bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Targeted inhibition of RBPJ transcription complex alleviates the exhaustion of CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Pan Banglun , Wang Zengbin , Zhang Xiaoxia , Shen Shuling , Ke Xiaoling , Qiu Jiacheng , Yao Yuxin , Wu Xiaoxuan , Wang Xiaoqian , Tang Nanhong 
Published: January 2023

AbstractImpaired function of CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important reason for acquired resistance. Compared with single-target inhibitors, small-molecule compounds that could both inhibit tumor cells and alleviate T cell exhaustion are more promising to reduce resistance. In this study, we screened immunosuppressive targets in HCC by combining cancer–immunity cycle score with weighted gene co-expression network and system analysis. Through in vitro and in vivo validation experiments, we found that one of the screened molecules, recombination signal binding protein for immunoglobulin kappa J region (RBPJ), was negatively correlated with CD8+ T cell mediated killing function. More importantly, its transcription complex inhibitor RIN1 not only inhibited the malignant biological behaviors of HCC cells by inhibiting mTOR pathway, but also reduced the expression of PD-L1 and L-kynurenine synthesis in HCC cells, thus alleviating T cell exhaustion. Meanwhile, the combination of RIN1 and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies could further activate CD8+ T cells. In short, RBPJ is an important factor regulating the function of T cells. Target inhibition of RBPJ transcription complex by small molecule compound may be a new strategy for immunotherapy of HCC.
Biogeochemical and historical drivers of microbial community composition and structure in sediments from Mercer Subglacial Lake, West Antarctica
Authors: Davis Christina L , Venturelli Ryan A , Michaud Alexander B , Hawkings Jon R , Achberger Amanda M , Vick-Majors Trista J , Rosenheim Brad E , Dore John E , Steigmeyer August , Skidmore Mark L , Barker Joel D , Benning Liane G , Siegfried Matthew R , Priscu John C , Christner Brent C ,   SALSA Science Team, Barbante Carlo , Bowling Mark , Burnett Justin , Campbell Timothy , Collins Billy , Dean Cindy , Duling Dennis , Fricker Helen A , Gagnon Alan , Gardner Christopher , Gibson Dar , Gustafson Chloe , Harwood David , Kalin Jonas , Kasic Kathy , Kim Ok-Sun , Krula Edwin , Leventer Amy , Li Wei , Lyons W Berry , McGill Patrick , McManis James , McPike David , Mironov Anatoly , Patterson Molly , Roberts Graham , Rot James , Trainor Cathy , Tranter Martyn , Winans John , Zook Bob 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Ice streams that flow into Ross Ice Shelf are underlain by water-saturated sediments, a dynamic hydrological system, and subglacial lakes that intermittently discharge water downstream across grounding zones of West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). A 2.06 m composite sediment profile was recently recovered from Mercer Subglacial Lake, a 15 m deep water cavity beneath a 1087 m thick portion of the Mercer Ice Stream. We examined microbial abundances, used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to assess community structures, and characterized extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) associated with distinct lithologic units in the sediments. Bacterial and archaeal communities in the surficial sediments are more abundant and diverse, with significantly different compositions from those found deeper in the sediment column. The most abundant taxa are related to chemolithoautotrophs capable of oxidizing reduced nitrogen, sulfur, and iron compounds with oxygen, nitrate, or iron. Concentrations of dissolved methane and total organic carbon together with water content in the sediments are the strongest predictors of taxon and community composition. δ¹³C values for EPS (−25 to −30‰) are consistent with the primary source of carbon for biosynthesis originating from legacy marine organic matter. Comparison of communities to those in lake sediments under an adjacent ice stream (Whillans Subglacial Lake) and near its grounding zone provide seminal evidence for a subglacial metacommunity that is biogeochemically and evolutionarily linked through ice sheet dynamics and the transport of microbes, water, and sediments beneath WAIS.
A candidate transporter allowing symbiotic dinoflagellates to feed their coral hosts
Authors: Maor-Landaw Keren , Eisenhut Marion , Tortorelli Giada , van de Meene Allison , Kurz Samantha , Segal Gabriela , van Oppen Madeleine J H , Weber Andreas P M , McFadden Geoffrey I 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
The symbiotic partnership between corals and dinoflagellate algae is crucial to coral reefs. Corals provide their algal symbionts with shelter, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. In exchange, the symbiotic algae supply their animal hosts with fixed carbon in the form of glucose. But how glucose is transferred from the algal symbiont to the animal host is unknown. We reasoned that a transporter resident in the dinoflagellate cell membrane would facilitate outward transfer of glucose to the surrounding host animal tissue. We identified a candidate transporter in the cnidarian symbiont dinoflagellate Breviolum minutum that belongs to the ubiquitous family of facilitative sugar uniporters known as SWEETs (sugars will eventually be exported transporters). Previous gene expression analyses had shown that BmSWEET1 is upregulated when the algae are living symbiotically in a cnidarian host by comparison to the free-living state [1, 2]. We used immunofluorescence microscopy to localise BmSWEET1 in the dinoflagellate cell membrane. Substrate preference assays in a yeast surrogate transport system showed that BmSWEET1 transports glucose. Quantitative microscopy showed that symbiotic B. minutum cells have significantly more BmSWEET1 protein than free-living cells of the same strain, consistent with export during symbiosis but not during the free-living, planktonic phase. Thus, BmSWEET1 is in the right place, at the right time, and has the right substrate to be the transporter with which symbiotic dinoflagellate algae feed their animal hosts to power coral reefs.
Plasma from patients with pulmonary embolism show aggregates that reduce after anticoagulation
Authors: Baker Stephen R. , Halliday Georgia , Ząbczyk Michal , Alkarithi Ghadir , Macrae Fraser L. , Undas Anetta , Hunt Beverley J. , Ariëns Robert A. S. 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
Microclots, a term also used for amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles and henceforth named aggregates, have recently been reported in the plasma of patients with COVID-19 and long COVID. These aggregates have been implicated in the thrombotic complications of these diseases.

Methods
Plasma samples from 35 patients with acute pulmonary embolism were collected and analysed by laser scanning confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy before and after clotting.

Results
Here we confirm the presence of aggregates and show that they also occur in the plasma of patients with pulmonary embolism, both before and after clotting. Aggregates vary in size and consist of fibrin and platelets. We show that treatment with low-molecular weight heparin reduces aggregates in the samples of patients with pulmonary embolism. Double centrifugation of plasma does not eliminate the aggregates.

Conclusions
These data corroborate the existence of microclots or aggregates in diseases associated with venous thromboembolism. Important questions are raised regarding their pathophysiological relevance and further studies are warranted to investigate whether they represent cause or consequence of clinical thrombosis.
B cell response after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in people living with HIV
Authors: Polvere Jacopo , Fabbiani Massimiliano , Pastore Gabiria , Rancan Ilaria , Rossetti Barbara , Durante Miriam , Zirpoli Sara , Morelli Enrico , Pettini Elena , Lucchesi Simone , Fiorino Fabio , Tumbarello Mario , Ciabattini Annalisa , Montagnani Francesca , Medaglini Donata 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
Limited longitudinal data are available on immune response to mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in people living with HIV (PLWHIV); therefore, new evidence on induction and persistence of spike-specific antibodies and B cells is needed.

Methods
In this pilot study we investigated the spike-specific humoral and B cell responses up to six months after vaccination with two doses of mRNA vaccines in 84 PLWHIV under antiretroviral therapy compared to 79 healthy controls (HCs).

Results
Spike-specific IgG persisted six months in PLWHIV with no significant differences compared to HCs, even though a significantly lower IgG response was observed in patients with CD4+ T cells < 350/mmc. The frequency of subjects with antibodies capable of inhibiting ACE2/RBD binding was comparable between PLWHIV and HCs a month after the second vaccine dose, then a higher drop was observed in PLWHIV. A comparable percentage of spike-specific memory B cells was observed at month six in PLWHIV and HCs. However, PLWHIV showed a higher frequency of spike-specific IgD- CD27- double-negative memory B cells and a significantly lower rate of IgD- CD27+ Ig-switched memory B cells compared to HCs, suggesting a reduced functionality of the antigen-specific memory B population.

Conclusions
The mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 elicits humoral and B cell responses quantitatively similar between PLWHIV and HCs, but there are important differences in terms of antibody functionality and phenotypes of memory B cells, reinforcing the notion that tailored vaccination policies should be considered for these patients.
From Single Particle Drag Force to Segregation in Fluidised Beds
Authors: Di Renzo A. , Di Maio F. P. 
Published: January 2023

Discrete Element Modelling has been successfully applied in combination with fluid flow solvers (CFD) to tackle important multi-phase process engineering problems. However, until recently most of the DEM-CFD studies have dealt with monodisperse particulate systems. The reason for that is that DEM requires knowledge of the force exerted by the flowing fluid on each particle. While numerous expressions are available for homogenous systems, the presence of size polydispersion or the presence of solids mixtures complicate particle-level formulations of the drag force considerably and a general model is still lacking.
In the present contribution a drag force model for polydisperse system is introduced and discussed. The expression was originally proposed in the literature on the basis of lattice-Boltzmann simulation results for flow through random polydisperse systems. However, its theoretical foundations were not fully recognised. The proposed formula requires the introduction of an average diameter, whose definition will be proved to be rigorously derivable provided that appropriate consistency constraints are considered. No other fitting or adjustable parameters are involved. In the case of a binary mixture of differently sized particles the resulting drag force is shown to depend both on size ratio and local volume fraction of the solids. Such precious particle-level information is then shown to be extendable to the macroscopic scale with attractive potentialities. On this basis, solution to the (open) problem of the segregation direction in a gas-fluidized bed of binary solids endowed with contrasting density and size differences will be suggested.
The Effect of Initial Bed Height on the Behaviour of a Soil Bed Due to Pipe Leakage Using the Coupled DEM-LBM Technique
Authors: Cui X. , Li J. , Chan A. H. C. , Chapman D. 
Published: January 2023

Leakage from underground pipes could result in foundations being undermined, surface subsidence, and damage to infrastructures. Soil particles surrounding the leaking area may be mobilised, raised, and even washed apart from the soil matrix by the leaking fluid, generating a subsurface cavity. Two-dimensional numerical simulations using a coupled Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) were used to investigate the bed behaviour due to a local leakage from a buried pipe. In this technique, the DEM was used for the modelling of the soil particles and the LBM for the modelling of the fluid. Immersed Moving Boundary (IMB) scheme was adopted for the treatment between the solid and fluid phases.
A parametric study was carried out with various values of initial bed height. Time evolutions of the pore pressures along the bed height and cavity development were explored. From the results, it is identified that the initial bed height influences neither the initial orifice pressure, nor the angle of the wedge at the onset of fluidisation which should be a property of the soil. However, it can be concluded that a soil bed with a deeper initial height leads to a slower decrease in the orifice pressure and a slower developing rate of the cavity. It is also worth noting that the cavity size at any particular moment relates linearly to the initial bed height, which may be of special importance in predicting cavity size at a particular moment with the initial bed height specified.
Modelling of the Contact Behaviour Between Fine Adhesive Particles with Viscous Damping
Authors: Mader K. , Tomas J. 
Published: January 2023

On the basis of reference particle systems the single contact of two smooth spherical particles is shown. The comprehensive force displacement models of elastic-plastic, adhesive and frictional contacts are discussed. Titania and micro glass particles are selected on basis of their different physical properties. Therefore the model “stiff particles with soft contacts” is used to quantify and compare the elastic-plastic and frictional contact properties. The varying adhesion forces between the particles directly depend on this “frozen” irreversible deformation. So the adhesion force depends on the previous normal force as a history parameter.
The contribution of the load-dependent adhesion force to the tangential force in an elastic-plastic frictional contact, the rolling resistance and the torsional moment is also shown. In addition, the role of the contact consolidation coefficient is discussed. For relatively slow (quasistatic) motion and flow rates v &lt; 1 m/s, the velocity-dependent damping force is assumed to be negligible. For processes with higher velocities, this assumption is not valid. Thus, the velocity-dependent viscous damping model by Tsuji et al. (Powder Technology, 1992,71,239-250.) was implemented into the contact model and simulated using Matlab.
Modelling of the Filtration Behaviour Using Coupled DEM and CFD
Authors: Stein S. , Tomas J. 
Published: January 2023

The filtration by cake formation is an effective method to drain a particle suspension. One possibility to improve the filtration process is the formation of flocs, which deposit faster. The aim of this work is to predict the filtration behavior, the effects of flocculation and simulate the flow rate during generation and compression of the porous ultrafine particle packings by coupling Discrete Element Method and Computational Fluid Dynamics in two dimensions within the micron range. A Press-Shear-Cell was used to investigate the filtration behaviour of the consolidated particle packings and to measure the most important material properties.
It was shown that the time dependency of specific filtrate volume and cake height for the flocculated and non-flocculated suspension can be predicted by this method.
It is observed that a flocculation causes an increase in porosity and permeability of the filter cake. This results in decreasing filter cake resistances and increasing permeabilities. The filtration times are decreasing. A stable suspension with dominant repulsion produces a compact filter cake with small porosity, large filter cake resistance and poor permeability. The compressibility of the flocculated cake is higher compared to the stable suspension and can be categorized as very compressible.
Modeling Packing of Spherical Fuel Elements in Pebble Bed Reactors Using DEM
Authors: Suikkanen H. , Ritvanen J. , Jalali P. , Kyrki-Rajamäki R. 
Published: January 2023

Pebble bed reactor is a nuclear reactor type where the fuel material is in the form of coated particles dispersed inside graphite spheres of approximately 60 mm in diameter. Typical reactor contains about half a million of these pebbles that form a heat-producing column. Pebbles are fed on top and removed from the bottom of the column so that they flow through the core slowly. The column is cooled by helium gas flowing through the pebble bed.
Knowledge of the packing characteristics and behaviour of the fuel pebbles is important for resolving the core neutronics, burnup and thermal-hydraulics accurately. DEM can be used to model the mechanical interactions between pebbles accurately. The results can then be used in further analyses, e.g. as detailed pebble positions or packing density profiles.
In this work, an in-house DEM code was used to compact 450 000 pebbles inside an annular cylinder representing the core of a pebble bed reactor. Three pebble beds with different average packing densities were obtained by varying input parameters. Pebble-scale packing fraction data was extracted from the packed beds using Voronoi tessellation. The data was used to plot packing density profiles for different parts of the columns. The local packing fractions were also used for analyses with statistical and 3D visualization methods to reveal packing structure details. Local dense regions with crystallization were observed especially when the average packing density was high. The results are useful in further analyses, e.g. to identify hot spots in the reactor core.
DEM Triaxial Tests of a Seabed Sand
Authors: Macaro G. , Utili S. 
Published: January 2023

DEM triaxial tests were run in a 3D periodic boundary cell containing 5000 spherical particles employing the open source code YADE to replicate the behavior of some typical seabed sands (i.e. Leighton Buzzard and North Australian shelf). The contact law adopted was the Hertz-Mindlin no-slip solution together with a linear moment – relative rotation law meant to account for the non-sphericity of the real sand grains. The chosen contact law is based on 5 independent micromechanical (i.e. at the level of contacts) parameters: two elastic parameters for the Hertz-Mindlin law, intergranular friction and two parameters for the moment - relative rotation law. The values for the elastic constants and the intergranular friction adopted in the simulations were taken from the elastic and frictional properties of the minerals of the sand grains (mainly quartz). Simulations were run for different values of the two parameters of the moment - relative rotation law. Tests were carried out on samples generated at various initial relative densities (from loose to very dense). The obtained results were very encouraging since the stress-strain behavior exhibited by the numerical samples well matched the experimentally measured values of critical state friction angle and dilatancy angle. However, dense samples showed a less good agreement regarding the peak friction angle.
The tests were carried out as part of a larger research program on the lateral soil-structure interaction for pipelines lying on sandy seabeds. An extensive program of 3D plain strain tests involving a plane strain section of the pipeline is currently underway.
Enhanced in-plane thermal conductivity of polyimide-based compositesvia in situinterfacial modification of graphene
Authors: Lan Huiya , Wu Bin , Yan Yuye , Xia Ru , Qian Jiasheng 
Published: January 2023

PI-based graphene heat conductive composite with low interfacial thermal resistance was prepared via in situ polymerization involving modified graphene. Thermal conductivity of an integrated composite with multi-aspect covalent bonding was enhanced.
Curriculum-Based Dynamic Assessment of Narratives for Bilingual Filipino Children
Authors: Laurie Anne , Pesco Diane 
Published: January 2023

Purpose:
Speech-language pathologists need tools that can accurately estimate bilingual children's language abilities and thus help avoid misdiagnoses. This study addresses this need by investigating the accuracy of a novel curriculum-based dynamic assessment of narratives in distinguishing bilingual children with language difficulties (LDs) from children with typically developing (TD) language.

Method:
Participants comprised 34 Filipino–English bilingual children attending elementary school in English: seven with LDs and 27 with TD language. All children were assessed on narrative skills relevant to their school curriculum during a dynamic assessment involving a test–teach–test sequence. We then examined how accurately the children's scores on narrative tasks completed during the test phases, and on a modifiability rating scale completed during the teaching phase, discriminated the LD and TD groups.

Results:
According to discriminant analyses, logistic regressions, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, the modifiability rating classified the children with 97.1% accuracy. Children's scores on the narrative measures following the teaching phase were also better at predicting language group than their initial scores, with the Test of Narrative Language–Second Edition (TNL-2) Narrative Language Ability Index score reaching 100% accuracy at posttest.

Conclusions:
The curriculum-based dynamic assessment of narratives shows promise at distinguishing TD language from LD in a group of understudied bilingual children that is rapidly growing in both Canada and the United States. The findings compare favorably to past studies of dynamic assessment and extend this work by integrating curricular goals to the narrative assessment process.
A smooth control allocation method for a distributed electric propulsion VTOL aircraft test platform
Authors: Qin Zijie , Liu Kun , Zhao Xi 
Published: January 2023

AbstractDistributed electronic propulsion (DEP) aircraft with vertical take‐off and landing (VTOL) ability mostly equipped with multiple redundant tiltable propulsors, which are used to provide not only thrusts, but also control torque in all flight mode. The features make the control allocation problem of these aircraft both complex and important. Therefore, this paper proposes: (і) a prototype platform for DEP VTOL aircraft that allows researchers to design and analyse control allocation strategies, and (іі) a uniform hierarchical control allocation method that can be adapted to both MC and FW modes. The platform contains ten fully actuated thrusters, which are distributed in the scaled geometry of a typical DEP‐VTOL aircraft. The proposed control allocation strategy uses hierarchical structure to avoid high‐dimensional matrix operations for the redundant actuators. The additional constraints on the thrust and tilt angles of the actuators are addressed by adopting cascade generalized inversion (CGI) to force decompensation (FD)‐based methods by a coordinate transformation. A novel smooth strategy through Schur Complement is also presented to achieve steady and smooth transition from MC to FW mode. Finally, the proposed method is implemented in the authors’ novel platform in both simulations and flight experiments to demonstrate its effectiveness and smoothness.