bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological burden in Portuguese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Tavares-Almeida Sofia , Moura Diana , Madeira Nuno , Figueiredo-Braga Margarida
Published: April 2023

Background:

University students are a risk population for mental health problems. This study aims to evaluate the psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in Portuguese university students and to uncover factors associated with worse psychological indicators.

Methods:

We used an online survey to perform a cross-sectional study that evaluated students' perceptions, lifestyle, and psychological well-being during the pandemic. Depression symptoms and risk were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and resilience levels were quantified by the 9-item Resilience Evaluation Scale. Self-perceived levels of anxiety and current mental health status were evaluated.

Results:

From a population of around 30,000 students invited to participate, 1751 responses were obtained and 1447 were included. Most students were female (72.3%) and were taking a master's degree (58.4%). The course with more responses was engineering (25.5%), followed by medicine (13.2%). The prevalence rates for higher anxiety levels, depression risk, and low resilience levels were 66.7%, 37.3%, and 24.9%, respectively. The factors associated with better psychological outcomes were being male, spending more time studying, having a job, performing extracurricular activities, physical exercise, and relaxing activities. By contrast, spending more time watching news, difficulty accessing online lectures, and absence of contact with family or friends were associated with worse psychological indicators. Although all courses presented substantial levels of depressive symptoms, architectures/arts, sciences, and humanities scored significantly more in the depression scale. Medicine students had significantly higher resilience levels compared with other courses.

Conclusions:

Our findings identify factors associated with worse psychological outcomes and can be used to create protective measures for the mental health of university students during current and future pandemics.
Impact of COVID-19 on adolescent health and use of social media
Authors: Ramsey Natasha , Obeidallah Malik , Abraham Anisha
Published: April 2023

Purpose of review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic changed access to healthcare and decreased mental and physical wellbeing. It also significantly altered teens’ relationship with social media. This article is a current review of the literature on the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent health overall. In addition, how social media use has both improved and worsened the impact of COVID-19, along with strategies providers should consider in wanting to address social media use with teens.

Recent findings

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected adolescents through increased social isolation and decreased access to healthcare resources. Social media use has both positive and negative effects on adolescent health. Positive effects include sustained connection to friends, family and community while negative effects include lower self-esteem and increased incidence of eating disorders.

Our findings underscore the multifaceted impact of social media on adolescent mental health, physical wellbeing, and healthcare access. Of particular relevance to the physician is the potential of leveraging social media to promote healthy behaviors in vulnerable age groups and populations. Social media can be used to connect teens with reputable websites where they can seek medical or health information that would otherwise not readily be available.
Health literacy in pediatric dermatology: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Williams Kendrick J. , Housten Ashley J. , Coughlin Carrie C.
Published: April 2023

Purpose of review

Health literacy influences how children and families participate in their medical care, use health services, and overall health outcomes. Health literacy is underexplored in pediatric dermatology. In this scoping review, we provide examples of how limited health literacy can be a barrier to patient care in pediatric dermatology and how to mitigate its effects.

Recent findings

Limited health literacy is associated with worse health outcomes, decreased medication adherence, and decreased use of the healthcare system versus those with adequate health literacy. Materials created to help patients understand their medical conditions and treatment options often are written at a reading level far above that of the average patient and caregiver. Given the reading level of patient-facing materials, those with limited health literacy are more susceptible to medication administration errors, with omissions or incorrect dosing being most frequent to occur. There is limited research about how skills related to health literacy, including numeracy and electronic health literacy, can be addressed in pediatric dermatology.

Health literacy impacts patient care, treatment, and adherence in pediatric dermatology. This article gives examples of how to address common challenges in the pediatric dermatology clinic and presents areas for further research and improvement.
Characterization of Switch/Sucrose Nonfermenting Complex Proteins and Nestin Expression in a Cohort of Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumors
Authors: Wang Xiu Qing , Tessier-Cloutier Basile , Saunders Jessica , Harvey Melissa , Armstrong Linlea , Ng Tony , Dunham Christopher , Bush Jonathan W.
Published: April 2023

Tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) in pediatric patients have undergone significant diagnostic refinement through the use of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and molecular techniques. The utility of these novel IHC antibodies has been demonstrated with the inactivation of the switch/sucrose nonfermenting (SWI/SNF) chromatin-remodeling complex in the diagnosis of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors, predominantly through the loss of integrase interactor 1 (INI1; SMARCB1). Alternatively, these tumors may have inactivation of brahma-related gene 1 (BRG1; SMARCA4) in a subset of cases. The role of other SWI/SNF component proteins and their expression in pediatric brain tumors is not well established. Nestin, an intermediate filament, has been shown to be present in some pediatric CNS tumors, but of uncertain diagnostic and prognostic significance. We sought to explore the immunohistochemical expression profile for common SWI/SNF subunits and nestin in a pediatric CNS tumor cohort. Using a 118-sample tissue microarray, we performed IHC for INI1, BRG1, brahma (BRM), ARID1A, ARID1B, polybromo 1, and nestin. In 19 cases, INI1 was lost and BRG1 was lost in 2 cases. Interestingly, 6 cases originally diagnosed as primitive neuroectodermal tumors showed isolated loss of BRM. Other SWI/SNF proteins did not provide further diagnostic resolution. Nestin was positive in 76.2% of INI1/BRG1-deficient tumors, compared with 29.1% in INI1/BRG1-intact tumors yielding a sensitivity of 76.2%, specificity of 68.0%, and a P value of <0.001, but nestin positivity did not correlate specifically with poor outcomes. In conclusion, we confirm the utility of BRG1 IHC in the workup of pediatric CNS tumors, which may facilitate a difficult diagnosis when conventional markers are inconclusive, or as a first-line marker in cases where intraoperative smears are suggestive of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor. Although nestin expression was associated with SWI/SNF inactivation, it did not yield statistically significant diagnostic or prognostic information in our study. Interestingly, we identified 6 tumors with isolated BRM IHC loss, the significance of which is uncertain but warrants further investigation.
Molecular Pathology of Micropapillary Carcinomas: Is Characteristic Morphology Related to Molecular Mechanisms?
Authors: Sagnak Yilmaz Zeynep , Sarioglu Sulen
Published: April 2023

Micropapillary carcinoma is an entity defined histologically in many organs. It is associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. The main mechanism for its histopathologic appearance is reverse polarization. Although the studies on this subject are limited, carcinomas with micropapillary morphology observed in different organs are examined by immunohistochemical and molecular methods. Differences are shown in these tumors compared with conventional carcinomas regarding the rate of somatic mutations, mRNA and miRNA expressions, and protein expression levels. TP53, PIK3CA, TERT, KRAS, EGFR, MYC, FGFR1, BRAF, AKT1, HER2/ERBB2, CCND1, and APC mutations, which genes frequently detected in solid tumors, have also been detected in invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) in various organs. 6q chromosome loss, DNAH9, FOXO3, SEC. 63, and FMN2 gene mutations associated with cell polarity or cell structure and skeleton have also been detected in IMPCs. Among the proteins that affect cell polarity, RAC1, placoglobin, as well as CLDNs, LIN7A, ZEB1, CLDN1, DLG1, CDH1 (E-cadherin), OCLN, AFDN/AF6, ZEB1, SNAI2, ITGA1 (integrin alpha 1), ITGB1 (integrin beta 1), RHOA, Jagged-1 (JAG1) mRNAs differentially express between IMPC and conventional carcinomas. Prediction of prognosis and targeted therapy may benefit from the understanding of molecular mechanisms of micropapillary morphology. This review describes the molecular pathologic mechanisms underlying the micropapillary changes of cancers in various organs in a cell polarity–related dimension.
Timely Recognition of Abusive Injuries (TRAIN): Results from a Statewide Quality Improvement Collaborative
Authors: Crichton Kristin Garton , Spencer Sandra , Shapiro Robert , McPherson Paul , Izsak Eugene , McDavid Lolita M. , Baker Carrie , Thackeray Jonathan D. ,   for the TRAIN Collaborative
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Early recognition of physical abuse is critical as children often experience recurrent abuse if their environment remains unchanged. The Timely Recognition of Abusive Injuries (TRAIN) Collaborative was a quality improvement network of 6 Ohio children’s hospitals created in 2015 to improve the management of injuries concerning for abuse in infants. TRAIN’s first phase sought to reduce recurrent abuse by recognizing and responding to injured infants. This study aimed to reduce reinjury rate among infants ≤6 months by 10% at 1 year and 50% by 2 years and sustain improvement for 1 year as reflected in 3- and 12-month reinjury rates.

Methods:

The TRAIN Collaborative adopted the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative Model, where partnerships between organizations facilitate learning from each other and experts. Collaborative members identified opportunities to improve injury recognition, implemented changes, responded to data, and reconvened to share successes and obstacles. As a result, institutions implemented different interventions, including education for clinical staff, increased social work involvement, and scripting for providers.

Results:

Data collected over 3 years were compared to a 12-month baseline. The number of injuries increased from 51 children with concerning injuries identified monthly to 76 children sustained throughout the collaborative. However, within 2 years, the 3- and 12-month reinjury rates ultimately significantly decreased from 5.7% to 2.1% and 6.5% to 3.7%, respectively.

Conclusion:

Our data suggest the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series model can be applied across large populations to improve secondary injury prevention in infants.
Soft tissue response following genioplasty combined with anterior segmental osteotomy
Authors: Kim Huy-Young , Han Sang-Baek
Published: April 2023

Background:

Our main aim was to analyze soft tissue response of the chin following genioplasty with anterior segmental osteotomy, which enables optimal surgical planning of genioplasty.

Methods:

Sixty-two patients who underwent genioplasty with concomitant anterior segmental osteotomy were divided into three groups depending on the direction of pogonion movement: G1 (without sagittal change), G2 (advancement genioplasty), and G3 (setback genioplasty). All genioplasties included height reduction. Hard and soft tissue measurements with cephalometry were performed at T1 (before surgery), T2 (after surgery), and T3 (after orthodontic treatment) for the analysis of sagittal and vertical changes. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to analyze soft-to-hard tissue movement and soft tissue thickness changes.

Results:

During the T1–T2 period, the horizontal soft-to-hard tissue ratio at pogonion was 0.85 in G2 and 0.80 in G3, and the vertical ratio at menton was 0.9 for all groups. The correlation coefficients were 0.64 (G2) and 0.83 (G3) at pogonion and 0.9 (all), 0.85 (G1), 0.95 (G3) at menton. There was no significant correlation between initial soft tissue thickness and soft tissue response ratio. During the T2–T3 period, no significant relapses were observed, which demonstrates the stability of anterior segmental osteotomy-combined genioplasty.

Conclusions:

Clinically and statistically significant soft tissue responses were demonstrated at pogonion and menton. The higher values in G3 in particular suggest that setback genioplasty with anterior segmental osteotomy is an an effective treatment alternative to conventional two-jaw surgery in some patients with bimaxillary prognathism with macrogenia.
Single Oral Z-plasty: A Clinical Validation of a Technique for Palatal Lengthening in Primary and Secondary Cleft Palate Repair
Authors: Lerner Julia , Vishwanath Neel , Crozier Joseph , Rao Vinay , Woo Albert
Published: April 2023

PURPOSE:

In cleft palate repair, palate length is associated with improved speech outcomes. While direct closure offers poor palatal lengthening, utilization of two opposing Z-plasties may reorient palatal musculature and lengthen the velum. We previously described a novel overlapping intravelar veloplasty to achieve longitudinal closure of the nasal mucosa with a single oral Z-plasty (1ZP), lengthening the palate in cadaver studies. This study aims to corroborate this finding in clinical cases.

METHODS:

A retrospective comparative study of patients with a cleft palate was conducted. Patients underwent cleft palate closure with 1ZP or IVV with straight line closure. Pre- and post-operative measurements of the palate along four dimensions were recorded. Analysis was conducted on pre-and-post operative measurements within and between groups using the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon or Chi Squared test.

RESULTS:

85 patients were included (1ZP=65, Straight line closure = 20). 1ZP increased soft palate length (SPL) by 33% (p<0.001) and total palate length (TPL) by 10% (p<0.001). Primary 1ZP increased SPL by 33% (p<0.001) and TPL by 10% (p<0.001). Secondary 1ZP increased SPL by 28% (p<0.001) and TPL by 8% (p<0.001). When comparing between primary and secondary 1ZP, 1ZP was equal percent lengthening in SPL(p > 0.9) and TPL (p > 0.3). When compared to straight line closure, 1ZP showed superior percent lengthening in SPL (p<0.001), and TPL (p=0.038).

CONCLUSION:

1ZP results in a statistically significant increase in palate length in both primary and secondary cleft palate repair. This technique provides an effective alternative in patients for whom 2ZP is not feasible.
CHANGES IN VASOACTIVE DRUG REQUIREMENTS AND MORTALITY IN CARDIAC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT PATIENTS
Authors: Jentzer Jacob C. , Patel Parag C. , Van Diepen Sean , Morrow David A. , Barsness Gregory W. , Kashani Kianoush B.
Published: April 2023

Background: The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention (SCAI) Shock Classification can define shock severity. We evaluated the vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS) combined with the SCAI Shock Classification for mortality risk stratification. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort analysis including Mayo Clinic cardiac intensive care unit patients from 2007 to 2015. The peak VIS was calculated at 1 and 24 h after cardiac intensive care unit admission. In-hospital mortality was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Of 9,916 included patients, vasoactive drugs were used in 875 (8.8%) within 1 h and 2,196 (22.1%) within 24 h. A total of 888 patients (9.0%) died during hospitalization. Patients who required vasoactive drugs within 1 h had higher in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.65; P = 0.03) and in-hospital mortality rose with the VIS during the first 1 h (adjusted OR per 10 units, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.12–1.33; P < 0.001). The increase in VIS from 1 to 24 h was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR per 10 units, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.10–1.21; P < 0.001). These results were consistent in the 1,067 patients (10.9%) with cardiogenic shock. A gradient of in-hospital mortality was observed according to the VIS at 1 h and the increase in VIS from 1 to 24 h. Conclusions: Higher vasoactive drug requirements portend a higher risk of mortality, particularly a high VIS early after admission. The VIS provides incremental prognostic information beyond the SCAI Shock Classification, emphasizing the continuum of risk that exists across the spectrum of shock severity.
Precision Medicine in Epilepsy Management; GET Application (Gene, Epilepsy, Treatment)
Authors: Asadi-Pooya Ali A.
Published: April 2023

Objectives

The aim was to develop a prototype of an application (app) that identifies the significance of discovered genes for further consideration in the treatment plan of patients with epilepsy (precision medicine).

Methods

MEDLINE was systematically searched for related publications from inception to April 1, 2022. The following search strategy was implemented (title/abstract): “epilepsy” AND “precision” AND “medicine.” The following data were extracted: genes, phenotypes associated with those genes, and the recommended treatments. Two other databases were searched to cross-check the retrieved data and add to the data: https://www.genecards.org and https://medlineplus.gov/genetics. Also, the original articles of the identified genes were retrieved. Genes with specific treatment strategies (ie, any specific drug to be selected or to be avoided and also any other specific therapies [eg, diets, supplements, etc]) were selected.

Results

A database of 93 genes, which are associated with various epilepsy syndromes and for which specific treatment strategies have been suggested, was developed.

Conclusions

A Web-based app (a search engine) was developed accordingly that is freely available at http://get.yektaparnian.ir/, GET (Gene, Epilepsy, Treatment). When a patient comes to the clinic with a genetic diagnosis and a specific gene is identified, the physician enters the gene name into the search box, and the app shows whether this genetic epilepsy needs a specific treatment. This endeavor would benefit from input by experts in the field, and the Web site should be developed more comprehensively.
COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake And Its’ Associated Factors among general population In Basmaia City in Baghdad 2022
Authors: Saber Hussein Abdalrahim , Albayaty Mohammed Asaad
Published: April 2023

Objective

Vaccination is a vital cornerstone of public health, which has saved countless lives throughout history. Therefore, achieving high vaccination uptake rates is essential for successful vaccination programs. Unfortunately, vaccine uptake has been hindered by deferent factors and challenges. The objective of this study is to assess COVID-19 vaccine uptake and associated factors among the general population.

Methods

This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Basmaia city, Baghdad from June to October 2022. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire using multi-stage random sampling. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, Mann-Whitney test, and binary and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

The prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine uptake was 70.4%. The most common reason for getting vaccinated was protection from the disease, while fear of side effects and not needing the vaccine were the main reasons for refusal.

The study found that gender, age, education level, job title, risk perception, knowledge, and attitude towards the vaccine were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Males were 2.273 times more likely to get vaccinated than females, and older age groups had higher odds of vaccination than younger age groups. Those with higher education levels were also more likely to receive the vaccine. Participants with higher risk perception, knowledge, and positive attitude towards the vaccine were more likely to get vaccinated.

And found that mandatory vaccination policies may negatively impact uptake of subsequent vaccine doses.

Conclusion

The study found a high prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine uptake, with gender, age, education level, and job title being significant factors associated with vaccine uptake. Additionally, mandatory vaccination policies may have a negative impact on the uptake of subsequent vaccine doses. Public health efforts should prioritize addressing these factors to increase vaccine uptake.
Development of human hippocampal subfield microstructure and relation to associative inference
Authors: Vinci-Booher S. , Schlichting M.L. , Preston A.R. , Pestilli F.
Published: April 2023

The hippocampus is a complex brain structure composed of subfields that each have distinct cellular organizations. While the volume of hippocampal subfields displays age-related changes that have been associated with inference and memory functions, the degree to which the cellular organization within each subfield is related to these functions throughout development is not well understood. We employed an explicit model testing approach to characterize the development of tissue microstructure and its relationship to performance on two inference tasks, one that required memory (memory-based inference) and one that required only perceptually available information (perception-based inference). We found that each subfield had a unique relationship with age in terms of its cellular organization. While the subiculum (SUB) displayed a linear relationship with age, the dentate gyrus (DG),cornu ammonisfield 1 (CA1), andcornu ammonissubfields 2 and 3 (combined; CA2/3) displayed non-linear trajectories that interacted with sex in CA2/3. We found that the DG was related to memory-based inference performance and that the SUB was related to perception-based inference; neither relationship interacted with age. Results are consistent with the idea that cellular organization within hippocampal subfields might undergo distinct developmental trajectories that support inference and memory performance throughout development.
Distinct roles of PV and Sst interneurons in visually-induced gamma oscillations
Authors: Onorato Irene , Tzanou Athanasia , Schneider Marius , Uran Cem , Broggini Ana , Vinck Martin
Published: April 2023

Sensory processing relies on interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons, which are often coordinated by 30-80Hz gamma oscillations. However, the specific contributions of distinct interneurons to gamma synchronization remain unclear. We performed high-density recordings from V1 in awake mice and used optogenetics to identify PV+ (Parvalbumin) and Sst+ (Somatostatin) interneurons. PV interneurons were highly phase-locked to visually-induced gamma oscillations. Sst cells were heterogeneous, with only a subset of narrow-waveform cells showing strong gamma phase-locking. Interestingly, PV interneurons consistently fired at an earlier phase in the gamma cycle (≈6ms or 60 degrees) than Sst interneurons. Consequently, PV and Sst activity showed differential temporal relations with excitatory cells. In particular, the 1st and 2nd spikes in burst events, which were strongly gamma phase-locked, shortly preceded PV and Sst activity, respectively. These findings indicate a primary role of PV interneurons in synchronizing excitatory cells and suggest that PV and Sst interneurons control the excitability of somatic and dendritic neural compartments with precise time delays coordinated by gamma oscillations.
NULISA: a novel proteomic liquid biopsy platform with attomolar sensitivity and high multiplexing
Authors: Feng Wei , Beer Joanne , Hao Qinyu , Ariyapala Ishara S. , Sahajan Aparna , Komarov Andrei , Cha Katie , Moua Mason , Qiu Xiaolei , Xu Xiaomei , Iyengar Shweta , Yoshimura Thu , Nagaraj Rajini , Wang Li , Yu Ming , Engel Kate , Zhen Lucas , Xue Wen , Lee Chen-jung , Park Chan Ho , Peng Cheng , Zhang Kaiyuan , Grzybowski Adrian , Hahm Johnnie , Schmidt Susanne V. , Odainic Alexandru , Spitzer Jasper ,   Bonn Consortium COVIMMUNE, Buddika Kasun , Kuo Dwight , Fang Lei , Zhang Bingqing , Chen Steve , Latz Eicke , Yin Yiyuan , Luo Yuling , Ma Xiao-Jun
Published: April 2023

The blood proteome holds great promise for precision medicine but poses substantial challenges due to the low abundance of most plasma proteins and the vast dynamic range across the proteome. We report a novel proteomic technology – NUcleic acid Linked Immuno-Sandwich Assay (NULISA™) – that incorporates a dual capture and release mechanism to suppress the assay background and improves the sensitivity of the proximity ligation assay by over 10,000-fold to the attomolar level. It utilizes pairs of antibodies conjugated to DNA oligonucleotides that enable immunocomplex purification and generate reporter DNA containing target- and sample-specific barcodes for a next-generation sequencing-based, highly multiplexed readout. A 200-plex NULISA targeting 124 cytokines and chemokines and 80 other immune response-related proteins demonstrated superior sensitivity for detecting low-abundance proteins and high concordance with other immunoassays. The ultrahigh sensitivity allowed the detection of previously difficult-to-detect, but biologically important, low-abundance biomarkers in patients with autoimmune diseases and COVID-19. Fully automated NULISA addresses longstanding challenges in proteomic analysis of liquid biopsies and makes broad and in-depth proteomic analysis accessible to the general research community and future diagnostic applications.
GPR158 in pyramidal neurons mediates social novelty behavior via modulating synaptic transmission in mice
Authors: Wei Shoupeng , Chang Jinlong , Jiang Jian , Zhang Jin , Wang Dilong , Li Yiming , Chang Shuwen , Li Huiliang , Li Ningning
Published: April 2023

Social novelty impairment is a hallmark feature of autism spectrum disorder associated with synaptic dysfunction. While G-protein coupled receptor 158 (GPR158) has been shown to be essential for synaptic neurotransmission, its role in modulating social novelty remains unknown. Here, we investigated the impact of GPR158 on social behavior in mice and observed that both constitutive and cell/tissue-specific knockout ofGpr158in pyramidal neurons or the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) result in impaired novelty preference, but not sociability. Notably, we found a significant decline in excitatory synaptic transmission and glutamate vesicles in the mPFC synapses of globalGpr158knockouts. Mechanistically, we identified that constitutive loss ofGpr158led to suppressed Vglut1 distribution, possibly resulting from altered expression of vesicular V-ATPases and SNAREs byGpr158ablation in pyramidal neurons. Our findings suggest that GPR158 in pyramidal neurons specifically modulates social novelty and may be a potential therapeutic target for treating social disorders.

Graphic Abstract

Highlights

Knockout ofGpr158causes social novelty deficit in mice.

Knockout ofGpr158in pyramidal neurons leads to disrupted synaptic transmission and an E-I imbalance in the mPFC.

Disturbed E-I homeostasis in the mPFC is likely due to reduced density of glutamate vesicles caused byGpr158knockout.
Towards a dynamical understanding of microstate analysis of M/EEG data
Authors: Jajcay Nikola , Hlinka Jaroslav
Published: April 2023

One of the interesting aspects of EEG data is the presence of temporally stable and spatially coherent patterns of activity, known as microstates, which have been linked to various cognitive and clinical phenomena. However, there is still no general agreement on the interpretation of microstate analysis. Various clustering algorithms have been used for microstate computation, and multiple studies suggest that the microstate time series may provide insight into the neural activity of the brain in the resting state. This study addresses two gaps in the literature. Firstly, by applying several state-of-the-art microstate algorithms to a large dataset of EEG recordings, we aim to characterise and describe various microstate algorithms. We demonstrate and discuss why the three “classically” used algorithms ((T)AAHC and modified K-Means) yield virtually the same results, while HMM algorithm generates the most dissimilar results. Secondly, we aim to test the hypothesis that dynamical microstate properties might be, to a large extent, determined by the linear characteristics of the underlying EEG signal, in particular, by the cross-covariance and autocorrelation structure of the EEG data. To this end, we generated a Fourier transform surrogate of the EEG signal to compare microstate properties. Here, we found that these are largely similar, thus hinting that microstate properties depend to a very high degree on the linear covariance and autocorrelation structure of the underlying EEG data. Finally, we treated the EEG data as a vector autoregression process, estimated its parameters, and generated surrogate stationary and linear data from fitted VAR. We observed that such a linear model generates microstates highly comparable to those estimated from real EEG data, supporting the conclusion that a linear EEG model can help with the methodological and clinical interpretation of both static and dynamic human brain microstate properties.
Root-exuded secondary metabolites can alleviate negative plant-soil feedbacks
Authors: Gfeller Valentin , Thönen Lisa , Erb Matthias
Published: April 2023

Plants can suppress the growth of other plants by modifying soil properties. These negative plant-soil feedbacks are often species-specific, suggesting that some plants possess resistance strategies. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated if and how benzoxazinoids, a class of dominant secondary metabolites that are exuded into the soil by maize and other cereals, help plants to resist negative plant-soil feedbacks. We find that three out of five tested crop species suppress maize performance relative to the mean across species. This effect is partially alleviated by the plant’s capacity to produce benzoxazinoids. Soil complementation of benzoxazinoid-deficient mutants with purified benzoxazinoids is sufficient to restore the protective effect. Sterilization and reinoculation experiments suggest that benzoxazinoid-mediated protection acts via changes in soil microbes. Substantial variation of the protective effect between experiments and soil types illustrates that the magnitude of the protective effect of benzoxazinoids against negative plant-soil feedbacks is context dependent. In summary, our study demonstrates that plant secondary metabolites can confer resistance to negative plant-soil feedbacks. These findings expand the functional repertoire of plant secondary metabolites, reveal a mechanism by which plants can resist suppressive soils, and may represent a promising avenue to stabilize plant performance in crop rotations in the future.
Discovery and Engineering of the l-Threonine Aldolase fromNeptunomonas Marinefor Efficient Synthesis of β-Hydroxy-α-Amino Acids via C–C Formation
Authors: He Yuanzhi , Li Siyuan , Wang Jun , Yang Xinrui , Zhu Jiawei , Zhang Qi , Cui Li , Tan Zaigao , Yan Wupeng , Zhang Yong , Tang Luyao , Da Lin-Tai , Feng Yan
Published: April 2023

l-Threonine aldolases (LTAs) are attractive biocatalysts for synthesizing β-hydroxy-α-amino acids (HAAs) via C–C bond formation in pharmaceuticals, although their industrial applications suffer from low activity and diastereoselectivity. Herein, we describe the discovery of a new LTA fromNeptunomonas marine(NmLTA) that displays both ideal enzymatic activity (64.8 U/mg) and diastereoselectivity (89.5% diastereomeric excess; de) for the desired productl-threo-4-methylsulfonylphenylserine (l-threo-MPTS). Using X-ray crystallography, site-directed mutagenesis, and computational modeling, we propose a “dual-conformation” mechanism for the diastereoselectivity control ofNmLTA, whereby the incoming 4-methylsulfonylbenzaldehyde (4-MTB) could potentially bind at theNmLTA active site in two distinct orientations, potentially forming two diastereoisomers (threo- orerythro-form products). Importantly, two keyNmLTA residues H140 and Y319 play critical roles in fine-tuning the binding mode of 4-MTB, supported by our site-mutagenesis assays. Uncovering of the catalytic mechanism inNmLTA guides us to further improve the diastereoselectivity of this enzyme. A triple variant ofNmLTA (N18S/Q39R/Y319L; SRL) exhibited both improved diastereoselectivity (de value > 99%) and enzymatic activity (95.7 U/mg) for the synthesis ofl-threo-MPTS compared with that of wild type. The preparative gram-scale synthesis forl-threo-MPTS with the SRL variant produced a space-time yield of up to 9.0 g L−1h−1, suggesting a potential role as a robust C–C bond synthetic tool for industrial synthesis of HAAs at a preparative scale. Finally, the SRL variant accepted a wider range of aromatic aldehyde derivatives as substrates and exhibited improved diastereoselectivity towardpara-site substituents. This work provides deep structural insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the catalysis inNmLTA and pinpoints the key structural motifs responsible for regulating the diastereoselectivity control, thereby guiding future attempts for protein engineering of various LTAs from different sources.
Do perineuronal nets stabilize the engram of a synaptic circuit?
Authors: Lev-Ram Varda , Lemieux Sakina P. , Deerinck Thomas J. , Bushong Eric A. , Toyama Brandon H. , Perez Alex , Pritchard Denise R. , Park Sung Kyu R. , McClatchy Daniel B. , Savas Jeffrey N. , Taylor Susan S. , Ellisman Mark H. , Yates John , Tsien Roger Y.
Published: April 2023

Perineuronal nets (PNN), a specialized form of ECM (?), surround numerous neurons in the CNS and allow synaptic connectivity through holes in its structure. We hypothesis that PNNs serve as gatekeepers that guard and protect synaptic territory, and thus may stabilize an engram circuit. We present high-resolution, and 3D EM images of PNN- engulfed neurons showing that synapses occupy the PNN holes, and that invasion of other cellular components are rare. PNN constituents are long-lived and can be eroded faster in an enriched environment, while synaptic proteins have high turnover rate. Preventing PNN erosion by using pharmacological inhibition of PNN-modifying proteases or MMP9 knockout mice allowed normal fear memory acquisition but diminished remote-memory stabilization, supporting the above hypothesis.

Significance

In this multidisciplinary work, we challenge the hypothesis that the pattern of holes in the perineuronal nets (PNN) hold the code for very-long-term memories. The scope of this work might lead us closer to the understanding of how we can vividly remember events from childhood to death bed. We postulate that the PNN holes hold the code for the engram. To test this hypothesis, we used three independent experimental strategies; high-resolution 3D electron microscopy, Stable Isotop Labeling in Mammals (SILAM) for proteins longevity, and pharmacologically and genetically interruption of memory consolidation in fear conditioning experiments. All of these experimental results did not dispute the PNN hypothesis.
CAMP: A modular metagenomics analysis system for integrated multi-step data exploration
Authors: Mak Lauren , Tierney Braden , Ronkowski Cynthia , Brizola Toscan Rodolfo , Turhan Berk , Toomey Michael , Martinez Juan Sebastian Andrade , Fu Chenlian , Lucaci Alexander G , Barrios Solano Arthur Henrique , Setubal Joao Carlos , Henriksen James R , Zimmerman Sam , Kopbayeva Malika , Noyvert Anna , Iwan Zana , Kar Shraman , Nakazawa Nikita , Meleshko Dmitry , Horyslavets Dmytro , Kantsypa Valeriia , Frolova Alina , Kahles Andre , Danko David , Elhaik Eran , Labaj Pawel , Mason Christopher , Hajirasouliha Iman
Published: April 2023

Motivation: Computational analysis of large-scale metagenomics sequencing datasets have proven to be both incredibly valuable for extracting isolate-level taxonomic, and functional insights from complex microbial communities. However, due to an ever-expanding ecosystem of metagenomics-specific methods and file-formats, designing studies which implement seamless and scalable end-to-end workflows, and exploring the massive amounts of output data have become studies unto themselves. One-click bioinformatics pipelines have helped to organize these tools into targeted workflows, but they suffer from general compatibility and maintainability issues. Methods: To address the gap in easily extensible yet robustly distributable metagenomics workflows, we have developed a module-based metagenomics analysis system "Core Analysis Metagenomics Pipeline" (CAMP), written in Snakemake, a popular workflow management system, along with a standardized module and working directory architecture. Each module can be run independently or conjointly with a series of others to produce the target data format (ex. short-read preprocessing alone, or short-read preprocessing followed by \textit{de novo} assembly), and outputs aggregated summary statistics reports and semi-guided Jupyter notebook-based visualizations. Results: We have applied CAMP to a set of ten metagenomics samples to demonstrate how a modular analysis system with built-in data visualization at intermediate steps facilitates rich and seamless inter-communication between output data from different analytic purposes. Availability: The module template as well as the modules described below can be found at https://github.com/MetaSUB-CAMP.
Cocaine Seeking And Taking Are Oppositely Regulated By Dopamine
Authors: Burgeno Lauren M. , Farero Ryan D. , Murray Nicole L. , Panayi Marios C. , Steger Jennifer S. , Soden Marta E. , Evans Scott B. , Sandberg Stefan G. , Willuhn Ingo , Zweifel Larry S. , Phillips Paul E. M.
Published: April 2023

In some individuals, drug-associated cues subsume potent control of behavior, such as the elicitation of drug craving1–3and automatized drug use4. The intensity of this cue reactivity is highly predictive of relapse and other clinical outcomes in substance use disorders5, 6. It has been postulated that this cue reactivity is driven by augmentation of dopamine release over the course of chronic drug use7. Here we carried out longitudinal recording and manipulation of cue-evoked dopamine signaling across phases of substance-use related behavior in rats. We observed a subset of individuals that exhibited increased cue reactivity and escalated drug consumption, two cardinal features of substance use disorders. In these individuals, cue-evoked phasic dopamine release underwent diametrically opposed changes in amplitude, determined by the context in which the cue is presented. Dopamine evoked by non-contingent cue presentation increased over drug use, producing greater cue reactivity; whereas dopamine evoked by contingent cue presentation decreased over drug use, producing escalation of drug consumption. Therefore, despite being in opposite directions, these dopamine trajectories each promote core symptoms of substance use disorders.
Lattice-Boltzmann Modelling for Inertial Particle Microfluidics Applications — A Tutorial Review
Authors: Owen Benjamin , Kechagidis Konstantinos , Bazaz Sajad Razavi , Enjalbert Romain , Essmann Erich , Mallorie Calum , Mirghaderi Fatemehsadat , Schaaf Christian , Thota Krishnaveni , Vernekar Rohan , Zhou Qi , Warkiani Majid Ebrahimi , Stark Holger , Krüger Timm
Published: April 2023

Inertial particle microfluidics (IPMF) is an emerging technology for the manipulation and separation of microparticles and biological cells. Since the flow physics of IPMF is complex and experimental studies are often time-consuming or costly, computer simulations can offer complementary insights. In this tutorial review, we provide a guide for researchers who are exploring the potential of the lattice-Boltzmann (LB) method for simulating IPMF applications. We first review the existing literature to establish the state of the art of LB-based IPMF modelling. After summarising the physics of IPMF, we then present related methods used in LB models for IPMF and show several case studies of LB simulations for a range of IPMF scenarios. Finally, we conclude with an outlook and several proposed research directions.
Intellectual capital and firm performance: the moderating effect of auditor characteristics
Authors: Rahman Md. Jahidur , Liu Hongyi
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of intellectual capital (IC) and its three components (human, structural and relational capital) on corporation performance in the Chinese transportation industry. In addition, this study also investigates auditor characteristics (both Big-N and non-Big-N auditors) as a moderating role to examine the relationship between IC and corporate performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The data include 398 firm-year observations of transportation companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2020. Value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) model and its modified version (MVAIC) are applied to measure IC efficiency. Finally, the fixed effects regression analysis is used to mitigate the endogeneity issue. To investigate the moderating effect of auditor characteristics, the authors divide the samples based on the clients audited by Big-4 and non-Big-4 firms.

Findings

This study reveals that IC can enhance firm performance in China’s transportation sector. Overall, findings indicate that on the whole, IC has a positive and significant impact on corporation profitability and productivity. Human capital and physical and financial assets (capital employed) play highly important roles, but structural capital has no significant impact. The authors also found that auditor characteristics play an important moderating role in the connection between IC and corporate performance. For example, the positive association between IC and corporate performance is more pronounced when Big-4 auditors audit client firms. At the same time, the authors found a negative relationship between IC and firm performance when non-Big-4 auditors audit client firms.

Practical implications

Managers must understand that several components of IC have a total effect on corporate financial performance. Therefore, managers can dedicate more resources to such components based on the performance outcomes to emphasize their business strategies.

Originality/value

This study is the first empirical analysis of the impact of IC and its components on corporation performance in the transportation sector in China, an emerging market. Previous studies mainly focus on developed countries’ high technology and financial industries sectors but the impact of IC in transportation industry largely remains unknown. Thus, the present findings contribute to IC literature by revealing several underlying mechanisms by which the components of IC help achieve good firm performance.
Impact of risk-taking tendency and transformational leadership style on the use of management accounting system information: a direct-mediation model
Authors: Abu Afifa Malik , Nguyen Nha Minh
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This research aims to determine the impact of the CEO's risk-taking tendencies and the transformational leadership style on the use of the management accounting system information, as well as the mediating impact of product creativeness and organizational citizenship behavior in this context. It also provides empirical evidence from Vietnamese enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The current research was conducted using quantitative methods. It was conducted during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in Vietnam. The study population is represented by all of the Vietnamese enterprises listed on stock exchanges. Therefore, an online email questionnaire was used for data collection. Specifically, 670 emails were sent to CEOs and 146 complete responses were collected (21.79% rate).

Findings

By using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the study results show that the CEO's risk-taking tendencies and transformational leadership style have a significant positive effect on the use of the management accounting system information. Additionally, product creativeness mediates the relationship between the CEO's risk-taking tendency, and the use of the management accounting system information. Also, organizational citizenship behavior mediates the relationship between transformational leadership style and the use of the management accounting system information.

Research limitations/implications

Despite attempts to overcome by GDP contribution ratio, convenience sampling tends to cause common method bias. Furthermore, small sample sizes can lead to heterogeneity and unstable estimates of the parameter. Causality issues may also arise because the model has no control variables. Therefore, later studies should take the necessary additional steps when sampling to stay consistent with the study population, possibly conducting surveys in several batches to determine the correlation between changes in variables, and allowing the ability to discover and add any necessary control variables.

Originality/value

This research acts as a bridge between management and management accounting, confirming the importance of this combination when efficiently using the management accounting system.
Numerological superstition and earnings management: evidence from China
Authors: Huang Mengjie , Sun Kunpeng , Xie Yuan
Published: April 2023

Purpose

An emerging line of research examining the role of numerological superstition in the capital market shows that it has significant impact on investor behavior (Bhattacharya, Kuo, Lin, & Zhao, 2018; Hirshleifer, Jian, & Zhang 2018). However, to the authors’ best knowledge, there is a dearth of evidence on whether numerological superstition affects corporate behavior. This study fills this void by examining the association between investors’ numerological superstition and earnings management using Chinese data.

Design/methodology/approach

Chinese culture views 6 and 8 as lucky numbers. Using Chinese publicly traded firms, the authors examine the relation between investors’ numerological superstition and corporate financial reporting behavior.

Findings

The results suggest that firms reporting lucky earnings-per-share (EPS) numbers ending with 6 or 8 are more likely to engage in earnings management. These firms also raise more capital through seasoned equity offerings in the following year; however, they do not have more capital investments. Instead, their controlling shareholders siphon a significant amount of capital through related party transactions. Overall, the findings suggest that managers collude with controlling shareholders to manage earnings by exploiting the superstitious beliefs of minority shareholders.

Originality/value

To the authors’ best knowledge, there is a dearth of evidence on whether numerological superstition affects corporate behavior. This study fills this void by examining the association between investors’ numerological superstition and earnings management using Chinese data.