bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of synthesis route on the photocatalytic performance of Ag-TiO2 using rhodamine b dyes, pesticides, and pharmaceutical waste as model pollutants
Authors: Nyankson Emmanuel , Yeboah Nathaniel , Jnr Samuel Ocrah , Onaja Sammy , Mensah Thomas , Efavi Johnson K
Published: August 2022

The use of noble metal loading such as Ag to improve the photocatalytic performance of TiO2 has been well studied. Though different synthesis methods have been used to synthesize Ag-TiO2 nano-composite, the effect of the different synthesis routes on the photocatalytic performance has not been studied and compared. This study focusses not only on the enhancement of photocatalytic performance by the addition of Ag, but also on the influence of the synthesis process on photocatalytic performance. Two different routes: photodeposition (PD) and formaldehyde assisted microwave (MW) synthesis of Ag-TiO2 nano-composite and their photocatalytic performance were evaluated using model pollutants. The Ag-TiO2 were synthesized using different wt% (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 wt%) of Ag. The synthesized Ag-TiO2 were characterized with x-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and UV–vis spectrophotometry. The Ag-TiO2 photocatalyst showed superior photocatalytic performance towards rhodamine b dye as compared to raw TiO2. 0.5 wt% Ag-TiO2-PD recorded the highest rate constant and degradation percent among the composites synthesized using photodeposition (PD) method. On the other hand, 1.0 wt% Ag-TiO2-MW performed better among the composites synthesized using microwave and formaldehyde assisted synthesis. The potential of these best performing composites; 0.5 wt% Ag-TiO2 and 1.0 wt% Ag-TiO2 to photocatalytically degrade pharmaceutical (Naproxen Sodium and Flurbiprofen) and pesticide (Atrazine and Pyrimethanil) pollutants were examined. These composites degraded the pollutants exceptionally well with 0.5 wt% Ag-TiO2-PD outperforming the 1.0 wt% Ag-TiO2-MW. 1H NMR and 13C NMR analysis revealed that the synthesized Ag-TiO2 were effective in degrading the model pollutants.
Experimental investigation and characterization of titanium diboride reinforced AA6063 in-situ composites
Authors: Nandakumar N , Balakrishnan S
Published: August 2022

Aluminium matrix composites have gained interest recently because they are more efficient, lighter, and less expensive. The purpose of this current study was to examine the effects of various casting operating conditions, including stirring temperature, stirring time, and stirring speed, on the casting process. Determining the optimum processing parameters to achieve significant outcomes could be the most daunting problem while casting a specimen. Box-Behnken design based on response surface methods was used to investigate the effects of stir casting factors on the mechanical properties of AA6063%–4% TiB2 composites. The response’s real value, which includes hardness before heat treatment, hardness after heat treatment, and tensile strength, is reflected in the surface plot created by statistical software. F-ratio is often used in an ANOVA table to examine how operational variables affect properties of the material. Dispersion of the reinforcements mixture has been studied and characterized under scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffraction spectrometer. The optimum temperature, time, and rotational speed were 823.662 °C, 15 min, and 300 rpm. Composite materials made from aluminium 6063 are extensively used in the fabrication of lightweight aircraft components like ribs and fuselages.
Using non-stretchable structures for component positioning in thermoformed electronics
Authors: Madadnia Behnam , Bossuyt Frederick , Vanfleteren Jan
Published: August 2022

This paper aims to present a reliable approach for accurate component positioning in thermoformed electronics. We have proposed a non-stretchable conductive structure for accurate positioning of the electronic components, which can assure the conductive traces’ mechanical stability during lamination and thermoforming of the substrate. We have verified our approach’s accuracy by applying our method on a real industrial semi-sphere mold for positioning seven LEDs and one touch sensor. We have measured the LEDs’ position after thermoforming to prove the process repeatability. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of positioning electronic components in thermoformed 3D electronics with high precision.
Corrigendum: Magnetization process of the S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the floret pentagonal lattice (2021 J. Phys. Commun.
5 125008)
Authors: Furuchi Rito , Nakano Hiroki , Todoroki Norikazu , Sakai Toru
Published: August 2022

We report an inconsistent way of plotting in a figure in Furuchi R, Nakano H, Todoroki N and Sakai T (2021 J. Phys. Commun.
5 125 008) and present a consistent figure. This replacement does not change the main conclusions in Furuchi R, Nakano H, Todoroki N and Sakai T (2021 J. Phys. Commun.
5 125 008).
Phoebe: a high-performance framework for solving phonon and electron Boltzmann transport equations
Authors: Cepellotti Andrea , Coulter Jennifer , Johansson Anders , Fedorova Natalya S , Kozinsky Boris
Published: August 2022

Understanding the electrical and thermal transport properties of materials is critical to the design of electronics, sensors, and energy conversion devices. Computational modeling can accurately predict material properties but, in order to be reliable, requires accurate descriptions of electron and phonon states and their interactions. While first-principles methods are capable of describing the energy spectrum of each carrier, using them to compute transport properties is still a formidable task, both computationally demanding and memory intensive, requiring integration of fine microscopic scattering details for estimation of macroscopic transport properties. To address this challenge, we present Phoebe—a newly developed software package that includes the effects of electron–phonon, phonon–phonon, boundary, and isotope scattering in computations of electrical and thermal transport properties of materials with a variety of available methods and approximations. This open source C++ code combines MPI-OpenMP hybrid parallelization with GPU acceleration and distributed memory structures to manage computational cost, allowing Phoebe to effectively take advantage of contemporary computing infrastructures. We demonstrate that Phoebe accurately and efficiently predicts a wide range of transport properties, opening avenues for accelerated computational analysis of complex crystals.
Strain measurements of an aircraft wing using embedded CNT fiber sensor and wireless SHM sensor node
Authors: Park Jinwoo , Lee Jung-Ryul
Published: August 2022

Composite material-based aircraft structures have attracted attention due to their lightweight and superior mechanical properties. However, composite structures have a high risk of structural failures when damages occur due to loadings or impacts. Therefore, consistent structural health monitoring (SHM) is needed to ensure the structural integrity and safety of the aircraft. Various methods of sensor installation and measurement systems were developed for the implementation of SHM in aircraft structures. In this research, the carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber sensor was optimized by comparing the different configurations such as carbon black concentration, polyurethane layer, and dip-coating iterations. Glass fiber reinforced plastic skin with embedded CNT fiber sensor was implemented on a 1700 mm long right main wing. Strain measurements were performed during static loadings through the wireless SHM sensor node. Strain measurement due to resistance change during temperature decrease was also performed to investigate the effect of temperature on the CNT fiber sensor. The CNT fiber sensor showed comparable strain measurement results to conventional strain gauge strain measurements. Consequently, the CNT fiber sensor and the wireless SHM sensor node showed new possibilities for embedded sensor applications and real-time SHM implementations for aircraft structures.
Self-powered triboelectric sensor for cooling fan monitoring
Authors: Kim Hakjeong , Hwang Hee Jae , Kim Wook , Hong Seongchan , Yoon Jongwon , Lim Hyeongwook , Choi Dukhyun
Published: August 2022

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the use of computers, Internet of things devices, and artificial intelligence applications has dramatically increased. For the operation of these devices, it is important to effectively control the thermal management systems. Cooling fans play an important role in air circulation and thermal management for many types of industrial machines. In the past, a disassembly process has been inevitable for monitoring the operational status of cooling fans, making it necessary to develop devices or methods to monitor the operational status of cooling fans more conveniently. In this study, we propose a fan-shaped triboelectric sensor (F-TES) that can detect the operational status of a cooling fan via output signals of a triboelectric nanogenerator. We investigated the effects of rotational speed, as well as the working areas of the tribo-materials. Furthermore, we demonstrated those behaviors by using a light-emitting diode and capacitor charging. We designed an F-TES based on a commercial cooling fan without any structural changes, so that it could be directly utilized for various cooling fans. We anticipate that the results of this study can serve as a cornerstone for the maintenance and management of various commercial cooling fans.
Cell Layers: uncovering clustering structure in unsupervised single-cell transcriptomic analysis
Authors: Blair Andrew P , Hu Robert K , Farah Elie N , Chi Neil C , Pollard Katherine S , Przytycki Pawel F , Kathiriya Irfan S , Bruneau Benoit G
Published: August 2022

Motivation

Unsupervised clustering of single-cell transcriptomics is a powerful method for identifying cell populations. Static visualization techniques for single-cell clustering only display results for a single resolution parameter. Analysts will often evaluate more than one resolution parameter but then only report one.

Results

We developed Cell Layers, an interactive Sankey tool for the quantitative investigation of gene expression, co-expression, biological processes and cluster integrity across clustering resolutions. Cell Layers enhances the interpretability of single-cell clustering by linking molecular data and cluster evaluation metrics, providing novel insight into cell populations.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/apblair/CellLayers.
3D GAN image synthesis and dataset quality assessment for bacterial biofilm
Authors: Wang Jie , Tabassum Nazia , Toma Tanjin T , Wang Yibo , Gahlmann Andreas , Acton Scott T
Published: August 2022

Motivation

Data-driven deep learning techniques usually require a large quantity of labeled training data to achieve reliable solutions in bioimage analysis. However, noisy image conditions and high cell density in bacterial biofilm images make 3D cell annotations difficult to obtain. Alternatively, data augmentation via synthetic data generation is attempted, but current methods fail to produce realistic images.

Results

This article presents a bioimage synthesis and assessment workflow with application to augment bacterial biofilm images. 3D cyclic generative adversarial networks (GAN) with unbalanced cycle consistency loss functions are exploited in order to synthesize 3D biofilm images from binary cell labels. Then, a stochastic synthetic dataset quality assessment (SSQA) measure that compares statistical appearance similarity between random patches from random images in two datasets is proposed. Both SSQA scores and other existing image quality measures indicate that the proposed 3D Cyclic GAN, along with the unbalanced loss function, provides a reliably realistic (as measured by mean opinion score) 3D synthetic biofilm image. In 3D cell segmentation experiments, a GAN-augmented training model also presents more realistic signal-to-background intensity ratio and improved cell counting accuracy.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/jwang-c/DeepBiofilm.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
ASURAT: functional annotation-driven unsupervised clustering of single-cell transcriptomes
Authors: Iida Keita , Kondo Jumpei , Wibisana Johannes Nicolaus , Inoue Masahiro , Okada Mariko
Published: August 2022

Motivation

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis reveals heterogeneity and dynamic cell transitions. However, conventional gene-based analyses require intensive manual curation to interpret biological implications of computational results. Hence, a theory for efficiently annotating individual cells remains warranted.

Results

We present ASURAT, a computational tool for simultaneously performing unsupervised clustering and functional annotation of disease, cell type, biological process and signaling pathway activity for single-cell transcriptomic data, using a correlation graph decomposition for genes in database-derived functional terms. We validated the usability and clustering performance of ASURAT using scRNA-seq datasets for human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which required fewer manual curations than existing methods. Moreover, we applied ASURAT to scRNA-seq and spatial transcriptome datasets for human small cell lung cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, respectively, identifying previously overlooked subpopulations and differentially expressed genes. ASURAT is a powerful tool for dissecting cell subpopulations and improving biological interpretability of complex and noisy transcriptomic data.

Availability and implementation

ASURAT is published on Bioconductor (https://doi.org/10.18129/B9.bioc.ASURAT). The codes for analyzing data in this article are available at Github (https://github.com/keita-iida/ASURATBI) and figshare (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.19200254.v4).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Design-based theory for cluster rerandomization
Authors: Lu Xin , Liu Tianle , Liu Hanzhong , Ding Peng
Published: August 2022

Complete randomization balances covariates on average, but covariate imbalance often exists in finite samples. Rerandomization can ensure covariate balance in the realized experiment by discarding the undesired treatment assignments. Many field experiments in public health and social sciences assign the treatment at the cluster level due to logistical constraints or policy considerations. Moreover, they are frequently combined with re-randomization in the design stage. We define cluster rerandomization as a cluster-randomized experiment compounded with rerandomization to balance covariates at the individual or cluster level. Existing asymptotic theory can only deal with rerandomization with treatments assigned at the individual level, leaving that for cluster rerandomization an open problem. To fill the gap, we provide a design-based theory for cluster rerandomization. Moreover, we compare two cluster rerandomization schemes that use prior information on the importance of the covariates: one based on the weighted Euclidean distance and the other based on the Mahalanobis distance with tiers of covariates. We demonstrate that the former dominates the latter with optimal weights and orthogonalized covariates. Last but not least, we discuss the role of covariate adjustment in the analysis stage, and recommend covariate-adjusted procedures that can be conveniently implemented by least squares with the associated robust standard errors.
Electrophysiological biomarkers of brain function in CDKL5 deficiency disorder
Authors: Saby Joni N , Mulcahey Patrick J , Zavez Alexis E , Peters Sarika U , Standridge Shannon M , Swanson Lindsay C , Lieberman David N , Olson Heather E , Key Alexandra P , Percy Alan K , Neul Jeffrey L , Nelson Charles A , Roberts Timothy P L , Benke Timothy A , Marsh Eric D
Published: August 2022

CDKL5 deficiency disorder is a debilitating developmental and epileptic encephalopathy for which no targeted treatment exists. A number of promising therapeutics are under development for CDKL5 deficiency disorder but a lack of validated biomarkers of brain function and clinical severity may limit the ability to objectively assess the efficacy of new treatments as they become available. To address this need, the current study quantified electrophysiological measures in individuals with CDKL5 deficiency disorder and the association between these parameters and clinical severity. Visual and auditory evoked potentials, as well as resting EEG, were acquired across 5 clinical sites from 26 individuals with CDKL5 deficiency disorder. Evoked potential and quantitative EEG features were calculated and compared with typically developing individuals in an age- and sex-matched cohort. Baseline and Year 1 data, when available, were analysed and the repeatability of the results was tested. Two clinician-completed severity scales were used for evaluating the clinical relevance of the electrophysiological parameters. Group-level comparisons revealed reduced visual evoked potential amplitude in CDKL5 deficiency disorder individuals versus typically developing individuals. There were no group differences in the latency of the visual evoked potentials or in the latency or amplitude of the auditory evoked potentials. Within the CDKL5 deficiency disorder group, auditory evoked potential amplitude correlated with disease severity at baseline as well as Year 1. Multiple quantitative EEG features differed between CDKL5 deficiency disorder and typically developing participants, including amplitude standard deviation, 1/f slope and global delta, theta, alpha and beta power. Several quantitative EEG features correlated with clinical severity, including amplitude skewness, theta/delta ratio and alpha/delta ratio. The theta/delta ratio was the overall strongest predictor of severity and also among the most repeatable qEEG measures from baseline to Year 1.

Together, the present findings point to the utility of evoked potentials and quantitative EEG parameters as objective measures of brain function and disease severity in future clinical trials for CDKL5 deficiency disorder. The results also underscore the utility of the current methods, which could be similarly applied to the identification and validation of electrophysiological biomarkers of brain function for other developmental encephalopathies.
Guest Editor Introduction to Special Issue “(Ir)Religion in Clinical Ethics Consultation Methodology and Competencies”
Authors: Mason Jordan , Bishop Jeffrey
Published: August 2022

The push by some bioethicists to excise religion from the clinical ethics consultative process has received institutional support from the American Society for Bioethics and the Humanities (ASBH). Their certification program, Healthcare Ethics Consultant-Certified (HEC-C), is intended to identify and assess “a national standard for the professional practice of clinical healthcare ethics consulting” devoid of religious content. As Christian ethicists who wish to preserve the morally evaluative nature of healthcare ethics, we must pause and theologically reflect on the meaning of such a program. The five articles in this issue offer rich theological responses to the religion-free standardized methodology endorsed by the ASBH and reified in the HEC-C certification program. They offer a depth of theological reflection we see previously lacking in the literature, attending to the real possibilities of a “terraformed bioethics” effecting metaphysical harm, severing of clinical ethics from its sources, eliminating possibilities for conversion, and confusing the meaning of moral expertise.
A Cohort Study of the Age at Menopause in Female Patients With and Without Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Moktan Varun P , Daoud Nader D , Tremaine William J , Loftus Edward V , Kane Sunanda V , Hochwald Alexander P , Hodge David O , Hashash Jana G , Faubion Stephanie S , Farraye Francis A
Published: August 2022

Background

Menopause, defined by the complete cessation of menstrual cycles for 12 consecutive months, may occur at a younger age in women who have concomitant immune dysregulation. Our aim was to determine whether women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience an earlier onset of menopause compared to women without IBD.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study using resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a collaboration between clinics, hospitals, and medical facilities in Olmsted County, Minnesota. From these people, women who were diagnosed with IBD between 1970 and 2010 comprised the case cohort while the reference cohort included women with no diagnosis of IBD. Data including age, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, smoking status, age at onset of menopause, and current use of hormone therapy were collected. Patients with history of hysterectomy or oophorectomy were excluded. Wilcoxon rank-sum test for numeric variables and Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables were used to analyze the data.

Results

A total of 171 women met criteria for inclusion (83 cases and 88 controls). Mean age of menopause in women with IBD was 50.0 years compared to 51.5 years in women with no IBD (P = .006). There was no difference in BMI of women with and without IBD (28.7 versus 28.2 kg m−2; P = .9), respectively. There were more former smokers (33.7%) and current (6%) smokers in the IBD group (P = .009) compared to the non-IBD group.

Conclusions

IBD is associated with an earlier onset of menopause. Although it is unclear if this mean difference of 1.5 years is clinically relevant, it is known that early menopause is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Further research on the possible mechanisms is needed.
8. The History of Terrorism
Authors: Blumenau Bernhard , Wilson Tim
Published: August 2022

This chapter discusses the history of terrorism. Terrorism, as it is understood in this chapter, is the deliberate use or threat of violence by non-state actors in order to achieve power and implement political goals. Historical studies help us to better understand the sheer complexity of terrorism from the past. The chapter looks into the gunpowder revolution in Europe. It cites David Rapoport's ‘Four Waves’ model and relates it to accounts of the historical evolution of modern anti-state terrorism since 1880. Rapoport's work has become the dominant explanation of the evolution of modern terrorism.
24. Environmental Policy
Authors: Gravey Viviane , Jordan Andrew , Benson David
Published: August 2022

Despite its very strong economic roots, the European Union has nonetheless become an international leader in environmental protection and sustainable development policy. Environmental concerns have consequently shifted from being a marginal aspect of the European integration process to one that routinely grabs news headlines and, unlike many other EU policy areas, generates relatively strong political support from EU citizens. In the past, these policies, which now impinge on most sectors and areas of the economy, have proven resilient to economic and deregulatory pressures. This chapter documents and explores the reasons behind the relatively rapid transformation in the EU’s governing capabilities in this policy area, explores the main dynamics of policy-making from different analytical perspectives, and explores the impact of challenges such as climate change, Brexit, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
De novovariants cause complex symptoms in HSP-ATL1(SPG3A) and uncover genotype–phenotype correlations
Authors: Alecu Julian E , Saffari Afshin , Jordan Catherine , Srivastava Siddharth , Blackstone Craig , Ebrahimi-Fakhari Darius
Published: August 2022

Pathogenic variants in ATL1 are a known cause of autosomal-dominantly inherited hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP-ATL1, SPG3A) with a predominantly ‘pure’ HSP phenotype. Although a relatively large number of patients have been reported, no genotype–phenotype correlations have been established for specific ATL1 variants. Confronted with five children carrying de novo ATL1 variants showing early, complex and severe symptoms, we systematically investigated the molecular and phenotypic spectrum of HSP-ATL1. Through a cross-sectional analysis of 537 published and novel cases, we delineate a distinct phenotype observed in patients with de novo variants. Guided by this systematic phenotyping approach and structural modelling of disease-associated variants in atlastin-1, we demonstrate that this distinct phenotypic signature is also prevalent in a subgroup of patients with inherited ATL1 variants and is largely explained by variant localization within a three-dimensional mutational cluster. Establishing genotype–phenotype correlations, we find that symptoms that extend well beyond the typical pure HSP phenotype (i.e. neurodevelopmental abnormalities, upper limb spasticity, bulbar symptoms, peripheral neuropathy and brain imaging abnormalities) are prevalent in patients with variants located within this mutational cluster.
A genome-wide association and fine-mapping study of white rust resistance in hexaploid chrysanthemum cultivars with a wild diploid reference genome
Authors: Sumitomo Katsuhiko , Shirasawa Kenta , Isobe Sachiko , Hirakawa Hideki , Harata Akiho , Nakano Michiharu , Nakano Yoshihiro , Yagi Masafumi , Hisamatsu Tamotsu , Yamaguchi Hiroyasu , Taniguchi Fumiya
Published: August 2022

White rust caused by Puccinia horiana is one of the most serious diseases of chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum × morifolium). In this study, we report the DNA markers associated with resistance against P. horiana via a simple approach using the genome of a wild diploid relative, Chrysanthemum seticuspe. First, we identified the important region of the genome in the resistant cultivar “Ariesu” via a genome-wide association study. Simplex single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers mined from ddRAD-Seq were used in a biparental population originating from crosses between resistant “Ariesu” and susceptible “Yellow Queen”. The C. seticuspe genome was used as a reference. For the fine mapping of P. horiana resistance locus 2 (Phr2), a comparative whole genome sequencing study was conducted. Although the genome sequences of chrysanthemum cultivars assembled via the short-read approach were fragmented, reliable genome alignments were reconstructed by mapping onto the chromosome level of the C. seticuspe pseudomolecule. Base variants were then identified by comparing the assembled genome sequences of resistant “Ariesu” and susceptible “Yellow Queen”. Consequently, SNP markers that were closer to Phr2 compared with ddRAD-Seq markers were obtained. These SNP markers co-segregated with resistance in F1 progenies originating from resistant “Ariesu” and showed robust transferability for detecting Phr2-conferring resistance among chrysanthemum genetic resources. The wild C. seticuspe pseudomolecule, a de facto monoploid genome used for ddRAD-Seq analysis and assembled genome sequence comparison, demonstrated this method’s utility as a model for developing DNA markers in hexaploid chrysanthemum cultivars.
Apple U-box-type E3 ubiquitin ligase MdPUB23 reduces cold-stress tolerance by degrading the cold-stress regulatory protein MdICE1
Authors: Wang Da-Ru , Zhang Xiao-Wei , Xu Rui-Rui , Wang Gui-Luan , You Chun-Xiang , An Jian-Ping
Published: August 2022

Cold stress limits plant growth, geographical distribution, and crop yield. The MYC-type bHLH transcription factor ICE1 is recognized as the core positive regulator of the cold-stress response. However, how ICE1 protein levels are regulated remains to be further studied. In this study, we observed that a U-box-type E3 ubiquitin ligase, MdPUB23, positively regulated the cold-stress response in apple. The expression of MdPUB23 increased at both the transcriptional and post-translational levels in response to cold stress. Overexpression of MdPUB23 in transgenic apple enhanced sensitivity to cold stress. Further study showed that MdPUB23 directly interacted with MdICE1, promoting the ubiquitination-mediated degradation of the MdICE1 protein through the 26S-proteasome pathway and reducing the MdICE1-improved cold-stress tolerance in apple. Our results reveal that MdPUB23 regulates the cold-stress response by directly mediating the stability of the positive regulator MdICE1. The PUB23–ICE1 ubiquitination module may play a role in maintaining ICE1 protein homeostasis and preventing overreactions from causing damage to plants. The discovery of the ubiquitination regulatory pathway of ICE1 provides insights for the further exploration of plant cold-stress-response mechanisms.
Jackfruit genome and population genomics provide insights into fruit evolution and domestication history in China
Authors: Lin Xinggu , Feng Chao , Lin Tao , Harris A J , Li Yingzhi , Kang Ming
Published: August 2022

As the largest known tree-borne fruit in the world, jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is an important cultivated crop in tropical regions of South and Southeast Asia. The species has been cultivated in China for more than 1000 years, but the history of its introduction to the country remains unclear. We assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome of jackfruit into 985.63 Mb with scaffold N50 of 32.81 Mb. We analyzed whole-genome resequencing data of 295 landraces to investigate the domestication history in China and agronomic trait evolution of jackfruit. Population structure analysis revealed that jackfruits of China could be traced back to originate from Southeast Asia and South Asia independently. Selection signals between jackfruit and its edible congener, cempedak (Artocarpus integer), revealed several important candidate genes associated with fruit development and ripening. Moreover, analyses of selective sweeps and gene expression revealed that the AhePG1 gene may be the major factor in determining fruit texture. This study not only resolves the origins of jackfruit of China, but also provides valuable genomic resources for jackfruit breeding improvement and offers insights into fruit size evolution and fruit texture changes.
Toward ECG-based analysis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a novel ECG segmentation method for handling abnormalities
Authors: Nezamabadi Kasra , Mayfield Jacob , Li Pengyuan , Greenland Gabriela V , Rodriguez Sebastian , Simsek Bahadir , Mousavi Parvin , Shatkay Hagit , Abraham M Roselle
Published: August 2022

Objective

Abnormalities in impulse propagation and cardiac repolarization are frequent in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), leading to abnormalities in 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs). Computational ECG analysis can identify electrophysiological and structural remodeling and predict arrhythmias. This requires accurate ECG segmentation. It is unknown whether current segmentation methods developed using datasets containing annotations for mostly normal heartbeats perform well in HCM. Here, we present a segmentation method to effectively identify ECG waves across 12-lead HCM ECGs.

Methods

We develop (1) a web-based tool that permits manual annotations of P, P′, QRS, R′, S′, T, T′, U, J, epsilon waves, QRS complex slurring, and atrial fibrillation by 3 experts and (2) an easy-to-implement segmentation method that effectively identifies ECG waves in normal and abnormal heartbeats. Our method was tested on 131 12-lead HCM ECGs and 2 public ECG sets to evaluate its performance in non-HCM ECGs.

Results

Over the HCM dataset, our method obtained a sensitivity of 99.2% and 98.1% and a positive predictive value of 92% and 95.3% when detecting QRS complex and T-offset, respectively, significantly outperforming a state-of-the-art segmentation method previously employed for HCM analysis. Over public ECG sets, it significantly outperformed 3 state-of-the-art methods when detecting P-onset and peak, T-offset, and QRS-onset and peak regarding the positive predictive value and segmentation error. It performed at a level similar to other methods in other tasks.

Conclusion

Our method accurately identified ECG waves in the HCM dataset, outperforming a state-of-the-art method, and demonstrated similar good performance as other methods in normal/non-HCM ECG sets.
Malakoplakia of the appendix in a young healthy adult: a case report and literature review
Authors: Pastena Dario , Giambusso Mauro , Castri Federica , Potenza Angelo Eugenio , Caprino Paola , Sacchetti Franco , Sofo Luigi
Published: August 2022

Malakoplakia is a rare entity on inflammatory base that mostly occurs in immunocompromised individuals which is thought to be secondary to a bactericidal defect in macrophages. The genitourinary tract is typically affected. The appendix is a very rare localization. We report a case of malakoplakia in the appendix of a young healthy patient with a recent history of abdominal pain associated with diarrhea and nausea. The colonscopy and CT scan showed an extramucosal bumping mass pressing on the cecum and covered by normal mucosa. The patient underwent to laparoscopic appendectomy. The histology showed a malakoplakia of the appendix. Gastrointestinal localization of malakoplakia is often associated with preexisting diseases, which are probably responsible for an immune disorder underlying the etiopathogenesis of the disease. However, in our case, the patient had no comorbidities. Probably, a clinically unknown immune predisposition plays an important role. Further studies are needed to clarify this nexus.
A Call to Action: Integration of Buprenorphine Prescribing Into the Care of Persons With Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Fujita A Wendy , Wilson J Deanna , Kennedy Amy J
Published: August 2022

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we also experienced a worsening opioid overdose epidemic. Untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with worse HIV-related outcomes. Buprenorphine is a safe, evidence-based medication for OUD and is effective in reducing opioid craving and overdose and improving outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Despite the longstanding evidence supporting the benefits of buprenorphine, there remains an implementation gap in the uptake of buprenorphine prescribing in HIV care settings. To improve integration of OUD care and HIV primary care, we recommend (1) all HIV clinicians obtain a buprenorphine waiver, (2) teaching on OUD should be integrated into infectious diseases and HIV continuing medical education, and (3) previously validated models of integrated care should be leveraged to urgently expand access to buprenorphine for persons with HIV and OUD.
Ti-Rich Tholeiitic Picrites from the Prinsen af Wales Bjerge, East Greenland, and Evidence for a Pyroxene-Rich Mantle Source at Breakup in the North Atlantic
Authors: Hansen Henriette , Nielsen Troels F D
Published: August 2022

Highly magnesian, olivine-phyric tholeiitic basaltic and picritic lavas with >5 wt% TiO2 from the Prinsen af Wales Bjerge (PAWB) region are chemically distinct from all other Paleogene East Greenland flood basalts and from basalts in the North Atlantic Igneous Province. The ~100-m-thick lava succession rests on the 61 Ma Urbjerget Formation, is intercalated with volcaniclastic sediments, and has 57 Ma 40Ar/39Ar stepwise degassing ages. It is part of the Milne Land Formation, the first of the major flood basalt formations in East Greenland, and the result of plume impingement of the Kangerlussuaq area in East Greenland during the initial stages of continental breakup. The Ti-rich picrites have relatively primitive compositions and contain Mn- and Ni-rich olivine up to Fo88. Intermediate to high 87Sr/86Sri (0.7034–0.7044) and low Pb isotopic compositions reflect 4–11% crustal contamination, whereas the initial εNd (+4 − +5) and 187Os/188Os ratios (0.121–0.129) overlap with recent Icelandic basalts and appear little affected by contamination processes. The mantle source of the Ti-rich picrites contained garnet and was pyroxene-rich and similar to that of later low-Si alkaline basalts. The Ti-rich picrites of the PAWB, similar to other Ti-rich melts of the Kangerlussuaq region, represent analogies of MgO-rich and variably TiO2-enriched melts from pyroxene rich sources of traditionally accepted mantle plumes like Hawaii.
The Real Effects of Judicial Enforcement
Authors: Pezone Vincenzo
Published: August 2022

This article shows that judicial enforcement has substantial effects on firms’ decisions with regard to their employment policies. To establish causality, I exploit a reorganization of the court districts in Italy involving judicial district mergers as a shock to court productivity. I find that an improvement in enforcement, as measured by a reduction in average trial length, has a large, positive effect on firm employment. The cross-sectional heterogeneity of the results suggests that stronger enforcement reduces financing constraints, boosting employment as a result, especially in firms characterized by higher complementarity between labor and capital. Moreover, in the presence of stronger enforcement, firms can raise more debt to dampen the impact of negative shocks and, in this way, reduce employment fluctuations. Consistent with this result, worker-level evidence shows that strong enforcement reduces the likelihood of unemployment.
High genetic stability of co-circulating human adenovirus type 31 lineages over 59 years
Authors: Götting Jasper , Baier Claas , Panagiota Victoria , Maecker-Kolhoff Britta , Dhingra Akshay , Heim Albert
Published: August 2022

Type 31 of human adenovirus species A (HAdV-A31) is a significant pathogen primarily associated with diarrhoea in children but also with life-threatening disseminated disease in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Nosocomial outbreaks of HAdV-A31 have been frequently described. However, the evolution of HAdV-A31 has not been studied in detail. The evolution of other HAdV types is driven either by intertypic recombination, where different types exchange genome regions, or by immune escape selection of neutralisation determinants. Complete genomic HAdV-A31 sequences from sixty diagnostic specimens of the past 18 years (2003–21) were generated, including fourteen specimens of a presumed outbreak on two HSCT wards. Additionally, twenty-three complete genomes from GenBank were added to our phylogenetic analysis as well as in silico generated and previously published restriction fragment polymorphism (RFLP) data. Phylogenetic analysis of eighty-three genomes indicated that HAdV-A31 evolved slowly with six lineages co-circulating. The two major lineages were lineage 1, which included the prototype from 1962 and nine recent isolates, and lineage 2, which split into four sublineages and included most isolates from 2003 to 2021. The average nucleotide identity within lineages was high (99.8 per cent) and identity between lineages was 98.7 and 99.2 per cent. RFLP data allowed the construction of a lower-resolution phylogeny with two additional putative lineages. Surprisingly, regions of higher diversity separating lineages were found in gene regions coding for non-structural and minor capsid proteins. Intertypic recombinations were not observed, but the phylogeny of lineage 3 was compatible with an interlineage recombination event in the fibre gene. Applying the phylogenetic analysis to the presumed nosocomial outbreak excluded two suspected transmission events and separated it into two different, simultaneous outbreaks caused by different sublineages of lineage 2. However, due to the high nucleotide identity within HAdV-A31 lineages, the proof of infection chains remains debatable. This in-depth study on the molecular phylogeny of HAdV-A31 highlights the high genetic stability of co-circulating HAdV-A31 lineages over almost six decades. It also supports the epidemiological hypothesis that HAdV-A31 circulates as an etiological agent of a childhood disease infecting immunologically naive patients without strong positive selection of immune escape variants and recombinants.
Defining a Cesarean Delivery Rate for Optimizing Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes
Authors: Bruno Ann M. , Metz Torri D. , Grobman William A. , Silver Robert M.
Published: August 2022

After the global cesarean delivery rate nearly doubled between 2000 and 2015, cesarean deliveries now account for nearly one third of births in the United States. Although rates have plateaued, the high national cesarean delivery rate has garnered criticism from both lay and academic communities because it has not been associated with improvements in maternal or neonatal outcomes. Efforts are underway to lower the cesarean delivery rate through implementation of hospital-level and national guidelines. However, the cesarean delivery rate that optimizes maternal and neonatal outcomes is not known. Defining a cesarean delivery rate that optimizes perinatal outcomes and reduces morbidity seems simple. However, there are a host of challenges to such a task, including determining the outcomes that are most meaningful to use, deciding the population that should define the rate, and incorporating person-centered decision making, given that people place different value on different outcomes. Rather than a “call” for cesarean delivery rate reductions of a specific and arbitrary magnitude, we need further attention to defining an evidence-based optimal target. This commentary summarizes current national and international cesarean delivery rate targets, discusses the challenges of identifying an evidence-based national cesarean delivery rate target, and explores future considerations for best defining a cesarean delivery rate target.
Containment Bag Use Among Women Who Undergo Hysterectomy With Laparoscopic Power Morcellation
Authors: Wright Jason D. , Chen Ling , Melamed Alexander , Clair Caryn M. St. , Hou June Y. , Khoury-Collado Fady , Gockley Allison , Accordino Melissa , Hershman Dawn L. , Xu Xiao
Published: August 2022

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate trends in use of laparoscopic power morcellators in women undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy and to examine use of containment systems in these patients in relation to safety guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

METHODS:

We examined data that were recorded in the Premier Healthcare Database from patients who underwent laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy from 2010 to 2018. Patients were stratified based on use of laparoscopic power morcellators. The cohort was further stratified as either pre–FDA guidance (2010 quarter 1–2014 quarter 1) or post–FDA guidance (2014 quarter 2–2018 quarter 2). Interrupted time series analyses were performed to determine the effect of FDA guidance on the use of laparoscopic power morcellators and containment bags.

RESULTS:

Among 67,115 patients, laparoscopic power morcellator use decreased from 66.7% in 2013 quarter 4 to 13.3% by 2018 quarter 2. The likelihood of laparoscopic power morcellator use decreased by 9.5% for each quarter elapsed in the post–FDA warning period (risk ratio [RR] 0.91, 95% CI 0.90–0.91). Containment bag use rose from 5.2% in 2013 quarter 4 to 15.2% by 2018 quarter 2. The likelihood of containment bag use increased by 3% for each quarter elapsed in the post–FDA warning period (RR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.05). Among women who had laparoscopic power morcellator use, uterine cancers or sarcomas were identified in 54 (0.17%) before the FDA guidance compared with seven (0.12%) after the guidance (P=.45). Containment bags were used in 11.1% of women with uterine cancers or sarcomas before the FDA guidance compared with 14.3% after the guidance (P=.12). The perioperative complication rate was 3.3% among women who had laparoscopic power morcellator use without a containment bag compared with 4.5% (P=.001) in those with a containment bag (aRR 1.35, 95% CI 1.12–1.64).

CONCLUSION:

Use of laparoscopic power morcellators has decreased over time. Containment bag use increased after the FDA's 2014 guidance; however, most procedures employing laparoscopic power morcellators are still performed without a containment bag.
Risk Factors for Intrauterine Tamponade Failure in Postpartum Hemorrhage
Authors: Gibier Mathilde , Pauly Vanessa , Orleans Véronica , Fabre Cyprien , Boyer Laurent , Blanc Julie
Published: August 2022

OBJECTIVE:

To identify factors associated with intrauterine tamponade failure after vaginal or cesarean delivery.

METHODS:

This was a nationwide population-based cohort study that used data from the French Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information. This study compared the failure and effectiveness of intrauterine tamponade among all women who received the procedure in France from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. Failure was defined as the use of a second-line method (uterine artery embolization, conservative or radical surgery, or death) within 7 days of intrauterine tamponade. Factors associated with intrauterine tamponade failure were identified by univariate analyses and tested using multivariate generalized logistic regression models (with a random intercept on institution) to obtain adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% CI statistics.

RESULTS:

A total of 39,193 patients presented with postpartum hemorrhage in 474 French maternity wards. Of these patients, 1,761 (4.5%) received intrauterine tamponade for persistent bleeding. The effectiveness rate of intrauterine tamponade was 88.9%. For 195 women (11.1%), a second-line method was indicated. Patients for whom intrauterine tamponade failed had a higher maternal age, a lower mean gestational age, and more frequent instances of placental abnormalities, preeclampsia, cesarean birth, and uterine rupture. The multivariate analysis revealed that cesarean birth (aOR 4.2; 95% CI 2.9–6.0), preeclampsia (aOR 2.3; 95% CI 1.3–4.0), and uterine rupture (aOR 14.1; 95% CI 2.4–83.0) were independently associated with intrauterine tamponade failure.

CONCLUSION:

Cesarean delivery, preeclampsia, and uterine rupture are associated with intrauterine tamponade failure in the management of postpartum hemorrhage.
Epidemiology and Fracture Patterns of Traumatic Phalangeal Fractures
Authors: Moura Steven P. , Meulendijks Mara Z. , Veeramani Anamika , Szapary Hannah , Gomez-Eslava Barbara , Hoftiezer Yannick A. J. , Chen Neal C. , Eberlin Kyle R.
Published: August 2022

Background:

Despite the relatively high incidence of phalangeal fractures, there is an imperfect understanding of the epidemiology and anatomical distribution of these fractures. This study describes the patient characteristics, anatomic distribution, and detailed fracture patterns of phalangeal fractures among a large adult cohort in the United States.

Methods:

A retrospective study was performed among patients with phalangeal fractures in the United States between January 2010 and January 2015. Included patients were 18 years old or older and had a diagnosis of a phalangeal fracture. A total of 2140 phalangeal fractures in 1747 patients were included, and a manual chart review was performed to collect epidemiological and radiographic information. Fractures were classified based on location and fracture pattern.

Results:

The median age at the time of injury was 45 years (interquartile range, 30–57), and 65% of patients were men. The small finger had the highest incidence of fractures (26%) followed by the ring finger (24%). Distal and proximal phalanges demonstrated the highest incidence of fractures at 39% each. The dominant hand was affected in 44% of cases. Eighteen percent of fractures were due to a work-related trauma mechanism, and the most common mechanism of injury was blunt trauma (46%).

Conclusion:

This study provides a detailed overview of the anatomic distribution and fracture patterns of phalangeal fractures in an adult US population and, thus, may aid hand surgeons treating these injuries.