bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of abdominal Tuina on behavioral function and 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor/synapsin-1 in hippocampal CA1 region of rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries
Authors: Wang Wei , Huang Yumei , Wang Dejun , Yi Xiqin , Ai Kun , Chen Chutao , Ge Junyun , Guo Chunxiu
Published: December 2023

Objective

To investigate the effects of abdominal Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) on behavioral function, 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor (5-HT1AR), and synapsin-1 (Syn1) in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries (HIBI).

Methods

Forty healthy neonatal rats, born of 5 specific pathogen-free healthy pregnant rats, were randomly divided into a group for modeling (n=28) and a sham operation group (n=12) on the 7th day of birth. In the group for modeling, 24 neonatal rats with HIBI successfully established by the Rice method were randomly divided into a model group (n=12) and an abdominal Tuina group (n=12). The abdominal Tuina group was given abdominal Tuina for 28 d from 24 h after modeling, and the other groups were put under the same conditions but without any treatments. Rats in each group were subjected to suspension tests on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days of intervention. After the intervention, the rat hippocampal tissue was collected and stained with hematoxylin-eosin to observe the pathological changes in the rat hippocampal CA1 region. The 5-HT1AR expression in rat hippocampal CA1 region was detected by immunehistochemistry. The Syn1 expression in rat hippocampus was measured by Western blotting method.

Results

The cells were disordered, and edema and necrosis appeared in the hippocampal CA1 region of the model group. Cell arrangement was clear, and edema was improved obviously in the hippocampal CA1 region of the abdominal Tuina group. Compared with the sham operation group, the suspension test scores, the number of 5-HT1AR positive cells, and Syn1 protein expression in the hippocampus decreased significantly in the model group after 21 d and 28 d of interventions (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the suspension test scores, the number of 5-HT1AR positive cells, and Syn1 protein expression increased significantly in the abdominal Tuina group after 21 d and 28 d of interventions (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Abdominal Tuina improves the behavioral function of upper limbs and up-regulates the expression levels of 5-HT1AR and Syn1 in the hippocampus of neonatal HIBI rats.
Efficacy of Tuina plus Ba Duan Jin for primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-induced blood stasis
Authors: Fu Jiali , Tan Xinxin , Li Yao , Zhang Renzhen , Long Shengquan , Ding Xi , Zhang Jiaxin , Wen Qiyu , Li Zhongzheng
Published: December 2023

Objective

To observe the effect of Ba Duan Jin (Eight-brocade Exercise) plus Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) in treating primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-induced blood stasis in female college students and on the score of fatigue scale-14 (FS-14).

Methods

Seventy-two female college students with primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-induced blood stasis were randomized into a Tuina group and a joint group, with 36 cases in each group. The Tuina group only received Tuina manipulations. In the joint group, besides the same Tuina manipulations, patients practiced Ba Duan Jin. For both groups, the once-daily intervention was conducted from 6 d before the menstrual period until menstrual day 1 for 3 menstrual cycles. Changes in the scores of COX menstrual symptom scale (CMSS), visual analog scale (VAS), and FS-14 after the intervention were observed. Clinical efficacy was also estimated.

Results

During the process, 1 case dropped out in the Tuina group, and 35 cases completed the intervention; 2 cases dropped out in the joint group, and 34 cases completed the intervention. The total effective rate was 94.1% in the joint group, higher than 88.6% in the Tuina group (P<0.05). After treatment, the symptom duration and intensity scores in the scores of CMSS, VAS, and FS-14 declined in both groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01); the CMSS symptom duration score and FS-14 score were lower in the joint group than in the Tuina group (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Tuina manipulations alone or combined with Ba Duan Jin practice can effectively treat primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-induced blood stasis in female college students; when combined with Ba Duan Jin practice, Tuina manipulations can more significantly improve pain duration and fatigue, suggesting the advantages of combining Tuina Gongfa and manipulations.
Acupuncture compound anesthesia for traditional thyroidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ye Zhe , Wang Dongcai , Wu Haibin , Lin Jiwei , Shu Jicheng
Published: December 2023

Objective

To assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture compound anesthesia (ACA) for traditional thyroidectomy.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying the use of ACA for traditional thyroidectomy were retrieved from PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), and China Biology Medicine Disc (CBM) from inception to September 30, 2021. Two investigators independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias and quality of the studies. Anesthesia effectiveness was the primary outcome, while the secondary outcomes included various pain scales, vital signs, analgesic consumption, and adverse events. Review Manager 5.3 was used for meta-analysis. Weighted mean difference (WMD), standardized mean difference (SMD), and confidence interval (CI) were used for statistical descriptions.

Results

A total of 16 papers were included, involving 1 228 patients. Meta-analysis showed that anesthesia effectiveness was significantly improved after adding acupuncture as an adjunct [SMD=0.62, 95%CI (0.40, 0.83), P<0.0001, I2=36%]. Besides, ACA can also moderate vital signs and reduce the feeling of pain [SMD=−1.61, 95%CI (−2.61, −0.61), P<0.00001, I2=95%], analgesic consumption, and adverse events. Subgroup analysis of the electroacupuncture (EA) group further revealed that the effectiveness of low-frequency EA [WMD=0.43, 95%CI (0.30, 0.55), P<0.00001, I2=15%] and the entire operative stimulation of EA [WMD=0.55, 95%CI (0.33, 0.77), P<0.00001, I2=0%] was significantly better than high-frequency EA and short-time stimulation of EA during the operation. Further, no significant difference existed between conventional analgesia and acupuncture analgesia.

Conclusion

ACA is beneficial to traditional thyroidectomy regarding efficacy and safety when acupuncture is applied as an adjunct. However, additional high-quality studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify the findings.
Clean air captures attention whereas pollution distracts: evidence from brain activities
Authors: Yang Jianxun , Liu Yunqi , van den Berg Berry , Wang Susie , Chen Lele , Liu Miaomiao , Bi Jun
Published: December 2023

Awareness of the adverse impact of air pollution on attention-related performance such as learning and driving is rapidly growing. However, there is still little known about the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. Using an adapted dot-probe task paradigm and event-related potential (ERP) technique, we investigated how visual stimuli of air pollution influence the attentional allocation process. Participants were required to make responses to the onset of a target presented at the left or right visual field. The probable location of the target was forewarned by a cue (pollution or clean air images), appearing at either the target location (attention-holding trials) or the opposite location (attention-shifting trials). Behavioral measures showed that when cued by pollution images, subjects had higher response accuracy in attention-shifting trials. ERP analysis results revealed that after the cue onset, pollution images evoked lower N300 amplitudes, indicating less attention-capturing effects of dirty air. After the target onset, pollution cues were correlated with the higher P300 amplitudes in attention-holding trials but lower amplitudes in attention-shifting trials. It indicates that after visual exposure to air pollution, people need more neurocognitive resources to maintain attention but less effort to shift attention away. The findings provide the first neuroscientific evidence for the distracting effect of air pollution. We conclude with several practical implications and suggest the ERP technique as a promising tool to understand human responses to environmental stressors.
Removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals from water through urethane functionalization of microfiltration membranes via electron beam irradiation
Authors: Niavarani Zahra , Breite Daniel , Yasir Muhammad , Sedlarik Vladimir , Prager Andrea , Schönherr Nadja , Abel Bernd , Gläser Roger , Schulze Agnes
Published: December 2023

Polyethersulphone (PES) membranes modified with urethane functional groups were prepared through an interfacial reaction using electron beam irradiation. The removal of eight endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) was studied using both pristine and functionalized PES membranes. The prepared membranes underwent characterization using several techniques, including attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, contact angle analysis, and measurements of pure water flux. Furthermore, dynamic adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the adsorption mechanism of the prepared membrane toward the eight EDCs. The urethane functionalized membranes were hydrophilic (52° contact angle) and maintained a high permeate flux (26000 L/h m2 bar) throughout the filtration process. Dynamic adsorption results demonstrated that the introduction of urethane functional groups on the membranes significantly enhanced the removal efficiency of 17β-estradiol, estriol, bisphenol A, estrone, ethinylestradiol, and equilin. The adsorption loading of 17β-estradiol on the functionalized PES membrane was 6.7 ± 0.7 mg/m2, exhibiting a 5-fold increase compared to the unmodified PES membrane. The membranes were successfully regenerated and reused for three adsorption cycles without experiencing any loss of adsorption capacity.
Association Between Wnt Target Genes and Cortical Volumes in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Dong Liling , Hou Bo , Liu Caiyan , Mao Chenhui , Huang Xinying , Shang Li , Chu Shanshan , Peng Bin , Cui Liying , Feng Feng , Gao Jing
Published: December 2023

The disproportionate cortical atrophy is an established biomarker for the pathophysiological process of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the genetic basis underlying the cortical atrophy remains poorly defined. Herein, we aim to illustrate the effect of the Wnt target genes on the cortical volumes of AD patients. 82 sporadic AD patients were recruited. All the subjects had history survey, blood biochemical examination, cognitive assessment, MRI morphometry and whole exome sequencing. This report focused on 84 common variants (minor allele frequency > 0.01) of 32 Wnt target genes, including the APC, DAAM1, DACT1, DISC1, LATS2, TLR2, WDR61, and the AXIN, DVL, FZD, LRP, TCF/LEF, WNT family genes. The Wnt target genes showed asymmetric effects on the cortical volumes of AD patients. The right temporal/parietal/occipital cortices were more affected than left temporal/parietal/occipital cortices. Nevertheless, the reverse applied to the frontal cortex. The DACT1 affected the cortical thickness most, followed by the TCF3 and APC. The DACT1 rs698025-GG genotype displayed greater right temporal pole and left medial orbito-frontal gyrus than rs698025-GA genotype (2.4 ± 0.4 vs. 2.0 ± 0.6, P = 0.005; 5.2 ± 0.6 vs. 5.0 ± 0.6, P = 0.001). The brain region most influenced by the Wnt target genes was the right calcarine cortex. In conclusion, the common variants of the Wnt target genes exert asymmetric effects on the cortical volumes of AD patients. The Wnt signaling pathway may play a role in the cortical atrophy of AD patients.
Fertility Has Been Framed: Why Family Planning Is Not a Silver Bullet for Sustainable Development
Authors: Senderowicz Leigh , Valley Taryn
Published: December 2023

High fertility and population growth have been framed as villains in global health and development. Inspired by neo-Malthusian concerns around resource depletion, scholars have argued that fertility reduction through increased contraceptive use is necessary to protect maternal health, prevent environmental disaster, and promote economic prosperity throughout the Global South. Despite substantial critique from feminist and anticolonial scholars, the scientific evidence behind these arguments has often been treated as established fact. This ostensible scientific consensus on the instrumental benefits of contraceptive use has been marshalled by the global family planning establishment in the wake of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development to justify continued efforts to maximize contraceptive uptake in the Global South. Here, we critically examine the evidence linking high fertility to adverse maternal health, environmental, and economic outcomes and evaluate whether reducing fertility through increased contraceptive use offers an effective strategy to address these challenges. We find the state of the evidence weaker and more conflicted than commonly acknowledged, with many claims relying on small effect sizes and/or unjustified assumptions. While increasing contraceptive uptake and reducing fertility may offer limited, marginal advantages, we argue that family planning cannot effectively address the multidimensional challenges of global poverty, ill health, and environmental degradation. Instead, global health and development should address root causes of these phenomena, while family planning programs must radically refocus on reproductive autonomy.
Parental perspectives on the use of fidget toys and sensory-seeking profiles in autistic and neurotypical children
Authors: Roche Megan A. , Back Elisa , Van Herwegen Jo
Published: December 2023

This study addresses the research gap concerning whether the use of fidget toys or fidget spinners specifically are perceived to support children and positively influence their behavioural and emotional wellbeing as well as investigating how these perceptions relate to children’s sensory-seeking profiles. 129 parents/carers of autistic children (n = 53) and neurotypical (NT) children (n = 76) completed an online survey. The survey consisted of questions relating to the benefits and risks of fidget toys as well as statements about their own child’s fidget toy use. The Sensory Profile 2 was used to obtain parents perspectives on their child’s sensory behaviours. The main findings demonstrated that parents of autistic children perceived fidget toys and fidget spinners to be overall more beneficial than NT parents, especially in relation to reducing anxiety. Higher sensory-seeking scores for both autistic children and NT children were associated with greater parental agreement for fidget toys and fidget spinners being beneficial. Parents of autistic children with higher sensory seeking scores found fidget toys to reduce anxiety and spinners to be less distracting. Whereas, parents of NT children with higher sensory seeking scores perceived both fidget toys and spinners to help their child concentrate. Implications include that educators should consider parental views when forming policies about the use of fidget toys. Findings also imply that the sensory profiles of autistic and NT students should be considered in relation to the use of fidget toys.
Aberrant Hippocampal Development in Early-onset Mental Disorders and Promising Interventions: Evidence from a Translational Study
Authors: Yang Jingyu , Guo Huiling , Cai Aoling , Zheng Junjie , Liu Juan , Xiao Yao , Ren Sihua , Sun Dandan , Duan Jia , Zhao Tongtong , Tang Jingwei , Zhang Xizhe , Zhu Rongxin , Wang Jie , Wang Fei
Published: December 2023

Early-onset mental disorders are associated with disrupted neurodevelopmental processes during adolescence. The methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) animal model, in which disruption in neurodevelopmental processes is induced, mimics the abnormal neurodevelopment associated with early-onset mental disorders from an etiological perspective. We conducted longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood in MAM rats to identify specific brain regions and critical windows for intervention. Then, the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) intervention on the target brain region during the critical window was investigated. In addition, the efficacy of this intervention paradigm was tested in a group of adolescent patients with early-onset mental disorders (diagnosed with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder) to evaluate its clinical translational potential. The results demonstrated that, compared to the control group, the MAM rats exhibited significantly lower striatal volume from childhood to adulthood (all P <0.001). In contrast, the volume of the hippocampus did not show significant differences during childhood (P >0.05) but was significantly lower than the control group from adolescence to adulthood (both P <0.001). Subsequently, rTMS was applied to the occipital cortex, which is anatomically connected to the hippocampus, in the MAM models during adolescence. The MAM-rTMS group showed a significant increase in hippocampal volume compared to the MAM-sham group (P <0.01), while the volume of the striatum remained unchanged (P >0.05). In the clinical trial, adolescents with early-onset mental disorders showed a significant increase in hippocampal volume after rTMS treatment compared to baseline (P <0.01), and these volumetric changes were associated with improvement in depressive symptoms (r = − 0.524, P = 0.018). These findings highlight the potential of targeting aberrant hippocampal development during adolescence as a viable intervention for early-onset mental disorders with neurodevelopmental etiology as well as the promise of rTMS as a therapeutic approach for mitigating aberrant neurodevelopmental processes and alleviating clinical symptoms.
Falling Short of Clinical Recommendations: Low Uptake of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in Ontario, Canada—Results from the Ontario Gay Men’s Health Survey
Authors: MacPherson Paul , Razmjou Sahar , O’Byrne Patrick
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Despite the high prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and incidence of associated anal cancer among men who have sex with men (MSM) and the recommendation that all MSM in Canada receive the HPV vaccine, uptake of the vaccine remains low. The objective of this study was to identify correlates of HPV vaccination among MSM to expose gaps and better inform vaccination strategies and policies.

Methods

Data were collected from an anonymous, online, self-administered survey of MSM in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province. Participants were recruited by network and snowball sampling from June 2018 to March 2019.

Results

Of 1788 survey respondents, only 27.3% reported having received the HPV vaccine. Those who were vaccinated tended to be ≤ 30 years of age, live in an urban center, have more sexual partners, and more frequently access sexual health services. Having a primary care provider was not associated with HPV vaccination.

Conclusion

These data mandate increased efforts to deliver the HPV vaccine to MSM.

Policy Implications

Our data suggest at least four areas for policy reform to help increase HPV vaccine uptake among MSM. First, public funding of the HPV vaccine should be aligned with clinical recommendations and the vaccine should be available free of charge to MSM irrespective of age. Second, sexual health clinics, as clinics of choice for sexual minorities, should be supported and the HPV vaccine should be bundled with other sexual health services. Third, innovative strategies should be developed and funded to better deliver the HPV vaccine to older MSM and those living in rural areas. Finally, policymakers must remember the MSM population is diverse, and data acquired from MSM living in large metropolitan centers should not be the sole source of information used to inform health policies for this population. More awareness of and data from men living outside urban settings is needed.
Comparing Social Perceptions of Culturally Emic Protagonists Using the Stereotype Content Model
Authors: Schemmerling Moritz , Friehs Maria-Therese , Kotzur Patrick F. , Bastias Franco , De Keersmaecker Jonas , Macedo Francisco G. , Neto Felix , Neto Joana , Pietraszkiewicz Agnieszka , Schmid Katharina , Sczesny Sabine , Torres Claudio , Boehnke Klaus
Published: December 2023

Abstract: Cross-cultural comparisons are often based on a single itemset that is used in several cultures and languages being translated semantically correct. In contrast, a new, emic, approach measures the same construct with individually created items for each culture and language. To test this emic approach, the current paper used the stereotype content model (SCM) with its dimensions, warmth, and competence. It is used to compare perceptions of people, residing in different countries, speaking different languages. The current paper reports a study ( N = 2,901) that tests whether an adapted scale allows reliable and structurally valid measurement and comparisons of culturally emic protagonists on SCM dimensions across four languages (English, German, Portuguese, Spanish) in eight countries (United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Brazil, Spain, Argentina). The warmth dimension emerges as largely universal, but the competence dimension is a more culture-specific construct. Cross-cultural comparisons as to the competence dimension should be treated with care.
The Unfair Share of Shade in California’s Central Valley
Authors: Tamayo Andrea
Published: December 2023

Researchers find that disadvantaged communities in Fresno are significantly sunnier and hotter than wealthier ones.
Accelerating Toward Water Security
Authors: Moors Eddy , V�r�smarty Charles , Jewitt Graham , Cak Anthony
Published: December 2023

Halfway through the United Nations' push for sustainable development, there is backsliding on the goal of "clean water and sanitation for all." Water experts and stakeholders are out to change this.
Surface Ocean Cooling in the Eocene North Atlantic Coincides With Declining Atmospheric CO2
Authors: Inglis Gordon N. , Bhatia Rehemat , Evans David , Zhu Jiang , Müller Wolfgang , Mattey David , Thornalley David J. R. , Stockey Richard G. , Wade Bridget S.
Published: December 2023

The Eocene (56–34 million years ago) is characterized by declining sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the low latitudes (∼4°C) and high southern latitudes (∼8–11°C), in accord with decreasing CO2 estimates. However, in the mid‐to‐high northern latitudes there is no evidence for surface water cooling, suggesting thermal decoupling between northern and southern hemispheres and additional non‐CO2 controls. To explore this further, we present a multi‐proxy (Mg/Ca, δ18O, TEX86) SST record from Bass River in the western North Atlantic. Our compiled multi‐proxy SST record confirms a net decline in SSTs (∼4°C) between the early Eocene Climatic Optimum (53.3–49.1 Ma) and mid‐Eocene (∼44–41 Ma), supporting declining atmospheric CO2 as the primary mechanism of Eocene cooling. However, from the mid‐Eocene onwards, east‐west North Atlantic temperature gradients exhibit different trends, which we attribute to incursion of warmer waters into the eastern North Atlantic and inception of Northern Component Water across the early‐middle Eocene transition.
A Flat‐Lying Transitional Free Gas to Gas Hydrate System in a Sand Layer in the Qiongdongnan Basin of the South China Sea
Authors: Kuang Zenggui , Cook Ann , Ren Jinfeng , Deng Wei , Cao Yuncheng , Cai Huimin
Published: December 2023

Most marine gas hydrate systems follow a vertical pattern with hydrate overlying free gas. Here we document the discovery of a gas to hydrate system in a horizontal sand layer in the Qiongdongnan Basin of the South China Sea. Eight wells were drilled by the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey in 2021–2022 to investigate the occurrence and mechanisms responsible for the formation of the system. We describe a free gas‐bearing sand reservoir at the center of the system sustained by advecting hot fluids and gas; away from the advecting zone, the cooler, surrounding sand reservoir is filled with hydrate. Observations at this site show that advective heat has a large control on hydrate formation in sands and may be a key mechanism which allows gas migration within the hydrate stability zone and the formation of high‐saturation hydrate in sand layers.
Juno Plasma Wave Observations at Europa
Authors: Kurth W. S. , Wilkinson D. R. , Hospodarsky G. B. , Santolík O. , Averkamp T. F. , Sulaiman A. H. , Menietti J. D. , Connerney J. E. P. , Allegrini F. , Mauk B. H. , Bolton S. J.
Published: December 2023

Juno passed by Europa at an altitude of 355 km on 29 September, day 272, 2022. As one of Juno's in situ science instruments, the Waves instrument obtained observations of plasma waves that are essential contributors to Europa's interaction with its environment. Juno observed chorus, a band at the upper hybrid frequency providing the local plasma density, and electrostatic solitary structures in the wake. In addition, impulses due to micron‐sized dust impacts on Juno were recorded with a local maximum very close to Europa. The peak electron density near Europa was ∼330 cm−3 while the surrounding magnetospheric density was in the range of 50–150 cm−3. There was a significant separation between the Europa flyby and Juno's crossing of Jupiter's magnetic equator, enabling a unique identification of effects associated with the moon as opposed to magnetospheric phenomena normally occurring at the magnetic equator near 10 Jovian radii.
Chemical Impact of Stratospheric Alumina Particle Injection for Solar Radiation Modification and Related Uncertainties
Authors: Vattioni Sandro , Luo Beiping , Feinberg Aryeh , Stenke Andrea , Vockenhuber Christof , Weber Rahel , Dykema John A. , Krieger Ulrich K. , Ammann Markus , Keutsch Frank , Peter Thomas , Chiodo Gabriel
Published: December 2023

Compared to stratospheric SO2 injection for climate intervention, alumina particle injection could reduce stratospheric warming and associated adverse impacts. However, heterogeneous chemistry on alumina particles, especially chlorine activation via , is poorly constrained under stratospheric conditions, such as low temperature and humidity. This study quantifies the uncertainty in modeling the ozone response to alumina injection. We show that extrapolating the limited experimental data for ClONO2 + HCl to stratospheric conditions leads to uncertainties in heterogeneous reaction rates of almost two orders of magnitude. Implementation of injection of 5 Mt/yr of particles with 240 nm radius in an aerosol‐chemistry‐climate model shows that resulting global total ozone depletions range between negligible and as large as 9%, that is more than twice the loss caused by chlorofluorocarbons, depending on assumptions on the degree of dissociation and interaction of the acids HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4 on the alumina surface.
Southward Shift and Intensification of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the North Pacific Across the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition
Authors: Wang Xingxing , Wang Yue , Dyez Kelsey A. , Ravelo A. Christina , Sun Chunxiao , Liu Fenghao , Jiang Xiaoying , Jian Zhimin
Published: December 2023

The Hadley Circulation and associated westerlies strengthened and moved equatorward across the mid‐Pleistocene transition (MPT). However, the evolution of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is still elusive due to the scarcity of long‐term hydrological records from regions sensitive to the ITCZ change. Here, high‐resolution sea surface salinity estimates derived from surface‐dwelling planktic foraminiferal δ18O and Mg/Ca in Ocean Drilling Program Site 871 reveal a long‐term freshening trend in the central equatorial Pacific across the MPT. We attribute this secular reorganization of the precipitation‐evaporation balance to the gradual southward migration and intensification of ITCZ in the North Pacific. It is inferred that the long‐term evolution of the ITCZ was modulated by the increased meridional sea surface temperature gradients and the enhancements of trade winds across the MPT.
A Granitic Mylonite Is Strongest Parallel to Lineation in a High‐Temperature Plastic Field
Authors: Shao Tongbin , Wang Xiaoning , Li Jianfeng , Zhou Yongsheng , Song Maoshuang
Published: December 2023

The effects of preexisting fabrics on the flow laws and anisotropic deformation of rocks require further study. We conducted triaxial compression experiments on a granitic mylonite parallel to lineation (X), perpendicular to lineation and parallel to foliation (Y), and perpendicular to foliation (Z) under a pressure of 300 MPa, temperatures of 800–1,000°C, and strain rates of ∼2.5 × 10−6–10−4 s−1 using a Paterson gas‐medium apparatus. The low stress exponent (n = 1.9–5.8), high activation energy (Q = 325–802 kJ/mol), and macrostructures (distributed for most samples) and microstructures (such as kinked, folded and elongated biotite, elongated quartz and feldspar, microcracks within quartz and feldspar, and melt wetting and dissolution of quartz and feldspar) suggest that the deformation is dominated by dislocation creep, along with brittle regime at ≤∼850°C and likely diffusion creep at ≥900°C. Dehydration melting of biotite causes more obvious melt wetting of quartz and feldspar boundaries, lower n values at ≥950°C, and the maximum changes in n and Q along the Z‐direction, since the biotite alignment defines the foliation. Under the same conditions, the X‐direction samples consistently display the greatest strengths, which would have been for the Z‐direction samples as reported previously, and most obvious deformation localization, mainly due to the alignment of the elongated quartz and feldspar along this direction. Microcracks always occur in quartz but are tensile when compressed perpendicular to the foliation plane and compressively sheared when shortened parallel to the foliation plane. These tensile microcracks further weaken the rock samples with axes perpendicular to foliation.
Unraveling the Fate of Impacted Ice Particles and the Consequences for Plume Fly‐Through Missions
Authors: Scott Valerie , Jiang Hao , Li Bo , Burke Sally E. , Miller Morgan E. C. , Continetti Robert E. , Hofmann Amy E.
Published: December 2023

Planetary exploration mission concepts that include flying directly through material for collection and/or analysis are becoming increasingly common, with Enceladus water ice particles offering a particularly high‐value target. Despite this interest, understanding and predicting what happens to ice samples upon impacting a surface at the high‐ and hyper‐velocities expected for these missions remains a critical knowledge gap. We describe a set of custom simulations using the Hot Optimal Transportation Meshfree method that was implemented to better understand ice impacts. We then compare the simulations with relevant experimental results from the Aerosol Impact Spectrometer. These simulations and experiments illustrate the complex relationship between different energy dissipation mechanisms and how they affect the fate of the particle. These results highlight the importance of understanding the implications of this complex physics on successful sample collection and transfer in order to achieve the scientific goals of the mission.
Core–shell structured carbon dots with up-conversion fluorescence and photo-triggered nitric oxide-releasing properties
Authors: Wu Xiaoyan , Wang Meiyan , Yu Feng , Cai Hao , Tedesco Antonio Claudio , Li Zijian , Bi Hong
Published: December 2023

A modular nanoplatform was constructed on the basis of novel core–shell structured carbon dots which shows an up-conversion fluorescence for bioimaging and a photo-triggered nitric oxide-releasing property beneficial for photodynamic therapy.
Biomarkers of heart failure: advances in omics studies
Authors: Chi Kuo , Liu Jing , Li Xinghua , Wang He , Li Yanliang , Liu Qingnan , Zhou Yabin , Ge Yuan
Published: December 2023

Different multi-omics-based approaches for discovering novel HF biomarkers are reported.
Radical coupling of aryl halides to arenes facilitated by Ni(COD)(DQ) and other nickel sources
Authors: Tyerman Seb , Robertson Craig M. , Murphy John A.
Published: December 2023

Evidence is presented for coupling through an aryl radical mechanism for a number of nickel sources.
α-Alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols by an active non-noble metal Cu/CuOx catalyst
Authors: Yang Dongyuan , Wang Hongli , Chang Chun-Ran
Published: December 2023

An active heterogeneous non-noble metal Cu/CuOx catalyst was prepared by reduction of calcined CuO in hydrogen flow at different temperatures and applied in α-alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols to give the alkylated products in 50–96% yields.
Recent advances in selective mono-/dichalcogenation and exclusive dichalcogenation of C(sp2)–H and C(sp3)–H bonds
Authors: Wang Chang-Sheng , Xu Yuan , Wang Shao-Peng , Zheng Chun-Ling , Wang Guowei , Sun Qiao
Published: December 2023

This review comprehensively summarizes the recent advances in selective mono-/dichalcogenation and exclusive dichalcogenation of various C–H bonds via transition-metal-catalyzed/mediated, photocatalytic, electrochemical or metal-free approaches.
Thermally induced intermetallic Rh1Zn1 nanoparticles with high phase-purity for highly selective hydrogenation of acetylene
Authors: Lan Xiaocheng , Wang Yu , Liu Boyang , Kang Zhenyu , Wang Tiefeng
Published: December 2023

A novel strategy for preparing a Rh1Zn1 intermetallic phase catalyst with high selectivity for acetylene hydrogenation.
Physical adversarial attack in artificial intelligence of things
Authors: Ma Xin , Yang Kai , Zhang Chuanzhen , Li Hualing , Zheng Xin
Published: December 2023

With the continuous development of wireless communication and artificial intelligence technology, Internet of Things (IoT) technology has made great progress. Deep learning methods are currently used in IoT technology, but deep neural networks (DNNs) are notoriously susceptible to adversarial examples, and subtle pixel changes to images can result in incorrect recognition results from DNNs. In the real‐world application, the patches generated by the recent physical attack methods are larger or less realistic and easily detectable. To address this problem, a Generative Adversarial Network based on Visual attention model and Style transfer network (GAN‐VS) is proposed, which reduces the patch area and makes the patch more natural and less noticeable. A visual attention model combined with generative adversarial network is introduced to detect the critical regions of image recognition, and only generate patches within the critical regions to reduce patch area and improve attack efficiency. For any type of seed patch, an adversarial patch can be generated with a high degree of stylistic and content similarity to the attacked image by generative adversarial network and style transfer network. Experimental evaluation shows that the proposed GAN‐VS has good camouflage and outperforms state‐of‐the‐art adversarial patch attack methods.
Collaborative operation optimization of distribution system and virtual power plants using multi‐agent deep reinforcement learning with parameter‐sharing mechanism
Authors: Sun Zhonghao , Lu Tianguang
Published: December 2023

With the increasing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into distribution systems, the optimization of system operation has become complex, facing challenges such as inadequate consideration of market participants’ benefits, poor computational efficiency, and data privacy concerns. This paper introduces the concept of a virtual power plant (VPP) as a solution for energy integration and management. To strike a balance between operational safety and the interests of market participants, a dual‐layer model is proposed. This model considers the benefits of both Distribution System Operators (DSO) and VPP, while also enhancing the consideration of distribution network constraints. The DSO considers AC optimal power flow and utilizes penalty functions to ensure network security in case of violations. To enhance computational efficiency and privacy, the paper presents the parameter‐sharing twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient approach. This approach allows multiple intelligent agents to share a neural network model, effectively reducing the computational load. During the training process, only essential data is exchanged among the agents, ensuring the privacy of sensitive information. The effectiveness of the proposed model and the algorithm is validated through a case study on an IEEE 33‐node system.
Close accord on partial discharge diagnosis during voltage harmonics in electric motors fed by variable frequency drives
Authors: Hassan Waqar , Akmal Muhammad , Hussain Ghulam Amjad , Raza Ali , Shafiq Muhammad
Published: December 2023

Partial discharge (PD) diagnostics test is a reliable solution for estimating insulation health conditions in power system components. During laboratory PD diagnostics, the effect of harmonic components in the voltage waveform generated by variable frequency drives (VFD) fed electric motors (EMs) is often overlooked. As VFD‐fed EMs operate at low speeds, the harmonic concentration in the voltage increases. It has been found that PD activity in VFD‐fed EM is significantly affected by the addition of harmonic components in the voltage, thus making it necessary to consider their impact when performing true PD diagnostics. This paper investigates the influence of voltage harmonic distortion produced in VFD‐fed EM on PD severity and the subsequent insulation degradation. Eight VFD‐fed EM are used to study the PD behaviour under different levels of harmonic pollution. The PD characteristics, such as inception voltage, pulse repetition rate, accumulated apparent charge, average discharge current, discharge power, and quadratic rate, are determined. Using probability distribution functions, PD activity and severity at various voltage harmonic levels are estimated. The proposed technique can be used to plan the maintenance activities that ensure the reliability for industrial applications dealing with the voltage harmonic distortion.
Generalizable stereo depth estimation with masked image modelling
Authors: Tukra Samyakh , Xu Haozheng , Xu Chi , Giannarou Stamatia
Published: December 2023

Generalizable and accurate stereo depth estimation is vital for 3D reconstruction, especially in surgery. Supervised learning methods obtain best performance however, limited ground truth data for surgical scenes limits generalizability. Self‐supervised methods don't need ground truth, but suffer from scale ambiguity and incorrect disparity prediction due to inconsistency of photometric loss. This work proposes a two‐phase training procedure that is generalizable and retains the high performance of supervised methods. It entails: (1) performing self‐supervised representation learning of left and right views via masked image modelling (MIM) to learn generalizable semantic stereo features (2) utilizing the MIM pre‐trained model to learn robust depth representation via supervised learning for disparity estimation on synthetic data only. To improve stereo representations learnt via MIM, perceptual loss terms are introduced, which improve the model's stereo representations learnt by explicitly encouraging the learning of higher scene‐level features. Qualitative and quantitative performance evaluation on surgical and natural scenes shows that the approach achieves sub‐millimetre accuracy and lowest errors respectively, setting a new state‐of‐the‐art. Despite not training on surgical nor natural scene data for disparity estimation.
Magneto‐electric dipole antenna array for 77 GHz automotive radar
Authors: Bu Dinuo , Qu Shi‐Wei
Published: December 2023

A 1 × 4 magneto‐electric dipole (ME dipole) antenna array for 77 GHz automotive radar is proposed. The ME dipole is fed by a fork‐shaped microstrip line coupling through a dog‐bone slot. To meet the requirements aimed at automotive radar applications, the beamwidths of the proposed antenna are well‐designed. Specially, a method of adding passive elements on both sides of the array is proposed to increase the 3 dB beamwidth from ±34° to ±52° in azimuth. Additionally, in elevation, a 3 dB beamwidth of ±10° is achieved by designing the spacing between array elements. Moreover, based on low‐loss printed circuit board substrates, radiation efficiency of the proposed array can reach approximately 90% at 77 GHz. Furthermore, a 4 × 4 array is established by arranging four 1 × 4 subarrays spacing 1.95 mm (half a free‐space wavelength at 77 GHz) to study the interactions between subarrays for multiple input multiple output scenarios. A 1 × 4 and a 4 × 4 antenna prototypes are fabricated and measured to validate the correctness of this design. The results show that the proposed antenna is an eligible candidate for the medium‐ and short‐range automotive radars.
The dispersion measure contributions of the cosmic web
Authors: Walker Charles R. H. , Spitler Laura G. , Ma Yin-Zhe , Cheng Cheng , Artale Maria Celeste , Hummels Cameron B.
Published: December 2023

Context. The large-scale distribution of baryons, commonly referred to as the cosmic web, is sensitive to gravitational collapse, mergers, and galactic feedback processes, and its large-scale structure (LSS) can be classified as halos, filaments, and voids. Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are extragalactic transient radio sources that undergo dispersion along their propagation paths. These systems provide insight into ionised matter along their sightlines by virtue of their dispersion measures (DMs), and have been investigated as probes of the LSS baryon fraction, the diffuse baryon distribution, and of cosmological parameters. Such efforts are highly complementary to the study of intergalactic medium (IGM) through X-ray observations, the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, and galaxy populations.

Aims. We use the cosmological simulation IllustrisTNG to study FRB DMs accumulated while traversing different types of LSS.

Methods. We combined methods for deriving electron density, classifying LSS, and tracing FRB sightlines through TNG300-1. We identified halos, filaments, voids, and collapsed structures along randomly selected sightlines, and calculated their DM contributions.

Results. We present a comprehensive analysis of the redshift-evolving cosmological DM components of the cosmic web. We find that the filamentary contribution to DM dominates, increasing from ∼71% to ∼80% on average for FRBs originating at z = 0.1 versus z = 5, while the halo contribution falls, and the void contribution remains consistent to within ∼1%. The majority of DM variance between sightlines originates from halo and filamentary environments, potentially making void-only sightlines more precise probes of cosmological parameters. We find that, on average, an FRB originating at z = 1 will intersect ∼1.8 foreground collapsed structures of any mass, with this value increasing to ∼12.4 structures for an FRB originating at z = 5. The measured impact parameters between our sightlines and TNG structures of any mass appear consistent with those reported for likely galaxy-intersecting FRBs. However, we measure lower average accumulated DMs from these structures than the ∼90 pc cm−3 DM excesses reported for these literature FRBs, indicating that some of this DM may arise from beyond the structures themselves.
Prediction of Preterm Delivery Using Serum Ischemia Modified Albumin, Biglycan, and Decorin Levels in Women with Threatened Preterm Labor
Authors: Biyik Ismail , Soysal Cenk , Ince Ozlem Ulas Onur , Durmus Sinem , Oztas Efser , Keskin Nadi , Isiklar Ozben Ozden , Karaagac Oğuz Han , Gelisgen Remise , Uzun Hafize
Published: December 2023

Objective The serum ischemia modified albumin (IMA), biglycan, and decorin levels of pregnant women who were hospitalized for threatened preterm labor were measured.

Methods Fifty-one consecutive pregnant women with a single pregnancy between the 24th and 36th weeks with a diagnosis of threatened preterm labor were included in the present prospective cohort study.

Results As a result of multivariate logistic regression analysis for predicting preterm delivery within 24 hours, 48 hours, 7 days, 14 days, ≤ 35 gestational weeks, and ≤ 37 gestational weeks after admission, area under the curve (AUC) (95% confidence interval [CI[) values were 0.95 (0.89–1.00), 0.93 (0.86–0.99), 0.91 (0.83–0.98), 0.92 (0.85–0.99), 0.82 (0.69–0.96), and 0.89 (0.80–0.98), respectively. In the present study, IMA and biglycan levels were found to be higher and decorin levels lower in women admitted to the hospital with threatened preterm labor and who gave preterm birth within 48 hours compared with those who gave birth after 48 hours.

Conclusion In pregnant women admitted to the hospital with threatened preterm labor, the prediction preterm delivery of the combined model created by adding IMA, decorin, and biglycan in addition to the TVS CL measurement was higher than the TVS CL measurement alone.

Clinical trial registration The present trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04451928.
Arabin-pessary or McDonald Cerclage in Cervical Shortening?
Authors: Jafarzade Aytaj , Aghayeva Sveta , Mungan Tamer , Biri Aydan , Ekiz Osman Ufuk
Published: December 2023

Objective The aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of Arabin pessary and McDonald cervical cerclage on preterm delivery.

Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of data from patients who underwent either Arabin pessary or McDonald cerclage between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2023. A total of 174 patients were included in the study, with 31 undergoing Arabin pessary and 143 receiving cervical cerclage using the McDonald technique in singleton pregnant women with cervical insufficiency, which applied between 14 and 22 gestational weeks. We included singleton pregnant women with normal morphology, and with normal combined test. The primary outcome was the impact of each method on preterm delivery (< 34 gestational weeks).

Results The weeks of cervical cerclage or pessary application were compatible with each other (p < 0.680). The pessary group had a statistically significant longer time to delivery compared with the Cerclage group (cerclage group mean 30.8 c 7.1 standard deviation [SD] versus pessary group mean 35.1 ± 4.4 SD; p < 0.002). A statistically significant difference was found between the pessary and cerclage groups in terms of delivery at < 34 weeks (p = 0.002). In patients with cervical length between 25 and 15mm and < 15mm, no significant difference was found between the pessary and cerclage groups in terms of delivery week (p < 0.212; p < 0.149). Regardless of the technique applied, no statistically significant difference was observed between cervical length and birth < 34 weeks.

Conclusion Our study found that pessary use for cervical insufficiency is statistically more effective than cervical cerclage surgery in preventing preterm births < 34 weeks in singleton pregnancy.