in composites of atmospheric fields between high‐ and low‐loading days indicate that locations of synoptic disturbances are related to high‐AOD events in the Arctic. Furthermore, empirical orthogonal function analysis indicates that the first‐ and second‐largest AOD variabilities in synoptic timescales occur over northern Eurasia. This AOD variability is related to two different types of Arctic cyclone, the development of which is important in aerosol transport, aging, and deposition in summer.
Antecedent Hydrometeorological Conditions of Wildfire Occurrence in the Western U.S. in a Changing Climate
Authors: Chen Xiaodong , Leung L. Ruby , Dong Lu
Published: November 2023

Wildfires have significant hydrological and ecological impacts in the western U.S. Using a high‐resolution regional climate simulation and wildfire observations for 1984–2018, this study investigates the antecedent hydrometeorological conditions (AHCs) of wildfires in the western U.S. During the warm season (April‐September), the wildfire AHCs feature diverse surface pressure (PS), soil moisture, and longwave/shortwave radiation (LW/SW) conditions. K‐means clustering classifies wildfires into four types with distinct AHCs: low‐PS‐type and high‐PS‐type with lower and higher PS anomalies, respectively, LW‐type featuring intense LW but weak SW anomalies, and wet‐soil‐type with wet soil anomalies. Each fire cluster represents 22%–27% of all the wildfires, featuring different combinations of climate and vegetation conditions and their diverse relations to regional hydrometeorological conditions, with wet‐soil‐type fires often exhibiting opposite correlations with AHCs compared to those of the other three types. In five major Köppen climate zones over the western U.S., clustering‐based predictions improve the seasonal wildfire prediction accuracy (R2) by 10% compared to prediction without classification. Such improvement comes from separating the opposite relationships between wet‐soil‐type fires and their seasonal AHCs from the other three types, along with separating LW‐type fires, which include most of the lightning‐ignited fires that occur more randomly. Increases in wildfire occurrence during 1984–2018 are dominated by the increases in the LW‐type fires, while the wet‐soil‐type fires have decreased, consistent with the long‐term drying in the western U.S.
Microbial community dynamics and cycling of plutonium and iron in a seasonally stratified and radiologically contaminated pond
Authors: Merino Nancy , Wasserman Naomi L. , Coutelot Fanny , Kaplan Daniel I. , Powell Brian A. , Jiao Yongqin , Kersting Annie B. , Zavarin Mavrik
Published: November 2023

Plutonium (Pu) cycling and mobility in the environment can be impacted by the iron cycle and microbial community dynamics. We investigated the spatial and temporal changes of the microbiome in an iron (Fe)-rich, plutonium-contaminated, monomictic reservoir (Pond B, Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA). The microbial community composition varied with depth during seasonal thermal stratification and was strongly correlated with redox. During stratification, Fe(II) oxidizers (e.g., Ferrovum, Rhodoferax, Chlorobium) were most abundant in the hypoxic/anoxic zones, while Fe(III) reducers (e.g., Geothrix, Geobacter) dominated the deep, anoxic zone. Sulfate reducers and methanogens were present in the anoxic layer, likely contributing to iron and plutonium cycling. Multinomial regression of predicted functions/pathways identified metabolisms highly associated with stratification (within the top 5%), including iron reduction, methanogenesis, C1 compound utilization, fermentation, and aromatic compound degradation. Two sediment cores collected at the Inlet and Outlet of the pond were dominated by putative fermenters and organic matter (OM) degraders. Overall, microbiome analyses revealed the potential for three microbial impacts on the plutonium and iron biogeochemical cycles: (1) plutonium bioaccumulation throughout the water column, (2) Pu–Fe-OM-aggregate formation by Fe(II) oxidizers under microaerophilic/aerobic conditions, and (3) Pu–Fe-OM-aggregate or sediment reductive dissolution and organic matter degradation in the deep, anoxic waters.
The CASA theory no longer applies to desktop computers
Authors: Heyselaar Evelien
Published: November 2023

The Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) theory is the most important theoretical contribution that has shaped the field of human–computer interaction. The theory states that humans interact with computers as if they are human, and is the cornerstone on which all social human–machine communication (e.g., chatbots, robots, virtual agents) are designed. However, the theory itself dates back to the early 1990s, and, since then, technology and its place in society has evolved and changed drastically. Here we show, via a direct replication of the original study, that participants no longer interact with desktop computers as if they are human. This suggests that the CASA Theory may only work for emergent technology, an important concept that needs to be taken into account when designing and researching human–computer interaction.
Effects of leucism on organ development and molecular mechanisms in Northern snakehead (Channa argus) beyond pigmentation alterations
Authors: Fan Wei , He Yang , Su Jian , Feng Yang , Zhuo Ting , Wang Jun , Jiao Xiaolei , Luo Yu , Wu Jun , Geng Yi
Published: November 2023

Leucism, a widespread occurrence observed in Northern snakehead (Channa argus), bestows a striking white jade-like body coloration upon affected individuals and has gained substantial popularity in commercial breeding. While the visible manifestation of leucism in snakeheads is primarily limited to body coloration, it is crucial to explore the potential influence of leucism on organ development and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Through a comparative analysis of growth differences, our study revealed that at 150 days post-fertilization, the white variety exhibited an 8.5% higher liver index and intestinal index, but experienced a 20% and 38% decreased in spleen index and renal interstitial index, respectively, suggesting an enlarged digestive area but relatively smaller immune tissues. Nonetheless, no significant differences were observed in the intestinal flora between the two varieties, suggesting the exclusion of any exogenous impacts from symbiotic flora on the growth and development of the white variety. Importantly, transcriptome analysis demonstrated that the white variety exhibited higher expression levels of innate immune genes. Furthermore, annotation of the gene sets expressed in the liver and spleen revealed 76 and 35 genes respectively, with the white variety displaying lower expression in genes associated with “Viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor”, “Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum”, and “TNF signaling pathway”, while exhibiting higher expression in “Estrogen signaling pathway”. Notably, three genes, namely pcdhf 4, nlrc3 card 15-like, and a pol-like were identified in both the liver and spleen, indicating their potential involvement in altering the development and innate immunity of the white variety. This study reveals the systemic impact of leucism that extends beyond mere pigmentation alterations, highlighting the prominent characteristics of this phenotype and providing a foundation for future molecular breeding programs aimed at enhancing this variety.
Recovery of microbial DNA by agar-containing solution from extremely low-biomass specimens including skin
Authors: Kurokawa Rina , Masuoka Hiroaki , Takayasu Lena , Kiguchi Yuya , Ogata Yusuke , Miura-Kawatsu Ryoko , Hattori Masahira , Suda Wataru
Published: November 2023

Recovering a sufficient amount of microbial DNA from extremely low-biomass specimens, such as human skin, to investigate the community structure of the microbiome remains challenging. We developed a sampling solution containing agar to increase the abundance of recovered microbial DNA. Quantitative PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene revealed a significant increase in the amount of microbial DNA recovered from the developed sampling solution compared with conventional solutions from extremely low-biomass skin sites such as the volar forearm and antecubital fossa. In addition, we confirmed that the developed sampling solution reduces the contamination rate of probable non-skin microbes compared to the conventional solutions, indicating that the enhanced recovery of microbial DNA was accompanied by a reduced relative abundance of contaminating microbes in the 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data. In addition, agar was added to each step of the DNA extraction process, which improved the DNA extraction efficiency as a co-precipitant. Enzymatic lysis with agar yielded more microbial DNA than conventional kits, indicating that this method is effective for analyzing microbiomes of low-biomass specimens.
Investigation of risk factors for metachronous recurrence in patients with early gastric adenocarcinoma by miRNA–mRNA integral profiling
Authors: Nagashima Ariki , Okimoto Kenichiro , Nakagawa Ryo , Akizue Naoki , Matsumura Tomoaki , Oura Hirotaka , Kojima Ryuta , Goto Chihiro , Takahashi Satsuki , Horio Ryosuke , Kurosugi Akane , Ishikawa Tsubasa , Shiratori Wataru , Kaneko Tatsuya , Kanayama Kengo , Ohta Yuki , Taida Takashi , Saito Keiko , Chiba Tetsuhiro , Kato Jun , Kato Naoya
Published: November 2023

The mechanism of metachronous recurrence (MR) after performing endoscopic treatment for early gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) and eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is unknown. To elucidate the mechanism and risk factors of MR, we analyzed gene expression at multiple locations of the gastric mucosa. We selected each five patients with MR and without MR (control), after early GAC treatment and eradication of H. pylori. Mucosal tissue was collected from four sites in the stomach of each patient as biopsy specimens for mRNA sequencing, gene set enrichment analysis, and microRNA (miRNA) sequencing. We also performed correlation analysis and target prediction on pathways. As a result, endoscopically, the MR group had more intestinal metaplasia and enlarged folds. A total of 384 mRNAs presented changes in expression and 31 gene sets were enriched in the MR group. Immune-related pathways were enriched in the entire stomach, and the IFN-α response had the highest enrichment score. Additionally, 32 miRNAs revealed changes in their expression. Correlation analysis and target prediction with genes in the gene set of IFN-α response revealed that 10 miRNA–mRNA pairs presented a significant correlation. Immune-related pathways with miRNAs in the gastric mucosa after H. pylori eradication may be a risk factor for MR.
The nuclear entry of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) relies on the first nuclear localization signal and can be negatively regulated through IMPα/β specific inhibitors
Authors: Haidar Rashad , Shabo Reneh , Moeser Marie , Luch Andreas , Kugler Josephine
Published: November 2023

The human aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) undergoes continuous shuttling between nucleus and cytoplasm. Binding to exogenous or endogenous ligands promotes its rapid nuclear import. The proposed mechanism for the ligand-dependent import is based on exposing the bipartite nuclear localisation signal (NLS) to members of the importin (IMP) superfamily. Among this, the molecular interactions involved in the basal import still need to be clarified. Utilizing fluorescently fused AHR variants, we recapitulated and characterized AHR localization and nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling in living cells. Analysis of AHR variants carrying NLS point mutations demonstrated a mandatory role of first (13RKRRK17) and second (37KR-R40) NLS segments on the basal import of AHR. Further experiments indicated that ligand-induced import is mainly regulated through the first NLS, while the second NLS is supportive but not essential. Additionally, applying IMPα/β specific inhibitors, ivermectin (IVM) and importazole (IPZ), slowed down the ligand-induced import and, correspondingly, decreased the basal nuclear accumulation of the receptor. In conclusion, our data show that ligand-induced and basal nuclear entry of AHR rely on the same mechanism but are controlled uniquely by the two NLS components.
Hydrodeoxygenation of condensed lignins followed by acid-mediated methylolation enables preparation of lignin-based wood adhesives
Authors: Yang Guangxu , Gong Zhenggang , Zhou Bei , Luo Xiaolin , Liu Jing , Du Guanben , Zhao Chengke , Shuai Li
Published: November 2023

A biobased lignin–formaldehyde (LF) adhesive was synthesized from industrially available technical lignins through hydrodeoxygenation followed by acid-mediated methylolation of aromatic C2/C6 positions.
Surface roughness and its role in mediating cell adhesion on cobalt‐chromium‐molybdenum alloys
Authors: Migita Satoshi
Published: November 2023

Co‐Cr‐Mo ally (CCM) is commonly used for orthopaedic and dental implants due to its excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, the influence of surface roughness on cell attachment and proliferation remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of surface roughness of CCM on the attachment and proliferation of osteoblasts. CCM samples with different values of surface rouges were prepared by polishing. MC3T3‐E1 mouse osteoblasts were used for cell culture experiments. Cell attachment, morphology, and the expression of actin stress fibres, vinculin, and distribution of yes‐associated protein were analysed. Our results suggest that surface roughness does not significantly affect cell attachment and proliferation on CCM, unlike on titanium. Thus implies that other properties of CCM, such as physicochemical properties, may play a more substantial role in modulating cell behaviour. This study provides important insights into the design of CCM implants, suggesting that approaches beyond tuning surface roughness may be necessary to improve biocompatibility and osseointegration.
CR‐Net: Robot grasping detection method integrating convolutional block attention module and residual module
Authors: Yan Song , Zhang Lei
Published: November 2023

Grasping detection, which involves identifying and assessing the grasp ability of objects by robotic systems, has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its pivotal role in the development of robotic systems and automated assembly processes. Despite notable advancements in this field, current methods often grapple with both practical and theoretical challenges that hinder their real‐world applicability. These challenges encompass low detection accuracy, the burden of oversized model parameters, and the inherent complexity of real‐world scenarios. In response to these multifaceted challenges, a novel lightweight grasping detection model that not only addresses the technical aspects but also delves into the underlying theoretical complexities is introduced. The proposed model incorporates attention mechanisms and residual modules to tackle the theoretical challenges posed by varying object shapes, sizes, materials, and environmental conditions. To enhance its performance in the face of these theoretical complexities, the proposed model employs a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to extract features from RGB and depth channels, recognising the multifaceted nature of object properties. Subsequently, a feature fusion module effectively combines these diverse features, providing a solution to the theoretical challenge of information integration. The model then processes the fused features through five residual blocks, followed by another CBAM attention module, culminating in the generation of three distinct images representing capture quality, grasping angle, and grasping width. These images collectively yield the final grasp detection results, addressing the theoretical complexities inherent in this task. The proposed model's rigorous training and evaluation on the Cornell Grasp dataset demonstrate remarkable detection accuracy rates of 98.44% on the Image‐wise split and 96.88% on the Object‐wise split. The experimental results strongly corroborate the exceptional performance of the proposed model, underscoring its ability to overcome the theoretical challenges associated with grasping detection. The integration of the residual module ensures rapid training, while the attention module facilitates precise feature extraction, ultimately striking an effective balance between detection time and accuracy.
Religiosity, Spirituality, Healthcare, and Aphasia Rehabilitation
Authors: Laures-Gore Jacqueline S. , Griffey Hannah
Published: November 2023

Awareness of the intersectionality of a person's religious and spiritual belief system with their mental and physical health is slowly being elevated within the Western healthcare system. There are many opportunities for better understanding and incorporation of religious and spiritual beliefs into aphasia rehabilitation. To extend the recognition of religion and spirituality's importance in healthcare to persons living with post-stroke aphasia while emphasizing the diversity of beliefs, the current article seeks to provide a brief overview of the global religions; explain the intersection of religion, spirituality, and health; review the existing literature in the area of aphasia and religion, spirituality, and spiritual care; discuss the clinical importance and implications of religion and spirituality; and finally, lay out a forward view of the direction this area of exploration may take within aphasiology.
On the optimality of score-driven models
Authors: Gorgi P , Lauria C S A , Luati A
Published: November 2023

Score-driven models have recently been introduced as a general framework to specify time-varying parameters of conditional densities. The score enjoys stochastic properties that make these models easy to implement and convenient to apply in several contexts, ranging from biostatistics to finance. Score-driven parameter updates have been shown to be optimal in terms of locally reducing a local version of the Kullback–Leibler divergence between the true conditional density and the postulated density of the model. A key limitation of such an optimality property is that it holds only locally both in the parameter space and sample space, yielding to a definition of local Kullback–Leibler divergence that is in fact not a divergence measure. The current paper shows that score-driven updates satisfy stronger optimality properties that are based on a global definition of Kullback–Leibler divergence. In particular, it is shown that score-driven updates reduce the distance between the expected updated parameter and the pseudo-true parameter. Furthermore, depending on the conditional density and the scaling of the score, the optimality result can hold globally over the parameter space, which can be viewed as a generalization of the monotonicity property of the stochastic gradient descent scheme. Several examples illustrate how the results derived in the paper apply to specific models under different easy-to-check assumptions, and provide a formal method to select the link function and the scaling of the score.
Electrical stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex modulates muscle sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure
Authors: Braun Joe A , Patel Mariya , Henderson Luke A , Dawood Tye , Macefield Vaughan G
Published: November 2023

We recently showed that transcranial alternating current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex modulates spontaneous bursts of muscle sympathetic nerve activity, heart rate, and blood pressure (Sesa-Ashton G, Wong R, McCarthy B, Datta S, Henderson LA, Dawood T, Macefield VG. Stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex modulates muscle sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in humans. Cereb Cortex Comm. 2022:3:2tgac017.). Stimulation was delivered between scalp electrodes placed over the nasion and electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode site F3 (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) or F4 (right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), and therefore the current passed within the anatomical locations underlying the left and right ventromedial prefrontal cortices. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that stimulation of the left and right ventromedial prefrontal cortices would also modulate muscle sympathetic nerve activity, although we predicted that this would be weaker than that seen during dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation. We further tested whether stimulation of the right ventromedial prefrontal cortices would cause greater modulation of muscle sympathetic nerve activity, than stimulation of the left ventromedial prefrontal cortices. In 11 individuals, muscle sympathetic nerve activity was recorded via microelectrodes inserted into the right common peroneal nerve, together with continuous blood pressure, electrocardiogram, and respiration. Stimulation was achieved using transcranial alternating current stimulation, +2 to −2 mA, 0.08 Hz, 100 cycles, applied between electrodes placed over the nasion, and EEG electrode site FP1, (left ventromedial prefrontal cortices) or FP2 (right ventromedial prefrontal cortices); for comparison, stimulation was also applied over F4 (right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). Stimulation of all three cortical sites caused partial entrainment of muscle sympathetic nerve activity to the sinusoidal stimulation, together with modulation of blood pressure and heart rate. We found a significant fall in mean blood pressure of ~6 mmHg (P = 0.039) during stimulation of the left ventromedial prefrontal cortices, as compared with stimulation of the right. We have shown, for the first time, that transcranial alternating current stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortices modulates muscle sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in awake humans at rest. However, it is unclear if this modulation occurred through the same brain pathways activated during transcranial alternating current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Contemporary Management ofStaphylococcus aureusBacteremia—Controversies in Clinical Practice
Authors: Minter Daniel J , Appa Ayesha , Chambers Henry F , Doernberg Sarah B
Published: November 2023

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) carries a high risk for excess morbidity and mortality. Despite its prevalence, significant practice variation continues to permeate clinical management of this syndrome. Since the publication of the 2011 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines on management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, the field of SAB has evolved with the emergence of newer diagnostic strategies and therapeutic options. In this review, we seek to provide a comprehensive overview of the evaluation and management of SAB, with special focus on areas where the highest level of evidence is lacking to inform best practices.
Review: The Landscape of Antiviral Therapy for COVID-19 in the Era of Widespread Population Immunity and Omicron-Lineage Viruses
Authors: Meyerowitz Eric A , Li Yijia
Published: November 2023

The goals of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) antiviral therapy early in the pandemic were to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death. As these outcomes have become infrequent in the age of widespread population immunity, the objectives have shifted. For the general population, COVID-19–directed antiviral therapy should decrease symptom severity and duration and minimize infectiousness, and for immunocompromised individuals, antiviral therapy should reduce severe outcomes and persistent infection. The increased recognition of virologic rebound following ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (NMV/r) and the lack of randomized controlled trial data showing benefit of antiviral therapy for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection for standard-risk, vaccinated individuals remain major knowledge gaps. Here, we review data for selected antiviral agents and immunomodulators currently available or in late-stage clinical trials for use in outpatients. We do not review antibody products, convalescent plasma, systemic corticosteroids, IL-6 inhibitors, Janus kinase inhibitors, or agents that lack Food and Drug Administration approval or emergency use authorization or are not appropriate for outpatients.
Becoming less silent readers
Authors: Richards Jennifer
Published: November 2023

This short essay tells the story of how much my thinking about literature, and the kind of questions I ask students, have changed since I first attended to the features of the physical voice – tone and timbre – and their role in reading.