bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Belt electrode tetanus muscle stimulation reduces denervation-induced atrophy of rat multiple skeletal muscle groups
Authors: Uno Hiroyuki , Kamiya Shohei , Akimoto Ryuji , Hosoki Katsu , Tadano Shunta , Isemura Mako , Kouzaki Karina , Tamura Yuki , Kotani Takaya , Nakazato Koichi 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBelt electrode-skeletal muscle electrical stimulation (B-SES) involves the use of belt-shaped electrodes to contract multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Twitch contractions have been demonstrated to protect against denervation-induced muscle atrophy in rats, possibly through mitochondrial biosynthesis. This study examined whether inducing tetanus contractions with B-SES suppresses muscle atrophy and identified the underlying molecular mechanisms. We evaluated the effects of acute (60 Hz, 5 min) and chronic (60 Hz, 5 min, every alternate day for one week) B-SES on the tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GAS) muscles in Sprague–Dawley rats using belt electrodes attached to both ankle joints. After acute stimulation, a significant decrease in the glycogen content was observed in the left and right TA and GAS, suggesting that B-SES causes simultaneous contractions in multiple muscle groups. B-SES enhanced p70S6K phosphorylation, an indicator of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 activity. During chronic stimulations, rats were divided into control (CONT), denervation-induced atrophy (DEN), and DEN + electrically stimulated with B-SES (DEN + ES) groups. After seven days of treatment, the wet weight (n = 8–11 for each group) and muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA, n = 6 for each group) of the TA and GAS muscles were reduced in the DEN and DEN + ES groups compared with that in the CON group. The DEN + ES group showed significantly higher muscle weight and CSA than those in the DEN group. Although RNA-seq and pathway analysis suggested that mitochondrial biogenesis is a critical event in this phenomenon, mitochondrial content showed no difference. In contrast, ribosomal RNA 28S and 18S (n = 6) levels in the DEN + ES group were higher than those in the DEN group, even though RNA-seq showed that the ribosome biogenesis pathway was reduced by electrical stimulation. The mRNA levels of the muscle proteolytic molecules atrogin-1 and MuRF1 were significantly higher in DEN than those in CONT. However, they were more suppressed in DEN + ES than those in DEN. In conclusion, tetanic electrical stimulation of both ankles using belt electrodes effectively reduced denervation-induced atrophy in multiple muscle groups. Furthermore, ribosomal biosynthesis plays a vital role in this phenomenon.
Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Wolffia arrhiza and comparative genomic analysis with relative Wolffia species
Authors: Park Halim , Park Jin Hwa , Kang Yang Jae 
Published: March 2024

AbstractLemnoideae, commonly referred to as the duckweed, are aquatic plants found worldwide. Wolffia species are known for their extreme reduction in size and complexity, lacking both roots and leaves, and they hold the distinction of being the smallest plants among angiosperms. Interestingly, it belongs to the Araceae family, despite its apparent morphological differences from land plants in the same family. Traditional morphological methods have limitations in classifying these plants, making molecular-level information essential. The chloroplast genome of Wolffia arrhiza is revealed that a total length of 169,602 bp and a total GC content of 35.78%. It follows the typical quadripartite structure, which includes a large single copy (LSC, 92,172 bp) region, a small single copy (SSC, 13,686 bp) region, and a pair of inverted repeat (IR, 31,872 bp each) regions. There are 131 genes characterized, comprising 86 Protein-Coding Genes, 37 Transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Moreover, 48 simple sequence repeats and 32 long repeat sequences were detected. Comparative analysis between W. arrhiza and six other Lemnoideae species identified 12 hotspots of high nucleotide diversity. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis was performed using 14 species belonging to the Araceae family and one external species as an outgroup. This analysis unveiled W. arrhiza and Wolffia globosa as closely related sister species. Therefore, this research has revealed the complete chloroplast genome data of W. arrhiza, offering a more detailed understanding of its evolutionary position and phylogenetic categorization within the Lemnoideae subfamily.
The crossing of two unwound transmembrane regions that is the hallmark of the NhaA structural fold is critical for antiporter activity
Authors: Rimon Abraham , Amartely Hadar , Padan Etana 
Published: March 2024

AbstractCell pH and Na+ homeostasis requires Na+/H+ antiporters. The crystal structure of NhaA, the main Escherichia coli Na+/H+ antiporter, revealed a unique NhaA structural fold shared by prokaryotic and eukaryotic membrane proteins. Out of the 12 NhaA transmembrane segments (TMs), TMs III–V and X–XII are topologically inverted repeats with unwound TMs IV and XI forming the X shape characterizing the NhaA fold. We show that intramolecular cross-linking under oxidizing conditions of a NhaA mutant with two Cys replacements across the crossing (D133C-T340C) inhibits antiporter activity and impairs NhaA-dependent cell growth in high-salts. The affinity purified D133C-T340C protein binds Li+ (the Na+ surrogate substrate of NhaA) under reducing conditions. The cross-linking traps the antiporter in an outward-facing conformation, blocking the antiport cycle. As many secondary transporters are found to share the NhaA fold, including some involved in human diseases, our data have importance for both basic and clinical research.
Identification of redox activators for continuous reactivation of glyoxal oxidase from Trametes versicolor in a two-enzyme reaction cascade
Authors: Alpdağtaş Saadet , Jankowski Nina , Urlacher Vlada B. , Koschorreck Katja 
Published: March 2024

AbstractGlyoxal oxidases, belonging to the group of copper radical oxidases (CROs), oxidize aldehydes to carboxylic acids, while reducing O2 to H2O2. Their activity on furan derivatives like 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) makes these enzymes promising biocatalysts for the environmentally friendly synthesis of the bioplastics precursor 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). However, glyoxal oxidases suffer from inactivation, which requires the identification of suitable redox activators for efficient substrate conversion. Furthermore, only a few glyoxal oxidases have been expressed and characterized so far. Here, we report on a new glyoxal oxidase from Trametes versicolor (TvGLOX) that was expressed at high levels in Pichia pastoris (reclassified as Komagataella phaffii). TvGLOX was found to catalyze the oxidation of aldehyde groups in glyoxylic acid, methyl glyoxal, HMF, 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) and 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (FFCA), but barely accepted alcohol groups as in 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA), preventing formation of FDCA from HMF. Various redox activators were tested for TvGLOX reactivation during catalyzed reactions. Among them, a combination of horseradish peroxidase and its substrate 2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid) (ABTS) most efficiently reactivated TvGLOX. Through continuous reactivation of TvGLOX in a two-enzyme system employing a recombinant Moesziomyces antarcticus aryl-alcohol oxidase (MaAAO) almost complete conversion of 8 mM HMF to FDCA was achieved within 24 h.
Reconfigurable optical logic in silicon platform
Authors: Ruhul Fatin M. A. , Gostimirovic Dusan , Ye Winnie N. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we present a novel, scalable, and reconfigurable optical switch that performs multiple computational logic functions simultaneously. The free-carrier depletion effect is used to perform non-volatile switching operations due to its high speed and low power consumption. We adopt the concept of optical memory using a phase-change material to realize the non-volatile reconfigurability without a constant power supply, in addition to providing a large operating bandwidth required for reconfigurability. The proposed reconfigurable optical logic architecture is realized in a compact microdisk resonator configuration, utilizing both the carrier-depletion-based modulation and phase-change optical memory. This is the first time these two modulation schemes are implemented in the same optical microdisk for the purpose of reconfigurable optical logic.
Association between glycemic variability and short-term mortality in patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective cohort study of the MIMIC-IV database
Authors: Guo Yifan , Qiu Yue , Xue Taiqi , Zhou Yi , Yan Pu , Liu Shiyi , Liu Shiwei , Zhao Wenjing , Zhang Ning 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAcute kidney injury (AKI) represents a significant challenge to global public health problem and is associated with poor outcomes. There is still considerable debate about the effect of mean blood glucose (MBG) and coefficient of variation (CV) of blood glucose on the short-term mortality of AKI patients. This retrospective cohort study aimed to explore the association between glycemic variability and short-term mortality in patients with AKI. Data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database were analyzed, including 6,777 adult AKI patients. MBG and CV on the first day of ICU admission were calculated to represent the overall glycemic status and variability during the ICU stay in AKI patients. The primary outcome indicator was ICU 30-day mortality of AKI patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis and smoothed curve fitting were used to assess the relationship between blood glucose levels and mortality. Eventually, the ICU 30-day mortality rate of AKI patients was 23.5%. The increased MBG and CV were significantly correlated with ICU 30-day mortality (hazards ratio (HR) = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14–1.27; HR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.03–1.13). The smoothed curve fitting showed a U-shaped relationship between MBG on the first day of ICU admission and ICU 30-day mortality (inflection point = 111.3 mg/dl), while CV had a linear relationship with 30-day ICU mortality. Thus, we conclude that MBG and CV were significantly associated with short-term mortality in intensive care patients with AKI. Tighter glycemic control may be an effective measure to improve the prognosis of patients with AKI.
The role of the pulmonary veins on left atrial flow patterns and thrombus formation
Authors: Mill Jordi , Harrison Josquin , Saiz-Vivo Marta , Albors Carlos , Morales Xabier , Olivares Andy L. , Iriart Xavier , Cochet Hubert , Noailly Jerome , Sermesant Maxime , Camara Oscar 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common human arrhythmia, forming thrombi mostly in the left atrial appendage (LAA). However, the relation between LAA morphology, blood patterns and clot formation is not yet fully understood. Furthermore, the impact of anatomical structures like the pulmonary veins (PVs) have not been thoroughly studied due to data acquisition difficulties. In-silico studies with flow simulations provide a detailed analysis of blood flow patterns under different boundary conditions, but a limited number of cases have been reported in the literature. To address these gaps, we investigated the influence of PVs on LA blood flow patterns and thrombus formation risk through computational fluid dynamics simulations conducted on a sizeable cohort of 130 patients, establishing the largest cohort of patient-specific LA fluid simulations reported to date. The investigation encompassed an in-depth analysis of several parameters, including pulmonary vein orientation (e.g., angles) and configuration (e.g., number), LAA and LA volumes as well as their ratio, flow, and mass-less particles. Our findings highlight the total number of particles within the LAA as a key parameter for distinguishing between the thrombus and non-thrombus groups. Moreover, the angles between the different PVs play an important role to determine the flow going inside the LAA and consequently the risk of thrombus formation. The alignment between the LAA and the main direction of the left superior pulmonary vein, or the position of the right pulmonary vein when it exhibits greater inclination, had an impact to distinguish the control group vs. the thrombus group. These insights shed light on the intricate relationship between PV configuration, LAA morphology, and thrombus formation, underscoring the importance of comprehensive blood flow pattern analyses.
Validation of anterior ankle soft tissue dynamics and shear modulus for anterior ankle impingement syndrome after ankle fracture surgery
Authors: Osanami Haruki , Akuzawa Hiroshi , Sakamoto Kodai , Yokota Hirotake , Hirabayashi Ryo , Sekine Chie , Ishigaki Tomonobu , Edama Mutsuaki 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAnterior ankle impingement syndrome (AAIS) has been reported to account for a high percentage of complications following ankle fracture surgery. The soft tissue etiology of AAIS is thought to be thickening and inflammation of the anterior ankle soft tissues intervening anteriorly at the tibiotalar joint, causing pain and functional limitation during dorsiflexion. However, the effects of anterior ankle soft tissue dynamics and stiffness on AAIS have yet to be clarified. This study aimed to determine the relationship between AAIS and the anterior ankle soft tissue thickness change ratio and shear modulus using ultrasonography (US). The participants were 20 patients with ankle joint fractures (AO classification A, B) who had undergone open reduction and internal fixation and 20 healthy adults. The evaluation periods were 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. US was used to delineate the tibialis anterior tendon, extensor hallucis longus tendon, and the extensor digitorum longus tendon over the talus and tibia on a long-axis image. Anterior ankle soft tissue thickness was measured as the shortest distance from the most convex part of the talus to the tendon directly above it. The Anterior ankle soft tissue thickness change ratio was determined by dividing the value at 0° dorsiflexion by the value at 10° plantarflexion. The same images as for the anterior soft tissue thickness measurement were drawn for the shear modulus measurement, and the average shear modulus (kPa) was calculated using shear-wave elastography. There was no significant difference in the thickness change ratio between the postoperative and healthy groups. Compared with the healthy group, the shear modulus was significantly higher at 3 and 6 months in the postoperative group (p < 0.01). The shear elastic modulus at 6-month postoperative group was significantly lower than at 3-month postoperative group (p < 0.01). Anterior ankle joint soft tissue stiffness may increase after surgery for an ankle fracture.
From peak to plummet: impending decline of the warm Arctic-cold continents phenomenon
Authors: Hong Yungi , Wang S.-Y. Simon , Son Seok-Woo , Jeong Jee-Hoon , Kim Sang-Woo , Kim Baekmin , Kim Hyungjun , Yoon Jin-Ho 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis study assesses the projected trajectory of Warm Arctic-Cold Continent (WACC) events in East Asia and North America through large ensemble simulation for the upcoming decades. It analyses the evolution of the geographical boundaries of threshold cold temperatures, revealing a significant northward shift as a sign of global warming’s impact on the southward advancement of Arctic cold air. While validating the intensification of the WACC phenomenon until the 2020 s, echoing earlier studies, the findings indicate a marked decrease beginning in the 2030s. If warming is not curbed, this shift suggests a critical modification in the WACC pattern, prompting a re-evaluation of existing theories and models for extreme winter weather events. The results have major implications, spurring communities impacted by WACC to anticipate future changes and encouraging the climate forecasting community to update conceptual models for improved adaptation and mitigation approaches.
Modeling multiple sclerosis using mobile and wearable sensor data
Authors: Gashi Shkurta , Oldrati Pietro , Moebus Max , Hilty Marc , Barrios Liliana , Ozdemir Firat ,   PHRT Consortium, Kana Veronika , Lutterotti Andreas , Rätsch Gunnar , Holz Christian 
Published: March 2024

AbstractMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease of the central nervous system that is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. Clinical laboratory tests and neuroimaging studies are the standard methods to diagnose and monitor MS. However, due to infrequent clinic visits, it is fundamental to identify remote and frequent approaches for monitoring MS, which enable timely diagnosis, early access to treatment, and slowing down disease progression. In this work, we investigate the mostreliable,clinically useful, andavailablefeatures derived from mobile and wearable devices as well as their ability to distinguish people with MS (PwMS) from healthy controls, recognize MS disability and fatigue levels. To this end, we formalize clinical knowledge and derive behavioral markers to characterize MS. We evaluate our approach on a dataset we collected from 55 PwMS and 24 healthy controls for a total of 489 days conducted in free-living conditions. The dataset containswearable sensor data– e.g., heart rate – collected using an arm-worn device,smartphone data– e.g., phone locks – collected through a mobile application,patient health records– e.g., MS type – obtained from the hospital, andself-reports– e.g., fatigue level – collected using validated questionnaires administered via the mobile application. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using features derived from mobile and wearable sensors to monitor MS. Our findings open up opportunities for continuous monitoring of MS in free-living conditions and can be used to evaluate and guide the effectiveness of treatments, manage the disease, and identify participants for clinical trials.
Demonstration of a Josephson vortex-based memory cell with microwave energy-efficient readout
Authors: Kalashnikov Dmitrii S. , Ruzhitskiy Vsevolod I. , Shishkin Andrey G. , Golovchanskiy Igor A. , Kupriyanov Mikhail Yu. , Soloviev Igor I. , Roditchev Dimitri , Stolyarov Vasily S. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe ongoing progress of superconducting logic systems with Josephson junctions as base elements requires the development of compatible cryogenic memory. Long enough junctions subject to magnetic field host quantum phase 2π-singularities—Josephson vortices. Here, we report the realization of the superconducting memory cell whose state is encoded by the number of present Josephson vortices. By integrating the junction into a coplanar resonator and by applying a microwave excitation well below the critical current, we are able to control the state of the system in an energy-efficient and non-destructive manner. The memory effect arises due to the presence of the natural edge barrier for Josephson vortices. The performance of the device is evaluated, and the routes for creating scalable cryogenic memories directly compatible with superconducting microwave technologies are discussed.
Standardized cycle life assessment of batteries using extremely lean electrolytic testing conditions
Authors: Nam Myeong Gyun , Song Hyun Jun , Koo Jin Kyo , Choi Gwan Hyun , Kim Yong Seok , Kim Hye Jin , Shin Chang-Su , Kim Youngugk , Nah Jae Hou , Kim Young-Jun , Yoo Pil J. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractDespite the proposal of numerous advanced materials for batteries, there remains a notable lack of comprehensive assessment protocols that facilitate direct comparisons between laboratory-scale research and industrial trials. Here, we introduce a standardized method coined as extremely lean electrolytic testing (ELET), designed as a uniform framework for evaluating the performance across different battery systems. This approach replicates the cycling behaviour of larger pouch cells within the more manageable format of coin cells under ELET conditions. Employing ELET, we develop quantitative models to create contour maps that standardize cell performance metrics. To demonstrate the ELET efficacy, we explore the mitigation of electrolyte decomposition in lithium-ion batteries through applying polydopamine coatings on silicon/carbon composite anodes, achieving a 150% decrease in electrolyte decomposition compared to uncoated ones. Additionally, we employ the ELET method to compare the performance of various post-secondary and commercial batteries, demonstrating its full utility in battery evaluation.
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in survival improvement of eight cancers
Authors: Shaw Vikram , Zhang Baoyi , Tang Mabel , Peng William , Amos Christopher , Cheng Chao 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Many studies have characterized racial differences in cancer outcomes, demonstrating that black and Hispanic patients have lower cancer-specific survival compared to white patients. However, to our knowledge, a gap in the literature exists regarding racial, socioeconomic, age, and sex-related differences in survival improvement in cancer.

Methods
We perform a population-based cohort study of 1,875,281 patients with eight common cancer sites from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

Results
The longitudinal data demonstrates that while overall cancer-free survival has improved from 2004 to 2018, certain groups have seen lower rates of improvement. Black patients have the lowest cancer-specific survival (CSS) in breast, prostate, ovarian, colon, liver, lung, and pancreatic cancers. However, from 2009 to 2018, black patients have seen the greatest survival improvement in breast, ovarian, colorectal, liver, lung, and pancreatic cancer, though CSS for black patients still lags behind other groups. Strikingly, however, in breast and prostate cancer, black patient CSS from 2014 to 2018 remains lower than white patient CSS from 2004 to 2008 after controlling for income, age, and stage.

Conclusions
While the racial disparity gap is closing in some forms of cancer, future research should focus on identifying factors causing disparate outcomes to help reduce cancer-related disparities.