bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Which schools receive state-level support for local food purchases? Evidence from reimbursement incentive programs in Michigan and Oregon
Authors: O'Hara Jeffrey K. , Jablonski Becca B. R. , Plakias Zoë T.
Published: March 2022

State-level reimbursement programs are increasingly being used to incentivize procurement of local foods by US K-12 school food authorities (SFAs), which are schools or school districts that administer a food service program. However, few studies have explored the characteristics of SFAs that are associated with applying for and receiving reimbursement incentives. We consider reimbursement incentive programs in two states, Oregon and Michigan. In 2018–2019, the school year we study, Oregon used an opt-in model in which all SFAs were eligible to receive reimbursement incentives. In contrast, Michigan used a competitive funding model in which only some SFAs were eligible to apply and only some SFAs that applied received support. Using data from the Farm to School Census, as well as data from the two states' Departments of Education, we estimate discrete choice regressions to explore the factors that are associated with SFAs' application for and receipt of these reimbursement incentives. We find that SFAs that opted into Oregon's procurement program are larger, in metropolitan areas, and more likely to purchase fruits and vegetables locally. Thus, the reimbursement incentives are directed toward SFAs with characteristics that complement F2S program development, instead of SFAs with greater structural impediments. In Michigan, we find that SFAs with past F2S experience and community support for F2S were the most likely to apply for reimbursement incentives. However, conditional on applying, the SFAs most likely to receive funding in Michigan were those located in rural areas, more likely to source meat and seafood locally, and more likely to source directly from producers. Thus, Michigan's support, which was more budget constrained, appeared to target SFAs with distance-based challenges and non-traditional procurement strategies.
Deep Learning for Multi‐Timescales Pacific Decadal Oscillation Forecasting
Authors: Qin Mengjiao , Du Zhenhong , Hu Linshu , Cao Wenting , Fu Zhiyi , Qin Lianjie , Wu Sensen , Zhang Feng
Published: March 2022

Variations in the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) can influence marine ecosystems and regional climate phenomena. Accurate and long‐term forecasts of the PDO are therefore crucial for marine governance. This paper presents a novel seasonal gated recurrent unit (SGRU) model, based on deep learning, for forecasting the PDO at multiple time scales. The model first decomposes the complex and nonlinear PDO index time series into three separate components, each retaining a distinct pattern of PDO. Next, a three‐pathway GRU model is constructed to model and forecast the PDO index. A test applying the SGRU model to the period from 1979 to 2020 demonstrates its superiority over eight state‐of‐the‐art models in PDO forecasting. Additionally, the SGRU model can flexibly produce high‐performance forecasts at multiple time scales. In view of that physical and dynamical models rely on clear evolutionary mechanisms, the SGRU model overcomes the complexities of these models.
Increasing Concurrent Drought Probability in Global Main Crop Production Countries
Authors: Qi Wei , Feng Lian , Yang Hong , Liu Junguo
Published: March 2022

Understanding concurrent drought events in global main croplands is crucially important for food security, effective adaptation to climate change and human well‐being. Yet, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on concurrent drought probability changes among main crop production countries on a global scale, especially for the future. Here, we studied concurrent drought among 26 main crop production countries for the time period 1861–2099. During the historical period, probability of concurrent moderate and severe drought among the countries was relatively low, and the maximum concurrent moderate and severe drought probability will double and triple under RCP8.5 extreme climate, respectively. Concurrent probability of moderate and severe drought between China and United States of America, Brazil and Russia will be at least 6% and 5% under RCP8.5, respectively, compared with zero in the historical period. Limiting RCPs to RCP2.6 can decrease the concurrent probability of severe drought at least 2% (at least 3% for RCP8.5).
A Dynamo Simulation Generating Saturn‐Like Small Magnetic Dipole Tilts
Authors: Yadav Rakesh Kumar , Cao Hao , Bloxham Jeremy
Published: March 2022

Among planetary dynamos, the magnetic field of Saturn stands out in its exceptional level of axisymmetry. One of its peculiar features is that the magnetic dipole mode is tilted with respect to the planetary rotation axis by only ≈0.007° or less. Numerical dynamo simulations performed in this context have had great difficulty in producing such small dipole tilt angles without introducing ad hoc ingredients such as a latitudinally varying heat flux pattern in the outer layers or stably stratified layers (SSLs). Here we present a numerical dynamo simulation that generates a highly axisymmetric dynamo with a dipole tilt of about ≈0.0008° on average. The model consists of a deep dynamo layer and an overlying low‐conductivity layer but without any SSLs. We highlight a novel mechanism where strong differential rotation generated in the atmospheric layer penetrates into the dynamo region, helping to maintain a very small magnetic dipole tilt.
Effects of Increased Drought in Amazon Forests Under Climate Change: Separating the Roles of Canopy Responses and Soil Moisture
Authors: Wey Hao‐Wei , Pongratz Julia , Nabel Julia E. M. S. , Naudts Kim
Published: March 2022

The Amazon forests are one of the largest ecosystem carbon pools on Earth. Although more frequent and prolonged future droughts have been predicted, the impacts have remained largely uncertain, as most land surface models (LSMs) fail to capture the vegetation drought responses. In this study, the ability of the LSM JSBACH to simulate the drought responses of leaf area index (LAI) and leaf litter production in the Amazon forests is evaluated against artificial drought experiments. Based on the evaluation, improvements are implemented, including a dependency of leaf growth on leaf carbon allocation and a better representation of drought‐dependent leaf shedding. The modified JSBACH is shown to capture the drought responses at two sites and across different regions of the basin. It is then coupled with an atmospheric model to simulate the carbon and biogeophysical feedbacks of drought under future climate. We separate the drought impacts into (a) the direct effect, resulting from drier soil and stomatal closure, which does not involve a change in canopy structure, and (b) the LAI effect, resulting from leaf shedding and involving canopy response. We show that the latter accounts for 35% of reduced land carbon uptake (9 ± 10 vs. 26 ± 7 g/m2/yr; mean ± 1 sd) and 12% of surface warming (0.09 ± 0.03 vs. 0.7 ± 0.07 K) during the late 21st century. A north‐south dipole of precipitation change is found, which is largely attributable to the direct effect. The results highlight the importance of incorporating drought deciduousness of tropical rainforests in LSMs to better simulate land‐atmosphere interactions in the future.
Road Salts Linked to High Sodium Levels in Tap Water
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: March 2022

Use of deicing agents may sometimes raise sodium levels in drinking water beyond healthy limits for people on salt-restricted diets.
MESH1 knockdown triggers proliferation arrest through TAZ repression
Authors: Sun Tianai , Ding Chien-Kuang Cornelia , Zhang Yuning , Zhang Yang , Lin Chao-Chieh , Wu Jianli , Setayeshpour Yasaman , Coggins Si’Ana , Shepard Caitlin , Macias Everardo , Kim Baek , Zhou Pei , Gordân Raluca , Chi Jen-Tsan
Published: March 2022

All organisms are constantly exposed to various stresses, necessitating adaptive strategies for survival. In bacteria, the main stress-coping mechanism is the stringent response triggered by the accumulation of “alarmone” (p)ppGpp to arrest proliferation and reprogram transcriptome. While mammalian genomes encode MESH1—the homolog of the (p)ppGpp hydrolase SpoT, current knowledge about its function remains limited. We found MESH1 expression tended to be higher in tumors and associated with poor patient outcomes. Consistently, MESH1 knockdown robustly inhibited proliferation, depleted dNTPs, reduced tumor sphere formation, and retarded xenograft growth. These antitumor phenotypes associated with MESH1 knockdown were accompanied by a significantly altered transcriptome, including the repressed expression of TAZ, a HIPPO coactivator, and proliferative gene. Importantly, TAZ restoration mitigated many anti-growth phenotypes of MESH1 knockdown, including proliferation arrest, reduced sphere formation, tumor growth inhibition, dNTP depletion, and transcriptional changes. Furthermore, TAZ repression was associated with the histone hypo-acetylation at TAZ regulatory loci due to the induction of epigenetic repressors HDAC5 and AHRR. Together, MESH1 knockdown in human cells altered the genome-wide transcriptional patterns and arrested proliferation that mimicked the bacterial stringent response through the epigenetic repression of TAZ expression.
High drug-loaded microspheres enabled by controlled in-droplet precipitation promote functional recovery after spinal cord injury
Authors: Li Wei , Chen Jian , Zhao Shujie , Huang Tianhe , Ying Huiyan , Trujillo Claudia , Molinaro Giuseppina , Zhou Zheng , Jiang Tao , Liu Wei , Li Linwei , Bai Yuancheng , Quan Peng , Ding Yaping , Hirvonen Jouni , Yin Guoyong , Santos Hélder A. , Fan Jin , Liu Dongfei
Published: March 2022

Drug delivery systems with high content of drug can minimize excipients administration, reduce side effects, improve therapeutic efficacy and/or promote patient compliance. However, engineering such systems is extremely challenging, as their loading capacity is inherently limited by the compatibility between drug molecules and carrier materials. To mitigate the drug-carrier compatibility limitation towards therapeutics encapsulation, we developed a sequential solidification strategy. In this strategy, the precisely controlled diffusion of solvents from droplets ensures the fast in-droplet precipitation of drug molecules prior to the solidification of polymer materials. After polymer solidification, a mass of drug nanoparticles is embedded in the polymer matrix, forming a nano-in-micro structured microsphere. All the obtained microspheres exhibit long-term storage stability, controlled release of drug molecules, and most importantly, high mass fraction of therapeutics (21.8–63.1 wt%). Benefiting from their high drug loading degree, the nano-in-micro structured acetalated dextran microspheres deliver a high dose of methylprednisolone (400 μg) within the limited administration volume (10 μL) by one single intrathecal injection. The amount of acetalated dextran used was 1/433 of that of low drug-loaded microspheres. Moreover, the controlled release of methylprednisolone from high drug-loaded microspheres contributes to improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects than low drug-loaded microspheres and free drug in spinal cord injury therapy.
The core and accessory Hfq interactomes across Pseudomonas aeruginosa lineages
Authors: Trouillon Julian , Han Kook , Attrée Ina , Lory Stephen
Published: March 2022

The major RNA-binding protein Hfq interacts with mRNAs, either alone or together with regulatory small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs), affecting mRNA translation and degradation in bacteria. However, studies tend to focus on single reference strains and assume that the findings may apply to the entire species, despite the important intra-species genetic diversity known to exist. Here, we use RIP-seq to identify Hfq-interacting RNAs in three strains representing the major phylogenetic lineages ofPseudomonas aeruginosa. We find that most interactions are in fact not conserved among the different strains. We identify growth phase-specific and strain-specific Hfq targets, including previously undescribed sRNAs. Strain-specific interactions are due to different accessory gene sets, RNA abundances, or potential context- or sequence- dependent regulatory mechanisms. The accessory Hfq interactome includes most mRNAs encoding Type III Secretion System (T3SS) components and secreted toxins in two strains, as well as a cluster of CRISPR guide RNAs in one strain. Conserved Hfq targets include the global virulence regulator Vfr and metabolic pathways involved in the transition from fast to slow growth. Furthermore, we use rGRIL-seq to show that RhlS, a quorum sensing sRNA, activates Vfr translation, thus revealing a link between quorum sensing and virulence regulation. Overall, our work highlights the important intra-species diversity in post-transcriptional regulatory networks inPseudomonas aeruginosa.
Synthetic glycans control gut microbiome structure and mitigate colitis in mice
Authors: Tolonen Andrew C. , Beauchemin Nicholas , Bayne Charlie , Li Lingyao , Tan Jie , Lee Jackson , Meehan Brian M. , Meisner Jeffrey , Millet Yves , LeBlanc Gabrielle , Kottler Robert , Rapp Erdmann , Murphy Chris , Turnbaugh Peter J. , von Maltzahn Geoffrey , Liu Christopher M. , van Hylckama Vlieg Johan E. T.
Published: March 2022

Relative abundances of bacterial species in the gut microbiome have been linked to many diseases. Species of gut bacteria are ecologically differentiated by their abilities to metabolize different glycans, making glycan delivery a powerful way to alter the microbiome to promote health. Here, we study the properties and therapeutic potential of chemically diverse synthetic glycans (SGs). Fermentation of SGs by gut microbiome cultures results in compound-specific shifts in taxonomic and metabolite profiles not observed with reference glycans, including prebiotics. Model enteric pathogens grow poorly on most SGs, potentially increasing their safety for at-risk populations. SGs increase survival, reduce weight loss, and improve clinical scores in mouse models of colitis. Synthetic glycans are thus a promising modality to improve health through selective changes to the gut microbiome.
Deep proteomic profiling unveils arylsulfatase A as a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis inducible hepatokine and regulator of glycemic control
Authors: Montgomery Magdalene K. , Bayliss Jacqueline , Nie Shuai , De Nardo William , Keenan Stacey N. , Miotto Paula M. , Karimkhanloo Hamzeh , Huang Cheng , Schittenhelm Ralf B. , Don Anthony S. , Ryan Andrew , Williamson Nicholas A. , Ooi Geraldine J. , Brown Wendy A. , Burton Paul R. , Parker Benjamin L. , Watt Matthew J.
Published: March 2022

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and type 2 diabetes are closely linked, yet the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning this bidirectional relationship remain unresolved. Using proteomic approaches, we interrogate hepatocyte protein secretion in two models of murine NASH to understand how liver-derived factors modulate lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues. We reveal striking hepatokine remodelling that is associated with insulin resistance and maladaptive lipid metabolism, and identify arylsulfatase A (ARSA) as a hepatokine that is upregulated in NASH and type 2 diabetes. Mechanistically, hepatic ARSA reduces sulfatide content and increases lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) accumulation within lipid rafts and suppresses LPC secretion from the liver, thereby lowering circulating LPC and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) levels. Reduced LPA is linked to improvements in skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and systemic glycemic control. Hepatic silencing of Arsa or inactivation of ARSA’s enzymatic activity reverses these effects. Together, this study provides a unique resource describing global changes in hepatokine secretion in NASH, and identifies ARSA as a regulator of liver to muscle communication and as a potential therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes.
Characteristics and treatment patterns of patients with asthma on multiple-inhaler triple therapy in Spain
Authors: Barrecheguren Miriam , Monteagudo Monica , Miravitlles Marc , Flor Xavier , Núñez Alexa , Osorio Jeisson , Muñoz Xavier , Ojanguren Iñigo
Published: March 2022

The aim of this observational, retrospective study was to describe characteristics, treatment patterns, and adherence among patients with asthma who initiated multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT) in Catalonia, Spain. This study used data of patients initiating MITT in 2016 from the SIDIAP (Information System for Research in Primary Care) database, which covers ~80% of the Catalonian population (5.8 million). Of 1,204 patients initiating MITT, 361 (30.0%) stepped down (discontinued ≥ 1 and continued ≥1 MITT component) and 89 (7.4%) stopped all three components of MITT for a period of 60 days during the following 12 months. In the follow-up period, 196 (16.3%) patients were considered adherent to MITT (>0.8 proportion of days covered [PDC]), with a mean (standard deviation) PDC of 0.52 (0.51) days. Given the low adherence and substantial rates of step down/discontinuation among patients initiating MITT, there is an urgent need to implement strategies to improve treatment adherence/persistence.
Field experiments underestimate aboveground biomass response to drought
Authors: Kröel-Dulay György , Mojzes Andrea , Szitár Katalin , Bahn Michael , Batáry Péter , Beier Claus , Bilton Mark , De Boeck Hans J. , Dukes Jeffrey S. , Estiarte Marc , Holub Petr , Jentsch Anke , Schmidt Inger Kappel , Kreyling Juergen , Reinsch Sabine , Larsen Klaus Steenberg , Sternberg Marcelo , Tielbörger Katja , Tietema Albert , Vicca Sara , Peñuelas Josep
Published: March 2022

Researchers use both experiments and observations to study the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, but results from these contrasting approaches have not been systematically compared for droughts. Using a meta-analysis and accounting for potential confounding factors, we demonstrate that aboveground biomass responded only about half as much to experimentally imposed drought events as to natural droughts. Our findings indicate that experimental results may underestimate climate change impacts and highlight the need to integrate results across approaches.
Affective touch perception and longing for touch during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Meijer Larissa L. , Hasenack B. , Kamps J. C. C. , Mahon A. , Titone G. , Dijkerman H. C. , Keizer A.
Published: March 2022

Interpersonal touch and affective touch play a crucial role in social interactions and have a positive influence on mental health. The social distancing regulations implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the ability to engage in interpersonal touch. This could cause longing for touch, and it might subsequently alter the way in which affective touch is perceived. To investigate this, we conducted an online survey and included 1982 participants, which contained questions regarding the COVID-19 regulations, longing for touch, and the perceived pleasantness of affective and non-affective touch. Results showed that participants reported feelings of longing for touch. This significantly increased with the duration and severity of the COVID-19 regulations. In addition, participants who experienced more longing for touch rated videos of affective and non-affective touch as more pleasant. Current results provide insight in the impact of sudden and prolonged COVID-19 regulations and show that increasing the duration and severity of these regulations is associated with a higher desire for touch, which is associated with increased perceived pleasantness of observing touch.
Predicting streamflow in Peninsular Malaysia using support vector machine and deep learning algorithms
Authors: Essam Yusuf , Huang Yuk Feng , Ng Jing Lin , Birima Ahmed H. , Ahmed Ali Najah , El-Shafie Ahmed
Published: March 2022

Floods and droughts are environmental phenomena that occur in Peninsular Malaysia due to extreme values of streamflow (SF). Due to this, the study of SF prediction is highly significant for the purpose of municipal and environmental damage mitigation. In the present study, machine learning (ML) models based on the support vector machine (SVM), artificial neural network (ANN), and long short-term memory (LSTM), are tested and developed to predict SF for 11 different rivers throughout Peninsular Malaysia. SF data sets for the rivers were collected from the Malaysian Department of Irrigation and Drainage. The main objective of the present study is to propose a universal model that is most capable of predicting SFs for rivers within Peninsular Malaysia. Based on the findings, the ANN3 model which was developed using the ANN algorithm and input scenario 3 (inputs consisting of previous 3 days SF) is deduced as the best overall ML model for SF prediction as it outperformed all the other models in 4 out of 11 of the tested data sets; and obtained among the highest average RMs with a score of 3.27, hence indicating that the model is very adaptable and reliable in accurately predicting SF based on different data sets and river case studies. Therefore, the ANN3 model is proposed as a universal model for SF prediction within Peninsular Malaysia.
Prediction of hearing recovery in unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss using artificial intelligence
Authors: Lee Min Kyu , Jeon Eun-Tae , Baek Namyoung , Kim Jeong Hwan , Rah Yoon Chan , Choi June
Published: March 2022

Despite the significance of predicting the prognosis of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL), no predictive models have been established. This study used artificial intelligence to develop prognosis models to predict recovery from ISSNHL. We retrospectively reviewed the medical data of 453 patients with ISSNHL (men, 220; women, 233; mean age, 50.3 years) who underwent treatment at a tertiary hospital between January 2021 and December 2019 and were followed up after 1 month. According to Siegel’s criteria, 203 patients recovered in 1 month. Demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory data, and pure-tone audiometry were analyzed. Logistic regression (baseline), a support vector machine, extreme gradient boosting, a light gradient boosting machine, and multilayer perceptron were used. The outcomes were the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) primarily, area under the precision-recall curve, Brier score, balanced accuracy, and F1 score. The light gradient boosting machine model had the best AUROC and balanced accuracy. Together with multilayer perceptron, it was also significantly superior to logistic regression in terms of AUROC. Using the SHapley Additive exPlanation method, we found that the initial audiogram shape is the most important prognostic factor. Machine/deep learning methods were successfully established to predict the prognosis of ISSNHL.
Fingerprinting the spatial sources of fine-grained sediment deposited in the bed of the Mehran River, southern Iran
Authors: Fatahi Atefe , Gholami Hamid , Esmaeilpour Yahya , Fathabadi Aboalhasan
Published: March 2022

Accurate information on the sources of suspended sediment in riverine systems is essential to target mitigation. Accordingly, we applied a generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE) framework for quantifying contributions from three sub-basin spatial sediment sources in the Mehran River catchment draining into the Persian Gulf, Hormozgan province, southern Iran. A total of 28 sediment samples were collected from the three sub-basin sources and six from the overall outlet. 43 geochemical elements (e.g., major, trace and rare earth elements) were measured in the samples. Four different combinations of statistical tests comprising: (1) traditional range test (TRT), Kruskal–Wallis (KW) H-test and stepwise discriminant function analysis (DFA) (TRT + KW + DFA); (2) traditional range test using mean values (RTM) and two additional tests (RTM + KW + DFA); (3) TRT + KW + PCA (principle component analysis), and; 4) RTM + KW + PCA, were used to the spatial sediment source discrimination. Tracer bi-plots were used as an additional step to assess the tracers selected in the different final composite signatures for source discrimination. The predictions of spatial source contributions generated by GLUE were assessed using statistical tests and virtual sample mixtures. On this basis, TRT + KW + DFA and RTM + KW + DFA yielded the best source discrimination and the tracers in these composite signatures were shown by the biplots to be broadly conservative during transportation from source to sink. Using these final two composite signatures, the estimated mean contributions for the western, central and eastern sub-basins, respectively, ranged between 10–60% (overall mean contribution 36%), 0.3–16% (overall mean contribution 6%) and 38–77% (overall mean contribution 58%). In comparison, the final tracers selected using TRT + KW + PCA generated respective corresponding contributions of 1–42% (overall mean 20%), 0.5–30% (overall mean 12%) and 55–84% (overall mean 68%) compared with 17–69% (overall mean 41%), 0.2–12% (overall mean 5%) and 29–76% (overall mean 54%) using the final tracers selected by RTM + KW + PCA. Based on the mean absolute fit (MAF; ≥ 95% for all target sediment samples) and goodness-of-fit (GOF; ≥ 99% for all samples), GLUE with the final tracers selected using TRT + KW + PCA performed slightly better than GLUE with the final signatures selected by the three other combinations of statistical tests. Based on the virtual mixture tests, however, predictions provided by GLUE with the final tracers selected using TRT + KW + DFA and RTM + KW + DFA (mean MAE = 11% and mean RMSE = 13%) performed marginally better than GLUE with RTM + KW + PCA (mean MAE = 14% and mean RMSE = 16%) and GLUE with TRT + KW + PCA (mean MAE = 17% and mean RMSE = 19%). The estimated source proportions can help watershed engineers plan the targeting of conservation programmes for soil and water resources.
Rapid and automatic detection of micronuclei in binucleated lymphocytes image
Authors: Shen Xiang , Chen Ying , Li Chaowen , Yang Fucheng , Wen Zhanbo , Zheng Jinlin , Zhou Zhenggan
Published: March 2022

Cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) assay is a widely used radiation biological dose estimation method. However, the subjectivity and the time-consuming nature of manual detection limits CBMN for rapid standard assay. The CBMN analysis is combined with a convolutional neural network to create a software for rapid standard automated detection of micronuclei in Giemsa stained binucleated lymphocytes images in this study. Cell acquisition, adhesive cell mass segmentation, cell type identification, and micronucleus counting are the four steps of the software's analysis workflow. Even when the cytoplasm is hazy, several micronuclei are joined to each other, or micronuclei are attached to the nucleus, this algorithm can swiftly and efficiently detect binucleated cells and micronuclei in a verification of 2000 images. In a test of 20 slides, the software reached a detection rate of 99.4% of manual detection in terms of binucleated cells, with a false positive rate of 14.7%. In terms of micronuclei detection, the software reached a detection rate of 115.1% of manual detection, with a 26.2% false positive rate. Each image analysis takes roughly 0.3 s, which is an order of magnitude faster than manual detection.
Decreased serum iron concentration and total iron binding capacity are associated with serious Crohn’s disease
Authors: Su Jingling , Ren Yandan , Liu Lupeng , Hu Yiqun , Shi Huaxiu , Ren Jianlin , Xie Chenxi
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to investigate whether serum indicators related to iron stores in the body are associated with clinical and endoscopic disease severity. Eighty-four patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and twenty-four healthy volunteers were included. The indicators related to iron stores were detected within one week after endoscopic and CT enterography examinations. Patients were divided into three groups according to the CDAI(Crohn's disease activity index)scores. Serum iron levels were decreased in all groups (p < 0.05), and the values of remission group were higher than those of moderate group (p < 0.001). The total iron binding capacity(TIBC)values of the moderate group were lower than those of the controls and the other groups (p < 0.05). None of the indicators differed significantly among the patients classified by SES-CD (p > 0.05). Underweight, decreased serum iron and TIBC were independent risk factors for moderate clinical disease. Combined detection of decreased serum iron and TIBC was helpful in differentiating severe patients. The sensitivity and specificity were 32.7% and 100%, respectively (AUC = 0.812, p < 0.01). Decreases in serum iron and TIBC were associated with the clinical activity of CD. Combined detection of the two indicators was conducive to screening serious disease.
Growth of crystalline WO3-ZnSe nanocomposites: an approach to optical, electrochemical, and catalytic properties
Authors: Assadullah Insaaf , Malik Javied Hamid , Shafi Adil , Tomar Radha
Published: March 2022

In this study, novel growth of WO3-ZnSe nanocomposites was carried out by a simple, low-cost hydrothermal process under subcritical conditions and is reported for the first time in just 5 h. The products were characterized in detail by multiform techniques: X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical studies, and Fourier transform analysis. The influence of ZnSe on the structural, morphological, compositional, optical, and catalytic properties of WO3 is demonstrated. The WO3 metal oxide material is grown in a hexagonal crystal structure with wide-band-gap and has been modified by ZnSe to form a composite nanostructures in the nanoscale range. The electrochemical properties of the prepared materials were studied by cyclic voltammetry, which revealed that the synthesized material exhibited remarkable electrochemical supercapacitive activity. Moreover, the composite nanostructures showed excellent photocatalytic activity for degradation of phenol and almost 93% of phenol was degraded with good recyclability and stability. According to The International Commission on Illumination (CIE), the synthesized nanomaterial shows blue emission and is suitable for blue LEDs.
Thermometric lateral flow immunoassay with colored latex beads as reporters for COVID-19 testing
Authors: Azuma Terumitsu , Hui Yuen Yung , Chen Oliver Y. , Wang Yuh-Lin , Chang Huan-Cheng
Published: March 2022

Temperature sensing is a promising method of enhancing the detection sensitivity of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for point-of-care testing. A temperature increase of more than 100 °C can be readily achieved by photoexcitation of reporters like gold nanoparticles (GNPs) or colored latex beads (CLBs) on LFIA strips with a laser power below 100 mW. Despite its promise, processes involved in the photothermal detection have not yet been well-characterized. Here, we provide a fundamental understanding of this thermometric assay using non-fluorescent CLBs as the reporters deposited on nitrocellulose membrane. From a measurement for the dependence of temperature rises on the number density of membrane-bound CLBs, we found a 1.3-fold (and 3.2-fold) enhancement of the light absorption by red (and black) latex beads at 520 nm. The enhancement was attributed to the multiple scattering of light in this highly porous medium, a mechanism that could make a significant impact on the sensitivity improvement of LFIA. The limit of detection was measured to be 1 × 105 particles/mm2. In line with previous studies using GNPs as the reporters, the CLB-based thermometric assay provides a 10× higher sensitivity than color visualization. We demonstrated a practical use of this thermometric immunoassay with rapid antigen tests for COVID-19.
Sloth bear attacks: regional differences and safety messaging
Authors: Sharp Thomas R. , Smith Tom S. , Swaminathan Shanmugavelu , Arun Attur S.
Published: March 2022

Sloth bears behave aggressively toward humans when threatened and are among the most dangerous wildlife in India. Safety messaging for those who live in sloth bear country must be accurate to be effective, and messaging may need to be modified to account for regional differences in human-bear relationships. The timing of sloth bear attacks on the Deccan Plateau of Karnataka, both by season and by time of day, deviated enough from those reported in other areas such that it warranted further investigation. We compared data from eight studies of human-sloth bear conflict from across the Indian subcontinent and explored possibilities as to why differences exist. Seasonally all studies reported that human-sloth bear conflict was highest when human activity in the forest was greatest, though the season of highest human activity varied significantly by region (χ2 = 5921, df = 5, P < 0.001). The time of day that the majority of attacks occurred also varied significantly by region (χ2 = 666, df = 5, P < 0.001), though human activity was relatively consistent. We speculated that the rate of day attacks on the Deccan Plateau was lower due to the reduced probability of encountering a sleeping bear as they are concealed and secure in shallow caves. Additionally, the rate of attacks was significantly higher at night on the Deccan Plateau because people often to work into nighttime. We concluded that slight differences, or different emphasis, to bear safety messaging may be necessary on a regional basis to keep the messaging accurate and effective.
Zooplankton network conditioned by turbidity gradient in small anthropogenic reservoirs
Authors: Goździejewska Anna Maria , Kruk Marek
Published: March 2022

Water turbidity can significantly influence interspecific interactions in aquatic ecosystems. We tested the hypothesis that the turbidity gradient significantly differentiates the dynamics, significance and type of relationships in the structure of zooplankton communities colonizing mine pit reservoirs. The interactions between zooplankton species were evaluated by network graph analysis for three water turbidity classes: high turbidity (HT), moderate turbidity (MT) and low turbidity (LT). The HT network was most cohesive, and it was controlled by taxa grazing on various food sources within one ecological niche (Polyarthra longiremis, Brachionus angularis, Cyclops vicinus, Codonella cratera) and the positive and negative relationships between them were balanced. The MT biocenotic network was composed of three sub-networks connected by nodes with high communication attributes (Polyarthra vulgaris, Bosmina longirostris, C. vicinus), and antagonistic interactions (predation and competition) were less important. The LT network was most heterogeneous, and Daphnia cuculllata exerted the strongest influence on the network’s structure by forming numerous positive (coexistence with predators) and negative (interference competition with microphagous rotifers) interspecific relationships. The study provides new information about the ecology of aquatic ecosystems, that are disturbed by changes in water turbidity.
Enhanced photoelectrocatalytic degradation of diclofenac sodium using a system of Ag-BiVO4/BiOI anode and Ag-BiOI cathode
Authors: Orimolade Benjamin O. , Arotiba Omotayo A.
Published: March 2022

We report the photoelectrocatalysis of diclofenac sodium using a reactor consisting of Ag-BiVO4/BiOI anode and Ag-BiOI cathode. The electrodes were prepared through electrodeposition on FTO glass and modified with Ag nanoparticles through photodeposition. The structural and morphological studies were carried out using XRD, SEM, and EDS which confirmed the successful preparation of the materials. The optical properties as observed with UV-DRS revealed that the electrodes were visible light active and incorporation of metallic Ag particles on the surface increased the absorption in the visible light region. Presence of p-n heterojunction in the anode led to decrease in the spontaneous recombination of photoexcited electron–hole pairs as seen in the photocurrent response. The results from photoelectrocatalytic degradation experiments revealed that replacing platinum sheet with Ag-BiOI as counter electrode resulted in higher (92%) and faster removal of diclofenac sodium as evident in the values of apparent rate constants. The reaction mechanism further revealed that efficiently separated photogenerated holes played a major role in the degradation of the pharmaceutical. The prepared electrodes showed good stability and impressive reusability. The reports from this study revealed that the dual photoelectrodes system has a great potential in treating pharmaceutical polluted wastewater using visible light irradiation.
Climate-change-driven growth decline of European beech forests
Authors: Martinez del Castillo Edurne , Zang Christian S. , Buras Allan , Hacket-Pain Andrew , Esper Jan , Serrano-Notivoli Roberto , Hartl Claudia , Weigel Robert , Klesse Stefan , Resco de Dios Victor , Scharnweber Tobias , Dorado-Liñán Isabel , van der Maaten-Theunissen Marieke , van der Maaten Ernst , Jump Alistair , Mikac Sjepan , Banzragch Bat-Enerel , Beck Wolfgang , Cavin Liam , Claessens Hugues , Čada Vojtěch , Čufar Katarina , Dulamsuren Choimaa , Gričar Jozica , Gil-Pelegrín Eustaquio , Janda Pavel , Kazimirovic Marko , Kreyling Juergen , Latte Nicolas , Leuschner Christoph , Longares Luis Alberto , Menzel Annette , Merela Maks , Motta Renzo , Muffler Lena , Nola Paola , Petritan Any Mary , Petritan Ion Catalin , Prislan Peter , Rubio-Cuadrado Álvaro , Rydval Miloš , Stajić Branko , Svoboda Miroslav , Toromani Elvin , Trotsiuk Volodymyr , Wilmking Martin , Zlatanov Tzvetan , de Luis Martin
Published: March 2022

The growth of past, present, and future forests was, is and will be affected by climate variability. This multifaceted relationship has been assessed in several regional studies, but spatially resolved, large-scale analyses are largely missing so far. Here we estimate recent changes in growth of 5800 beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.) from 324 sites, representing the full geographic and climatic range of species. Future growth trends were predicted considering state-of-the-art climate scenarios. The validated models indicate growth declines across large region of the distribution in recent decades, and project severe future growth declines ranging from −20% to more than −50% by 2090, depending on the region and climate change scenario (i.e. CMIP6 SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5). Forecasted forest productivity losses are most striking towards the southern distribution limit of Fagus sylvatica, in regions where persisting atmospheric high-pressure systems are expected to increase drought severity. The projected 21st century growth changes across Europe indicate serious ecological and economic consequences that require immediate forest adaptation.
Atomic force microscopy-single-molecule force spectroscopy unveils GPCR cell surface architecture
Authors: Dague Etienne , Pons Véronique , Roland Alexandre , Azaïs Jean-Marc , Arcucci Silvia , Lachaize Véronique , Velmont Samuel , Trevisiol Emmanuelle , N’Guyen Du , Sénard Jean-Michel , Galés Céline
Published: March 2022

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) form the largest family of cell surface receptors. Despite considerable insights into their pharmacology, the GPCR architecture at the cell surface still remains largely unexplored. Herein, we present the specific unfolding of different GPCRs at the surface of living mammalian cells by atomic force microscopy-based single molecule force spectroscopy (AFM-SMFS). Mathematical analysis of the GPCR unfolding distances at resting state revealed the presence of different receptor populations relying on distinct oligomeric states which are receptor-specific and receptor expression-dependent. Moreover, we show that the oligomer size dictates the receptor spatial organization with nanoclusters of high-order oligomers while lower-order complexes spread over the whole cell surface. Finally, the receptor activity reshapes both the oligomeric populations and their spatial arrangement. These results add an additional level of complexity to the GPCR pharmacology until now considered to arise from a single receptor population at the cell surface.
Deciphering tissue structure and function using spatial transcriptomics
Authors: Walker Benjamin L. , Cang Zixuan , Ren Honglei , Bourgain-Chang Eric , Nie Qing
Published: March 2022

The rapid development of spatial transcriptomics (ST) techniques has allowed the measurement of transcriptional levels across many genes together with the spatial positions of cells. This has led to an explosion of interest in computational methods and techniques for harnessing both spatial and transcriptional information in analysis of ST datasets. The wide diversity of approaches in aim, methodology and technology for ST provides great challenges in dissecting cellular functions in spatial contexts. Here, we synthesize and review the key problems in analysis of ST data and methods that are currently applied, while also expanding on open questions and areas of future development.
The genome of an apodid holothuroid (Chiridota heheva) provides insights into its adaptation to a deep-sea reducing environment
Authors: Zhang Long , He Jian , Tan Peipei , Gong Zhen , Qian Shiyu , Miao Yuanyuan , Zhang Han-Yu , Tu Guangxian , Chen Qi , Zhong Qiqi , Han Guanzhu , He Jianguo , Wang Muhua
Published: March 2022

Cold seeps and hydrothermal vents are deep-sea reducing environments that are characterized by lacking oxygen and photosynthesis-derived nutrients. Most animals acquire nutrition in cold seeps or hydrothermal vents by maintaining epi- or endosymbiotic relationship with chemoautotrophic microorganisms. Although several seep- and vent-dwelling animals hosting symbiotic microbes have been well-studied, the genomic basis of adaptation to deep-sea reducing environment in nonsymbiotic animals is still lacking. Here, we report a high-quality genome of Chiridota heheva Pawson & Vance, 2004, which thrives by extracting organic components from sediment detritus and suspended material, as a reference for nonsymbiotic animal’s adaptation to deep-sea reducing environments. The expansion of the aerolysin-like protein family in C. heheva compared with other echinoderms might be involved in the disintegration of microbes during digestion. Moreover, several hypoxia-related genes (Pyruvate Kinase M2, PKM2; Phospholysine Phosphohistidine Inorganic Pyrophosphate Phosphatase, LHPP; Poly(A)-specific Ribonuclease Subunit PAN2, PAN2; and Ribosomal RNA Processing 9, RRP9) were subject to positive selection in the genome of C. heheva, which contributes to their adaptation to hypoxic environments.
Self-peeling of frozen water droplets upon impacting a cold surface
Authors: Fang Wen-Zhen , Zhu Fangqi , Zhu Lailai , Tao Wen-Quan , Yang Chun
Published: March 2022

Freezing of water droplets impacting a cold substrate is a commonly encountered circumstance impairing the performance and safety of various applications. Active methods of ice removal such as heating or mechanical means are energy intensive and inconvenient. Here, we report a passive ice removal method via harvesting the thermal-mechanical stress of ice, leading to the self-peeling of frozen water droplets upon impacting a cold substrate. We find that the frozen ice completely self-peels and is then easily removable from a cold hydrophobic surface whiles the ice exhibits cracking and remains firmly sticky to a hydrophilic surface. The peeling behaviors of frozen water droplets are then scrutinized by varying the subcooling degree, impact parameters and wettability. Moreover, we develop a theoretical model to characterize the peeling and bending behaviors of the ice and also provides a simple criterion to predict the occurrence of complete self-peeling, facilitating the design of anti-icing surfaces.
Poly(benzyl ether)-type additive to engineer glassy polyimide membranes for enhanced gas separations
Authors: Park Jieun , Lee Chang Oh , Kim Ji Woo , Jo Jin Hui , Chi Won Seok , Kim Hyungwoo
Published: March 2022

Molecularly designed polymer additives alter physical properties of polyimide membranes than enhance gas separation behavior, even at small concentrations.
Surface plasmon enhancement in different spatial distributions of nanowires and two-dimensional materials
Authors: Ji Chunming , Jia Hao , Zhou Chen , Wang Quan , Xue Wei
Published: March 2022

Surface plasmon excited on an Ag nanowire can improve the light absorption of monolayer MoS2. The optical enhancement effect in the MoS2/Ag/substrate structure is better than that in the Ag/MoS2/substrate structure.
Homochiral imidazolium-based dicarboxylate silver(i) compounds: synthesis, characterisation and antimicrobial properties
Authors: Carrasco Carlos J. , Montilla Francisco , Álvarez Eleuterio , Galindo Agustín , Pérez-Aranda María , Pajuelo Eloísa , Alcudia Ana
Published: March 2022

Ag(i) complexes derived from chiral imidazolium-based dicarboxylate ligands have shown good antimicrobial activity toward Gram-negative bacteria. A chirality-antimicrobial tendency has been revealed.
Integrating electrodeposition with electrolysis for closed-loop resource utilization of battery industrial wastewater
Authors: Chen Zhijie , Wei Wenfei , Zou Wensong , Li Jing , Zheng Renji , Wei Wei , Ni Bing-Jie , Chen Hong
Published: March 2022

Closed-loop reutilization of battery industrial wastewater by converting wastewater pollutants into highly efficient electrocatalysts for wastewater electrolysis.
Polymer–solvent interactions as a tool to engineer material properties
Authors: Aitken Heather M. , Jiang Zhen , Hampton Isaac , O'Mara Megan L. , Connal Luke A.
Published: March 2022

Materials with multiple reversible cross-linkers will reassemble during exposure to solvent vapours altering mechanical properties even after drying.
Facile surface engineering of bio-waste derived amorphous carbon with SnO2 nanowires to enhance the efficacy of Li/Na storage
Authors: Kumar S. Praveen , Madhuri Balla Rekha , Nanaji Katchala , Anandan Srinivasan , Rao Tata Narasinga , Sahoo Ramkrishna
Published: March 2022

A wet chemical dispersion followed by annealing synthesis strategy enables the development of a low-cost metal oxide-based composite anode material.
A ratiometric fluorescent probe based on peptide modified MnFe2O4 nanoparticles for matrix metalloproteinase-7 activity detection in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Chen Hongda , Zhang Hua , Wang Zhenxin
Published: March 2022

A peptide modified MnFe2O4 ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe is developed for noninvasively visualizing the distribution of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in vitro and in vivo.
Spectroscopic analysis reveals the effect of hairpin loop formation on G-quadruplex structures
Authors: Feng Hengxin , Kwok Chun Kit
Published: March 2022

This work studies the intrinsic fluorescence properties of long-loop G-quadruplexes (G4) with hairpin loop structures, revealing the unique information of G4 provided by intrinsic fluorescence compared to other spectroscopic assays.
Synthesis and redox activity of carbene-coordinated group 13 metal radicals
Authors: Li Bin , Geoghegan Blaise L. , Weinert Hanns M. , Wölper Christoph , Cutsail George E. , Schulz Stephan
Published: March 2022

One-electron oxidation of carbene-stabilized aluminum and gallium dihalide radicals (3, 4) yielded the corresponding cations (5, 6), whose electronic structures were evaluated by quantum chemical calculations.
Mn2(CO)10 and UV light: a promising combination for regioselective alkene hydrosilylation at low temperature
Authors: Vivien Anthony , Veyre Laurent , Mirgalet Raphaël , Camp Clément , Thieuleux Chloé
Published: March 2022

The low temperature regioselective hydrosilylation of various alkenes with (1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane) MDHM is described using Mn2(CO)10 under UV irradiation with Mn loadings as low as 1 mol%, in the absence of additives and with excellent selectivity and yields.
Amorphous palladium-based alloy nanoparticles as highly active electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation
Authors: Zhang Yufeng , Fang Jinjie , Zhang Lipeng , Wei Dong , Zhu Wei , Zhuang Zhongbin
Published: March 2022

Amorphous Pd–P metal–metalloid alloy nanoparticles showed a higher electrochemical ethanol oxidation reaction performance than crystalline Pd nanoparticles.