bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Short- and long-run cross-border European sustainability interdependences
Authors: Yfanti S. , Karanasos M. , Wu J. , Vourvachis P.
Published: January 2024

The increasing interest in climate change risks, environmental degradation, corporate social responsibility, and environmental, social, governance principles has motivated the recent soaring focus of policymakers, market practitioners, and academics on sustainable investments. In this vein, we investigate the cross-country interconnectedness among sustainability equity indices. Using a bivariate Dynamic Conditional Correlations-Mixed Data Sampling (DCC-MIDAS) specification, we study the short- and long-run time-varying dependence dynamics between European and five international (Australia, Brazil, Japan, US, and Canada) sustainability benchmarks. Our cross-country dynamic correlation analysis identifies the interdependence types and hedging characteristics in the short- and long-run across the business cycle. The significant macro- and crisis-sensitivity of the sustainability correlation pattern unveils strong countercyclical cross-country sustainability interlinkages for most index pairs and crisis periods. We further reveal the high- and low-frequency contagion transmitters or interdependence drivers in the macro environment during the 2008 global financial turmoil, the European sovereign debt crisis, and the recent pandemic-induced crash. Finally, we demonstrate that climate change risks and policy considerations are potent catalysts for both countercyclical and procyclical cross-border sustainability spillovers.
Bias assessment and correction for Levin’s population attributable fraction in the presence of confounding
Authors: Ferguson John , Alvarez Alberto , Mulligan Martin , Judge Conor , O’Donnell Martin
Published: January 2024

In 1953, Morton Levin introduced a simple approach to estimating population attributable fractions (PAF) depending only on risk factor prevalence and relative risk. This formula and its extensions are still in widespread use today, particularly to estimate PAF in populations where individual data is unavailable. Unfortunately, Levin’s approach is known to be asymptotically biased for the PAF when the risk factor-disease relationship is confounded even if relative risks that are correctly adjusted for confounding are used in the estimator. Here we describe a simple re-expression of Miettinen’s estimand that depends on the causal relative risk, the unadjusted relative risk and the population risk factor prevalence. While this re-expression is not new, it has been underappreciated in the literature, and the associated estimator may be useful in estimating PAF in populations when individual data is unavailable provided estimated adjusted and unadjusted relative risks can be transported to the population of interest. Using the re-expressed estimand, we develop novel analytic formulae for the relative and absolute asymptotic bias in Levin’s formula, solidifying earlier work by Darrow and Steenland that used simulations to investigate this bias. We extend all results to settings with non-binary valued risk factors and continuous exposures and discuss the utility of these results in estimating PAF in practice.
Analysis of Antennal Responses to Motion Stimuli in the Honey Bee by Automated Tracking Using DeepLabCut
Authors: Kohno Hiroki , Kamata Shuichi , Kubo Takeo
Published: January 2024

Considering recent developments in gene manipulation methods for honey bees, establishing simple and robust assay systems which can analyze behavioral components in detail inside a laboratory is important for the rise of behavioral genetics in the honey bee. We focused on the antennal movements of the honey bee and developed an experimental system for analyzing the antennal responses (ARs) of the honey bee using DeepLabCut, a markerless posture-tracking tool using deep learning. The tracking of antennal movements using DeepLabCut during the presentation of vertical (downward and upward) motion stimuli successfully detected the direction-specific ARs in the transverse plane, which has been reported in the previous studies where bees tilted their antennae in the direction opposite to the motion stimuli. In addition, we found that honey bees also exhibited direction-specific ARs in the coronal plane in response to horizontal (forward and backward) motion stimuli. Furthermore, an investigation of the developmental maturation of honey bee ARs showed that ARs to motion stimuli were not detected in bees immediately after emergence but became detectable through post-emergence development in an experience-independent manner. Finally, unsupervised clustering analysis using multidimensional data created by processing tracking data using DeepLabCut classified antennal movements into different clusters, suggesting that data-driven behavioral classification can apply to AR paradigms. In summary, our results revealed direction-specific ARs even in the coronal plane to horizontal motion stimuli and developmental maturation of ARs for the first time, and suggest the efficacy of data-driven analysis for behavioral classification in behavioral studies of the honey bee.
A Well-Balanced Semi-implicit IMEX Finite Volume Scheme for Ideal Magnetohydrodynamics at All Mach Numbers
Authors: Birke Claudius , Boscheri Walter , Klingenberg Christian
Published: January 2024

We propose a second-order accurate semi-implicit and well-balanced finite volume scheme for the equations of ideal magnetohydrodynamics including gravitational source terms. The scheme treats all terms associated with the acoustic pressure implicitly while keeping the remaining terms part of the explicit sub-system. This semi-implicit approach makes the method particularly well suited for problems in the low Mach regime. We combine the semi-implicit scheme with the deviation well-balancing technique and prove that it maintains equilibrium solutions for the magnetohydrostatic case up to rounding errors. In order to preserve the divergence-free property of the magnetic field enforced by the solenoidal constraint, we incorporate a constrained transport method in the semi-implicit framework. Second order of accuracy is achieved by means of a standard spatial reconstruction technique with total variation diminishing property, and by an asymptotic preserving time stepping algorithm built upon the implicit-explicit Runge–Kutta time integrators. Numerical tests in the low Mach regime and near magnetohydrostatic equilibria support the low Mach and well-balanced properties of the numerical method.
Weak determinism and the computational consequences of interaction
Authors: Meinhardt Eric , Mai Anna , Baković Eric , McCollum Adam
Published: January 2024

Recent work has claimed that (non-tonal) phonological patterns are subregular (Heinz 2011a,b, 2018; Heinz and Idsardi 2013), occupying a delimited proper subregion of the regular functions—the weakly deterministic (WD) functions (Heinz and Lai 2013; Jardine 2016). Whether or not it is correct (McCollum et al. 2020a), this claim can only be properly assessed given a complete and accurate definition of WD functions. We propose such a definition in this article, patching unintended holes in Heinz and Lai’s (2013) original definition that we argue have led to the incorrect classification of some phonological patterns as WD. We start from the observation that WD patterns share a property that we call unbounded semiambience, modeled after the analogous observation by Jardine (2016) about non-deterministic (ND) patterns and their unbounded circumambience. Both ND and WD functions can be broken down into compositions of deterministic (subsequential) functions (Elgot and Mezei 1965; Heinz and Lai 2013) that read an input string from opposite directions; we show that WD functions are those for which these deterministic composands do not interact in a way that is familiar from the theoretical phonology literature. To underscore how this concept of interaction neatly separates the WD class of functions from the strictly more expressive ND class, we provide analyses of the vowel harmony patterns of two Eastern Nilotic languages, Maasai and Turkana, using bimachines, an automaton type that represents unbounded bidirectional dependencies explicitly. These analyses make clear that there is interaction between deterministic composands when (and only when) the output of a given input element of a string is simultaneously dependent on information from both the left and the right: ND functions are those that involve interaction, while WD functions are those that do not.
Wage Disparities in Academia for Engineering Women of Color and the Limitations of Advocacy and Agency
Authors: McGee Ebony , Cox Monica F. , Main Joyce B. , Miles Monica L. , Hailu Meseret F.
Published: January 2024

The devaluation of women of Color (WoC) by way of gender discrimination and systemic racism is well documented. For WoC in engineering a chief cause is the observable wage gap. Women who identify as Asian, Black/African American, Latina/Chicana, Indigenous/Native American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Native Alaskan, and/or multiracial have reported stark wage disparities. In this paper, we offer a phenomenological study of how WoC engineering faculty across U.S. academic institutions describe the challenges and practices associated with wage disparities and how they navigate these disparities. This study, which is based on participant interviews, is guided by three research questions: (1) What do WoC engineering tenure-track faculty perceive about wage disparities based on their race and gender? (2) How do WoC faculty understand the institutional practices that contribute to wage disparities? and (3) How do WoC engineering faculty respond to and address wage disparities? Using structural racism and intersectionality as our guiding conceptual framework, we interviewed 32 self-identified WoC who identified structures and systems of institutional racism related to the maintenance of wage disparities. In terms of findings, we note that WoC have two primary strategies to respond to wage disparity: advocacy and agency. The experiences of WoC engineering faculty in our study highlight unsatisfying institutional responses, and thus WoC often rely on their own agency to advocate for themselves and to advocate for and mentor other WoC faculty. We found a few notable cases where men advocated for women to help close the wage gap. Our work reveals that pay inequity for WoC is often coupled with other forms of exclusion and marginalization.

Reducing wage disparities in academia is critical to advancing diversity efforts and ensuring equitable support for WoC faculty. Our findings suggest that institutions can work diligently to rectify wage inequality, including making sustainable structural and salary modifications and sharing the burden of combatting wage inequities. Finally, our findings also highlight the importance of making policy changes to reduce pay inequalities, such as providing transparent pay information and more opportunities to earn merit raises.
Validation and measurement invariance of the Compulsive Exercise Test among Brazilian and American young adults
Authors: Campos Priscila Figueiredo , Frazier Leslie D. , Almeida Maurício , de Carvalho Pedro Henrique Berbert
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To evaluate compulsive exercise, researchers often rely on the widely used Compulsive Exercise Test (CET). However, the measure has shown unstable factor structure in several validation studies and is not available in Portuguese for use in Brazil. We aimed to describe the translation and cultural adaptation of the CET to Brazilian Portuguese, to test several factor structures among Brazilian and US samples of men and women, to test measurement invariance across countries, and to evaluate its internal consistency. Furthermore, we sought to evaluate convergent validity, correlating the CET with a measure of eating disorder symptoms, and to compare compulsive exercise symptoms between countries.

Methods

Four models of the latent structure of the CET were tested using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), three-factor structure with 15 items, three-factor structure with 18 items, four-factor structure with 21 items, and the original five-factor structure with 24 items, in a sample of 1,531 young adults (601 Brazilians and 930 Americans), aged 18–35 years.

Results

A series of CFAs demonstrated that the three-factor structure with 15 items showed a better fit to the data. This model demonstrated good convergent validity and internal consistency. Results from the CET multigroup CFA showed evidence for the invariance at the configural, metric, and scalar levels across Brazilians and Americans. Furthermore, significant differences were found between Brazilians and Americans, with Brazilians demonstrating higher scores on the Avoidance and rule-driven behavior and Mood improvement subscales, whereas US participants scored higher on the Weight control exercise subscale.

Conclusions

Results support the three-factor structure with 15 items to be used as a measure of compulsive exercise among Brazilians and Americans, allowing cross-cultural comparisons between these countries.

Level of evidence

Level V, Cross-sectional, Psychometric study.
Life Satisfaction among Unaccompanied Refugee Minors: Associations with Traumatic Events and Daily Hassles
Authors: Solhaug Anne Kristine , Oppedal Brit , Røysamb Espen , Calam Rachel
Published: January 2024

While there is a growing literature about mental health problems among unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee minors (URMs), far less is known about their wellbeing. Such information is important as a subjective sense of wellbeing is associated with a variety of positive health and psychosocial outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine life satisfaction and the association with traumatic events, daily hassles, and asylum status among URMs in Norway. We collected self-report questionnaire data from URMs living in Norway (n = 173, 90.80% male, 71.1% from Afghanistan). Mean age was 16.62 (SD = 1.74) years, and they reported clinically relevant post-traumatic stress symptoms. We explored variation in life satisfaction, URM-specific daily hassles and traumatic events. We also investigated a mediation model, in which we assumed that daily hassles mediated the association between traumatic events and life satisfaction. The participants reported low life satisfaction (M = 4.28, SD = 2.90, 0–10 scale). A negative outcome of the asylum process and URM-specific daily hassles were associated with reduced life satisfaction. URM-specific daily hassles accounted for the relation between traumatic events and life satisfaction. The youth had been exposed to several traumatic events yet the effect of these on life satisfaction appeared indirect, via an increase in URM-specific daily hassles. Reducing the number of, or help URM cope with, URM-specific daily hassles may increase their life satisfaction.
Trend analysis of precipitation, temperature and snow water equivalent in Lombardy region, northern Italy
Authors: Faquseh Hamzah , Grossi Giovanna
Published: January 2024

The analysis of precipitation, temperature, and snow water equivalent (SWE) trends offers a scientific approach for understanding the impacts of climate change. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of climate change indicators in Lombardy, Italy, covering the yearly and monthly trends of precipitation and temperature from 1990 to 2020. Additionally, the yearly and monthly SWE variations. For this purpose, a range of statistical tests have been used including Mann–Kendall, Pettitt’s change point detection and Sen’s slope estimator. Precipitation trend shows a slight annual increase of around 5.42 mm per year. This trend is not statistically significant with a Mann–Kendall p value of 0.1448 and no changing point has been detected. Moreover, seasonal precipitation patterns show minor variations, with Kendall’s Tau values ranging from − 0.0431 to 0.1761. However, none of these trends are statistically significant, as reflected in Mann–Kendall p values ranging from 0.1679 to 0.7339. Conversely, Lombardy is experiencing a significant annual temperature increase of 0.0436 °C. Notably, in Autumn, temperatures rise at a rate of 0.0565° per year. Summer also shows a significant warming trend, with temperatures increasing by 0.0421° per year. In Winter and Spring, there are milder, non-significant temperature trends, with Kendall’s Tau values around 0.17. SWE trend shows minor annual variations (5–10%) and monthly shifts. Winter shows a slight decrease (2–3%), implying delayed snow accumulation, while Spring indicates minor change (1–2%) suggesting earlier snowmelt. This study emphasizes temperature's strong impact on SWE and stresses the importance of climate monitoring and collaboration for understanding changing climate patterns.
Experimental study on the production of carbon-absorbing backfill material from freshly mixed modified magnesium slag slurry
Authors: Sun Weiji , Liu Lang , Fang Zhiyu , Xie Geng , He Wei , Gao Yuheng
Published: January 2024

Wet carbonisation of alkaline industrial solid waste is considered to be an effective method for CO2 capture/processing of solid waste resources. Aiming at the high-value utilisation of modified magnesium slag in Shaanxi Province, a new method for producing carbon absorption backfill materials (CABM) is proposed by introducing CO2 into freshly mixed modified magnesium slag slurry. Through rheological, mini-slump, isothermal microcalorimeter test, uniaxial compressive strength, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG-DTG) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiments, the effects of CO2 on the fluidity, hydration, mechanical and microstructural properties of freshly modified magnesium slag slurry are investigated. The results show that: (1) while the introduction of CO2 significantly reduces the fluidity of a CABM, it can still meet the requirements of pipeline transportation in backfill mines; (2) the tiny calcium carbonate grains produced during the carbonation reaction can provide additional nucleation sites for the growth and diffusion of hydration products in CABM, and accelerate the hydration heat release rate; (3) the introduction of CO2 into the freshly mixed modified magnesium slag slurry not only helps to improve the compressive strength of the CABM samples at 28 days, but also has a good carbon absorption effect (5.2–7.6%); (4) through XRD, TG-DTG and SEM experiments, it is concluded that the carbonation reaction in the slurry does not prevent the further hydration of the modified magnesium slag, but is helpful for promoting a rapid hydration reaction in a later stage. Therefore, to maintain good fluidity and carbon absorption of the CABM, the backfill slurry should have a water/modified magnesium slag mass ratio of 0.5, a ventilation rate to of 1 L/min, and a ventilation stirring time of 5 min.
Identification of genes regulated by trait sensitivity to negative feedback and prolonged alcohol consumption in rats
Authors: Cieslik-Starkiewicz Agata , Noworyta Karolina , Solich Joanna , Korlatowicz Agata , Faron-Górecka Agata , Rygula Rafal
Published: January 2024

Background

The results of our previous studies demonstrated that low sensitivity to negative feedback (NF) is associated with increased vulnerability to the development of compulsive alcohol-seeking in rats. In the present study, we investigated the molecular underpinnings of this relationship.

Methods

Using TaqMan Gene Expression Array Cards, we analyzed the expression of the genes related to NF sensitivity and alcohol metabolism in three cortical regions (medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC], anterior cingulate cortex [ACC], orbitofrontal cortex [OFC]) and two subcortical regions (nucleus accumbens [Nacc], amygdala [Amy]). Gene expression differences were confirmed at the protein level with Western blot.

Results

Sensitivity to NF was characterized by differences in Gad2, Drd2, and Slc6a4 expression in the ACC, Maoa in the mPFC, and Gria1, Htr3a, and Maoa in the OFC. Chronic alcohol consumption was associated with differences in the expression of Comt and Maoa in the ACC, Comt, Adh1, and Htr2b in the mPFC, Adh1, and Slc6a4 in the Nacc, Gad2, and Htr1a in the OFC, and Drd2 in the Amy. Interactions between the sensitivity to NF and alcohol consumption were observed in the expression of Gabra1, Gabbr2, Grin2a, Grin2b, and Grm3 in the ACC, and Grin2a in the OFC. The observed differences were confirmed at the protein level for MAO-A in the mPFC, and ADH1 in the mPFC and Nacc.

Conclusions

Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between trait sensitivity to NF and compulsive alcohol consumption.
Towards sustainable battery recycling: selective dynamic adsorption of nickel(II) and cobalt(II) in an adsorbent fixed-bed reactor at elevated temperature
Authors: Robeck Björn , Horn Helena
Published: January 2024

Caused by the scarce resources of critical heavy metals which are in high demand, e.g., for lithium-ion batteries, processes for the recovery of such materials for recycling are of high interest. Adsorption is an effective method in order to selectively separate metal ions from aqueous solutions. Unfortunately, the prerequisites in battery recycling, like acidic pH-value and high temperature, are in general impairing the adsorption process. In this study, the competitive dynamic adsorption of nickel(II) (Ni(II)) and cobalt(II) (Co(II)) by a silica adsorbent functionalized with amino-polycarboxylate derivative ligands (designated as HSU331) under recycling process conditions, (pH = 3.5, T = 20 °C, and T = 50 °C, respectively) and varying concentrations (Ni(II):Co(II) 1:1 (5.0, and 10 mmol·L−1, respectively), Ni(II):Co(II) 3:1 and 1:3 (3.0 mmol·L−1 and 1.0 mmol·L−1 vice versa)) were investigated. A displacement desorption of Co(II) in favor of the binding of Ni(II) was observed, achieving maximum loadings of 0.95 µmolNi(II)·µmolLigand−1 (28.3 mgNi(II)·gAdsorbent−1), and 0.48 µmolCo(II)·µmolLigand−1 (14.3 mgCo(II)·gAdsorbent−1) at T = 20 °C and 1.0 µmolNi(II)·µmolLigand−1 (29.9 mgNi(II)·gAdsorbent−1) and 0.18 µmolCo(II)·µmolLigand−1 (5.38 mgCo(II)·gAdsorbent−1) at T = 50 °C, respectively. These results demonstrate a distinctly selective separation of Ni(II) in the presence of Co(II) by HSU331, achieving an even higher efficiency at elevated temperatures.
Suggesting self-compassion training in schools to stop cyberbullying: a narrative review
Authors: Aledeh Muhammad , Sokan-Adeaga Adewale Allen , Adam Habib , Aledeh Sulaiman , Kotera Yasuhiro
Published: January 2024

Cyberbullying is a major public health problem among adolescents worldwide. Research shows that there is a link between cyberbullying and mental health problems. Adolescent victims of cyberbullying suffer from diverse negative effects such as stress, anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, isolation, and suicidal ideation. Schools have attempted to address this by introducing measures, including raising awareness of cyberbullying among adolescents, launching Internet safety campaigns, and enacting regulations to stop cyberbullying. However, salient effects have not been reported to date. Research reports that self-compassion training is effective in reducing mental health problems and beneficial for adolescents. This narrative review aims to review the literature on cyberbullying in adolescence and propose effective measures to stop it. Self-compassion training is proposed as an effective intervention to stop cyberbullying among adolescents. This review further discusses how schools can implement self-compassion training to stop cyberbullying in adolescents. Findings will help policymakers and stakeholders of schools, colleges, and universities to incorporate self-compassion training into school curricula to help support victims of cyberbullying.
Low-dose esketamine improves acute postoperative pain in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery
Authors: Zhang Qing-wei , Wang Xin , Wang Zhong-yun , Sun He-liang
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The current study was designed to investigate the analgesic effect of esketamine on patients underwent thoracoscopic surgery and the underlying mechanism.

Methods

In this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 patients scheduled to undergo thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy were randomized to two groups to receive esketamine (group ESK) or saline (group SAL), respectively. 0.25 mg·kg−1 esketamine was given in group ESK for induction of anesthesia, and 0.12 mg·kg−1·h−1 esketamine for intraoperative maintenance. Group SAL received an equal volume of saline. The primary outcomes were the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at rest and deep cough state which evaluated at departure from post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) (T1), 6 h, 24 h and 48 h after surgery (T2–T4). The secondary outcomes included the levels of white blood cell (WBC) count, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin (PCT), anxiety/depression scores at T3, oxygen saturation (SpO2), and adverse reactions.

Results

Esketamine significantly decreased both rest and cough VAS pain scores at T1, and rest pain scores at T1, T2 and T4. Patients in ESK group had significantly lower WBC and ANC levels than SAL group, while the alteration of IL-6 and PCT levels between groups showed no significance. The anxiety scores of patients in both groups were significantly decreased after surgery. However, the depression scores of patients in ESK group did not decrease after surgery when compared with the preoperation. The postoperative SpO2 and the incidence of adverse reaction including postoperative nausea, vomiting, dizziness and dissociative symptom showed no significant difference between two groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Esketamine can alleviate the acute postoperative pain of patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery without increasing adverse reactions, and the underlying mechanism may be associated with the reduction of postoperative inflammation.

Trial registration

Registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on February 7, 2022 (ChiCTR 2200056524).

Graphical Abstract
A study on distribution characteristics of volatile organic compounds in Paju industrial complex area, using proton transfer reaction-time of flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Kim So-Young
Published: January 2024

Paju City is located in the northwest of Gyeonggi-do, and its chemical emissions in 2020 were 1,287,917 kg, the 4th highest in Gyeonggi-do. In particular, the Munsan High-Tech Industrial Complex in Paju has LCD manufacturing plants and partner companies distributed in groups, and the volatile organic compounds used by these companies are causing many problems, such as causing bad odors, to the local community. In this sense, real-time analyzing equipment (proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry) was mounted on a vehicle for this study to look into the air quality around VOCs-using companies inside the High-tech Industrial Complex in Munsan, Paju from October 19 to October 21, 2020.

According to measurement results, toluene was detected the most at 25.7 ppb, followed by carbon tetrachloride (17.6 ppb), ethylbenzene (17.2 ppb), and xylene (8.5 ppb), which demonstrates that there is a need to control these substances to resolve the issue with VOCs in the region. In particular, benzene designated as the air quality standard was detected at 1.0 ppb in some sites, which is below the threshold (1.5 ppb). However, it was detected at 2.1 to 4.4 ppb, exceeding the threshold in most sites. Thus, continuous monitoring is expected to keep VOCs under control in Paju Industrial Complex down the road, using real-time measuring equipment.
Swahili Worlds in Globalism
Authors: Kusimba Chapurukha M.
Published: December 2023

This Element discusses a medieval African urban society as a product of interactions among African communities who inhabited the region between 100 BCE and 500 CE. It deviates from standard approaches that credit urbanism and state in Africa to non-African agents. East Africa, then and now, was part of the broader world of the Indian Ocean. Globalism coincided with the political and economic transformations that occurred during the Tang-Sung-Yuan-Ming and Islamic Dynastic times, 600-1500 CE. Positioned as the gateway into and out of eastern Africa, the Swahili coast became a site through which people, inventions, and innovations bi-directionally migrated, were adopted, and evolved. Swahili peoples' agency and unique characteristics cannot be seen only through Islam's prism. Instead, their unique character is a consequence of social and economic interactions of actors along the coast, inland, and beyond the Indian Ocean.
A new eryopid temnospondyl from the Carboniferous–Permian boundary of Germany
Authors: Werneburg Ralf , Witzmann Florian , Rinehart Larry , Fischer Jan , Voigt Sebastian
Published: January 2024

A new eryopid temnospondyl, Stenokranio boldi n. gen. n. sp. is described based on well-preserved cranial and postcranial material from fluvio-lacustrine deposits of the Permo-Carboniferous (Gzhelian/Asselian) Remigiusberg Formation at the Remigiusberg quarry near Kusel, Saar–Nahe Basin, southwest Germany. The new taxon is characterized by three autapomorphies within the Eryopidae: (1) the relatively narrow posterior skull table, therefore nearly parallel lateral margins of the skull; (2) the short postparietals and tabulars; and (3) the wide ectopterygoid. Phylogenetic analysis reveals a monophyletic Eryopidae with the basal taxa Osteophorus, Glaukerpeton, and Onchiodon labyrinthicus forming a polytomy. Actinodon may be either a basal eryopid or a stereospondylomorph, and the genus Onchiodon is not monophyletic. Stenokranio n. gen. is found as a more derived eryopid forming the sister taxon to Eryops. Stenokranio n. gen. was among the largest predators of the Saar–Nahe Basin. Its semiaquatic lifestyle enabled Stenokranio n. gen. to browse riverbanks and lake shorelines for prey, but most likely it fed on aquatic vertebrates. Stenokranio n. gen. was part of a faunal assemblage of aquatic, semiaquatic, and fully terrestrial vertebrates, such as sarcopterygian and actinopterygian fishes, xenacanthid sharks, a dvinosaurian temnospondyl, different “lepospondyls”, diadectomorphs, and synapsids. This is in general accordance with the vertebrate community from the Permo-Carboniferous of North America and from the early Permian localities of Manebach (Thuringian Forest Basin) and Niederhäslich (Döhlen Basin). It is notable that the occurrence of Stenokranio n. gen. and other eryopids in these localities excluded the presence of other large temnospondyls such as Sclerocephalus. However, a previously described isolated eryopid mandible from the Remigiusberg locality differs from that of Stenokranio n. gen. in several characters, implying that probably two different eryopid taxa lived at the same locality.

UUID: www.zoobank.org/88a52547-d6fc-40af-965c-a6786c252ed5
Communicative remembering: Revisiting a basic mnemonic concept
Authors: Pentzold Christian , Lohmeier Christine , Birkner Thomas
Published: January 2024

The article attempts to clarify what today constitutes communicative remembering. To revisit this basic mnemonic concept, our theoretical contribution starts from available approaches in social memory studies that assume a binary distinction between cultural and communicative modes of memory making. In contrast, we use concepts that treat them not as structural, historically and culturally distinct registers but as a repertoire of retrospection that hinges on the evoked temporal horizon and media usage. To further interrogate this practical articulation of memories, we direct our attention to the habitual, communicatively realised engagement with the past. We finally turn to the ways communicative remembering is done in digitally networked environments, which provide us with a pertinent mnemonic arena where rigid dichotomies of communicative memory versus cultural memory are eroded.
The Role of the Stratosphere in Teleconnections Arising From Fast and Slow MJO Episodes
Authors: Yadav Priyanka , Garfinkel Chaim I. , Domeisen Daniela I. V.
Published: January 2024

The Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) can influence the extratropical circulation on timescales up to several weeks, with a dependence on the MJO characteristics: MJO episodes that propagate slowly across the Maritime Continent have a stronger impact on Euro‐Atlantic weather than fast MJO episodes. While the tropospheric pathway for MJO teleconnections with varying phase speeds is well understood, in this study, we investigate the contribution of the Northern Hemisphere stratospheric pathway for fast versus slow MJO episodes. During slow MJO episodes, Phases 5–6 lead to increased upward wave propagation in the North Pacific sector, and subsequently enhanced heat flux at 100 hPa, leading to the weakening of the polar vortex. The results suggest a clear role of stratosphere‐troposphere coupling for slow MJO episodes, which is proposed as a mechanism for anomalously strong positive polar cap height anomalies in MJO Phases 7–8.
Lymphatic vessel: Origin, heterogeneity, biological functions and therapeutic targets
Authors: Hu Zhaoliang , Zhao Xushi , Wu Zhonghua , Qu Bicheng , Yuan Minxian , Xing Yanan , Song Yongxi , Wang Zhenning
Published: January 2024

Lymphatic vessels, comprising the secondary circulatory system in human body, play a multifaceted role in maintaining homeostasis among various tissues and organs. They are tasked with a serious of responsibilities, including the regulation of lymph absorption and transport, the orchestration of immune surveillance and responses. Lymphatic vessel development undergoes a series of sophisticated regulatory signaling pathways governing heterogeneous-origin cell populations stepwise to assemble into the highly specialized lymphatic vessel networks. Lymphangiogenesis, as defined by new lymphatic vessels sprouting from preexisting lymphatic vessels/embryonic veins, is the main developmental mechanism underlying the formation and expansion of lymphatic vessel networks in an embryo. However, abnormal lymphangiogenesis could be observed in many pathological conditions and has a close relationship with the development and progression of various diseases. Mechanistic studies have revealed a set of lymphangiogenic factors and cascades that may serve as the potential targets for regulating abnormal lymphangiogenesis, to further modulate the progression of diseases. Actually, an increasing number of clinical trials have demonstrated the promising interventions and showed the feasibility of currently available treatments for future clinical translation. Targeting lymphangiogenic promoters or inhibitors not only directly regulates abnormal lymphangiogenesis, but improves the efficacy of diverse treatments. In conclusion, we present a comprehensive overview of lymphatic vessel development and physiological functions, and describe the critical involvement of abnormal lymphangiogenesis in multiple diseases. Moreover, we summarize the targeting therapeutic values of abnormal lymphangiogenesis, providing novel perspectives for treatment strategy of multiple human diseases.
Genome-wide polygenic risk scores for colorectal cancer have implications for risk-based screening
Authors: Tamlander Max , Jermy Bradley , Seppälä Toni T. , Färkkilä Martti ,   FinnGen, Widén Elisabeth , Ripatti Samuli , Mars Nina
Published: January 2024

Background

Hereditary factors, including single genetic variants and family history, can be used for targeting colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, but limited data exist on the impact of polygenic risk scores (PRS) on risk-based CRC screening.

Methods

Using longitudinal health and genomics data on 453,733 Finnish individuals including 8801 CRC cases, we estimated the impact of a genome-wide CRC PRS on CRC screening initiation age through population-calibrated incidence estimation over the life course in men and women.

Results

Compared to the cumulative incidence of CRC at age 60 in Finland (the current age for starting screening in Finland), a comparable cumulative incidence was reached 5 and 11 years earlier in persons with high PRS (80–99% and >99%, respectively), while those with a low PRS (< 20%) reached comparable incidence 7 years later. The PRS was associated with increased risk of post-colonoscopy CRC after negative colonoscopy (hazard ratio 1.76 per PRS SD, 95% CI 1.54–2.01). Moreover, the PRS predicted colorectal adenoma incidence and improved incident CRC risk prediction over non-genetic risk factors.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that a CRC PRS can be used for risk stratification of CRC, with further research needed to optimally integrate the PRS into risk-based screening.
TMEM63B channel is the osmosensor required for thirst drive of interoceptive neurons
Authors: Yang Guolin , Jia Min , Li Guizhou , Zang Yan-Yu , Chen Yang-Yang , Wang Yue-Ying , Zhan Shi-Yu , Peng Shi-Xiao , Wan Guoqiang , Li Wei , Yang Jian-Jun , Shi Yun Stone
Published: January 2024

Thirst plays a vital role in the regulation of body fluid homeostasis and if deregulated can be life-threatening. Interoceptive neurons in the subfornical organ (SFO) are intrinsically osmosensitive and their activation by hyperosmolarity is necessary and sufficient for generating thirst. However, the primary molecules sensing systemic osmolarity in these neurons remain elusive. Here we show that the mechanosensitive TMEM63B cation channel is the osmosensor required for the interoceptive neurons to drive thirst. TMEM63B channel is highly expressed in the excitatory SFO thirst neurons. TMEM63B deletion in these neurons impaired hyperosmolarity-induced drinking behavior, while re-expressing TMEM63B in SFO restored water appetite in TMEM63B-deficient mice. Remarkably, hyperosmolarity activates TMEM63B channels, leading to depolarization and increased firing rate of the interoceptive neurons, which drives drinking behavior. Furthermore, TMEM63B deletion did not affect sensitivities of the SFO neurons to angiotensin II or hypoosmolarity, suggesting that TMEM63B plays a specialized role in detecting hyperosmolarity in SFO neurons. Thus, our results reveal a critical osmosensor molecule for the generation of thirst perception.
Disordered gambling among people with psychotic disorders: a systematic review
Authors: Sankaranarayanan Anoop , Ramanathan Preethi , Mathew Rinu , Wilding Helen , Castle David
Published: January 2024

Disorders of gambling are more common among the mentally ill, including in people with psychotic disorders. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature regarding the prevalence and correlates of gambling disorders in people with psychotic disorders. We systematically reviewed English-language literature through searches of six bibliographic databases, all run on 11 November 2022: Medline ALL, Embase, Emcare, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library. Observational studies that reported the prevalence of gambling in psychotic disorders or psychosis among gamblers were included. Studies were critically appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. Sixteen studies, including 1,116,103 participants, from across a range of settings, were included. Most studies were done on males and recruited participants with a mean age of 40 years. Most of the studies (n = 12) were cross-sectional, and the remaining were case control in design. Most of the studies rated fair in quality. The prevalence of gambling among psychotic population ranged from 0.32 to 19.3%, with the majority of the studies reporting rates between 6.4 and 17%. The rates were 5–25 times higher than in the general population. While there were no consistent associations found with socio-demographic indices, several studies reported an association between gambling behaviours and substance use disorder among those with psychotic illnesses. Our research suggests that clinicians should assess for comorbid gambling among those with psychotic illness, particularly in those with mood symptoms, impulsivity, and substance use disorders. Gambling can negatively impact on their financial and social situations. Future research should study specific strategies or therapies among those with comorbid gambling and psychotic disorders.
A novel antibiotic class targeting the lipopolysaccharide transporter
Authors: Zampaloni Claudia , Mattei Patrizio , Bleicher Konrad , Winther Lotte , Thäte Claudia , Bucher Christian , Adam Jean-Michel , Alanine Alexander , Amrein Kurt E. , Baidin Vadim , Bieniossek Christoph , Bissantz Caterina , Boess Franziska , Cantrill Carina , Clairfeuille Thomas , Dey Fabian , Di Giorgio Patrick , du Castel Pauline , Dylus David , Dzygiel Pawel , Felici Antonio , García-Alcalde Fernando , Haldimann Andreas , Leipner Matthew , Leyn Semen , Louvel Séverine , Misson Pauline , Osterman Andrei , Pahil Karanbir , Rigo Sébastien , Schäublin Adrian , Scharf Sebastian , Schmitz Petra , Stoll Theodor , Trauner Andrej , Zoffmann Sannah , Kahne Daniel , Young John A. T. , Lobritz Michael A. , Bradley Kenneth A.
Published: January 2024

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) has emerged as a major global pathogen with limited treatment options1. No new antibiotic chemical class with activity against A. baumannii has reached patients in over 50 years1. Here we report the identification and optimization of tethered macrocyclic peptide (MCP) antibiotics with potent antibacterial activity against CRAB. The mechanism of action of this molecule class involves blocking the transport of bacterial lipopolysaccharide from the inner membrane to its destination on the outer membrane, through inhibition of the LptB2FGC complex. A clinical candidate derived from the MCP class, zosurabalpin (RG6006), effectively treats highly drug-resistant contemporary isolates of CRAB both in vitro and in mouse models of infection, overcoming existing antibiotic resistance mechanisms. This chemical class represents a promising treatment paradigm for patients with invasive infections due to CRAB, for whom current treatment options are inadequate, and additionally identifies LptB2FGC as a tractable target for antimicrobial drug development.
SWECO25: a cross-thematic raster database for ecological research in Switzerland
Authors: Külling Nathan , Adde Antoine , Fopp Fabian , Schweiger Anna K. , Broennimann Olivier , Rey Pierre-Louis , Giuliani Gregory , Goicolea Teresa , Petitpierre Blaise , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Pellissier Loïc , Altermatt Florian , Lehmann Anthony , Guisan Antoine
Published: January 2024

Standard and easily accessible cross-thematic spatial databases are key resources in ecological research. In Switzerland, as in many other countries, available data are scattered across computer servers of research institutions and are rarely provided in standard formats (e.g., different extents or projections systems, inconsistent naming conventions). Consequently, their joint use can require heavy data management and geomatic operations. Here, we introduce SWECO25, a Swiss-wide raster database at 25-meter resolution gathering 5,265 layers. The 10 environmental categories included in SWECO25 are: geologic, topographic, bioclimatic, hydrologic, edaphic, land use and cover, population, transportation, vegetation, and remote sensing. SWECO25 layers were standardized to a common grid sharing the same resolution, extent, and geographic coordinate system. SWECO25 includes the standardized source data and newly calculated layers, such as those obtained by computing focal or distance statistics. SWECO25 layers were validated by a data integrity check, and we verified that the standardization procedure had a negligible effect on the output values. SWECO25 is available on Zenodo and is intended to be updated and extended regularly.
Study on synergistic inhibition and mechanism of flotation separation of fluorite and calcite by tannin and sodium humate
Authors: Zhu Zhi-xiong , Nie Guang-Hua , Tang Yun , Jiang Ying , Tuo Biyang , Li Jiaxin
Published: January 2024

At present, the separation technology of fluorite and calcite is still immature, and the research in this paper can promote the improvement of the separation technology of fluorite and calcite. The selective inhibition mechanism of tannin and humate sodium on calcite was studied by means of actual ore flotation test, single mineral flotation test, Zeta potential measurement and FT-IR spectroscopy. The results show that the mixture of tannin and sodium humate inhibitor has a good inhibitory effect on carbonate under weak alkaline condition. The reaction products of sodium humate, tannin and calcium ions in solution interact with organic compounds adsorbed on the surface of calcite, forming multilayer adsorption on the surface of calcite, making calcite more hydrophilic. Based on density functional theory, Materials Studio (MS) was used to calculate the relevant adsorption energy, and the result was as follows: (a) compared with fluorite, tannin and humate sodium molecules are more easily adsorbed on the surface of calcite. (b) Compared with calcite alone adsorption of tannin molecules or sodium humate molecules, the adsorption state will be more stable, and the effect of tannin and sodium humate synergistic inhibition of calcite is better than the effect of inhibition alone. Therefore, using tannin and sodium humate as a combination inhibitor can effectively separate fluorite and calcite, which will promote the development and utilization of fluorite ore in industry.
Peripheral blood BDNF and soluble CAM proteins as possible markers of prolonged disorders of consciousness: a pilot study
Authors: Coppola L. , Smaldone G. , Grimaldi A. M. , Estraneo A. , Magliacano A. , Soddu A. , Ciccarelli G. , Salvatore M. , Cavaliere C.
Published: January 2024

Although clinical examination still represents the gold standard for the differential diagnosis of prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC), the introduction of innovative markers is essential for diagnosis and prognosis, due to the problem of covert cognition. We evaluated the brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein (BDNF) and the soluble cell adhesion molecules proteins (CAMs) in a cohort of prolonged disorders of consciousness patients to identify a possible application in the clinical context. Furthermore, peripheral blood determinations were correlated with imaging parameters such as white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cranial standardized uptake value (cSUV), electroencephalography (EEG) data and clinical setting. Our results, although preliminary, identify BDNF as a possible blood marker for the diagnosis of pDoC (p value 0.001), the soluble CAMs proteins CD44, Vcam-1, E-selectin (p value < 0.01) and Icam-3 (p value < 0.05) showed a higher peripheral blood value in pDoC compared with control. Finally, soluble Ncam protein could find useful applications in the clinical evolution of the pDoC, showing high levels in the MCS and EMCS subgroups (p value < 0. 001) compared to VS/UWS.