bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
After the fire: A qualitative study of the role of long-term recovery organizations in addressing rural communities’ post-wildfire needs
Authors: Moloney Kathleen , Vickery Jamie , Hess Jeremy , Errett Nicole
Published: May 2023

U.S. wildfire activity has increased over the past several decades, disrupting the systems and infrastructure that support community health and resilience. As the cumulative burden of wildfire damage is projected to increase, understanding an effective community recovery process is critically important. Through qualitative interviews with leaders of long-term recovery organizations (LTROs), a key component of wildfire recovery, we explored barriers and facilitators to LTROs’ ability to support post-wildfire needs among rural communities. Between February-May 2022, we conducted surveys and semi-structured interviews with 18 leaders from six LTROs serving rural communities in Washington, Oregon, and California impacted by wildfires between 2015–2020. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Framework informed the semi-structured interview guide and a priori codebook, to examine LTROs’ ability to address post-wildfire community needs from a health equity perspective. Additional codes were added through an inductive approach, and emerging themes were identified. Our findings indicate that LTROs face many barriers in addressing community needs post-wildfire, including the policies governing access to and the slow arrival of recovery resources, the intertwined nature of community economic health and built environment restoration, and the challenge of forming a functional LTRO structure. However, participants also identified facilitators of LTROs’ work, including the ability of LTROs and their government partners to adapt policies and procedures, and close collaboration with other community organizations. Factors both internal and external to the community and LTROs’ organizational characteristics influence their ability to address community needs, essential to health, post-wildfire. This study’s findings suggest the need for policy improvements to promote more equitable recovery resource access, that economic recovery should be a core LTRO function, and that recovery planning should be incorporated into community disaster preparedness activities. Future research should focus on LTROs’ role in other contexts and in response to other disasters.
Refined count of oriented real rational curves
Authors: Blomme Thomas
Published: May 2023

We introduce a quantum index for oriented real curves inside toric varieties. This quantum index is related to the computation of the area of the amoeba of the curve for some chosen

2
2

-form. We then make a refined signed count of oriented real rational curves solution to some enumerative problem. This generalizes the 2017 results of Mikhalkin to higher dimension. Finally, we use the tropical approach to relate these new refined invariants to previously known tropical refined invariants.
The relationship between β-amylase and the degradation of starch temporarily stored in rice leaf blades
Authors: Sugimura Yu , Fukayama Hiroshi , Michiyama Hiroyasu , Hirano Tatsuya
Published: May 2023

Starch is stored temporarily in the leaves during the day but degraded during the night. In this study, we investigated the relationship between diurnal changes in starch content in rice leaf blades and the mRNA levels of β-amylase genes. In addition to the known plastid-type β-amylases OsBAM2 and OsBAM3, OsBAM4, and OsBAM5 were also identified as plastid targeted proteins. In the leaf blades, starch contents, which reached its maximum at the end of day, showed two periods of marked decrease: from 18:00 to 21:00 and from 24:00 to 6:00. The expression of OsBAM2, OsBAM3, OsBAM4, and OsBAM5 was maintained at a low level from 18:00 to 21:00 but increased strongly after midnight. Furthermore, β-amylase activity gradually increased after 21:00, reaching a maximum during the early morning. These results suggest that in rice leaf blades, β-amylase plays an important role in starch degradation by being highly active from midnight to dawn.
A comparison of the efficacy of Skindex-16 and Skindex-29 in dermatomyositis
Authors: Dan Joshua , Sprow Grant , Concha Josef , Patel Jay  , Kodali Nilesh , Diaz DeAnna , Vazquez Thomas , Werth Victoria P
Published: May 2023

Recently, more emphasis has been placed on patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials, which has inadvertently led to an increase in respondent burden. In this study, we found that the Skindex-16 form captures patient-reported quality of life in dermatomyositis as well as the Skindex-29 form but with fewer questions. Additional questions regarding photosensitivity, body image and cosmetic use did not correlate with skin activity in dermatomyositis.
Validation of a microRNA liquid biopsy assay for diagnosis and risk stratification of invasive cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Van Laar Ryan , Latif Babak , King Sam , Love Christopher , Taubenheim Nadine , Kalansooriya Esha , Wang Wandi , Saad Mirette , Winship Ingrid , Azzi Anthony , Lilleyman Alister , Landgren Tony
Published: May 2023

Background

Noninvasive molecular biomarkers are needed to improve the early, accurate and precise diagnosis of invasive cutaneous melanoma.

Objectives

To independently validate a previously identified circulating microRNA signature of melanoma (MEL38), and, secondly, to develop a complementary microRNA signature, optimized for prognostication.

Patients and Methods

MicroRNA expression profiling was performed on plasma samples from a multicentre observational case–control study, involving patients with primary or metastatic melanoma, melanoma in situ, nonmelanoma skin cancer, or benign naevi. MicroRNA profiles from patients with length of survival, treatment and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) data were used to develop the prognostic signature. The primary outcome of interest for MEL38 was its association with melanoma status, including area under the curve, binary diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, and incidence-adjusted positive and negative predictive values. The prognostic signature was assessed using rates of survival per risk group and relationship to conventional predictors of outcome.

Results

Circulating microRNA profiles of 372 patients with invasive melanoma and 210 control individuals were generated. The average age of all participants was 59 years; 49% were male. A MEL38 score > 5.5 indicated the presence of invasive melanoma. Overall, 551/582 (95%) of patients were correctly diagnosed, with 93% sensitivity and 98% specificity. MEL38 score ranged from 0 to 10 with an area under the curve of 0.98 (95% confidence interval 0.97–0.99, P < 0.001). A novel prognostic 12-microRNA signature (MEL12) developed from 232 patients identified low-, standard- or high-risk groups, with 94%, 78% and 58% rates of 10-year melanoma-specific survival, respectively (log-rank P < 0.001). MEL12 prognostic risk groups were significantly associated with clinical staging (χ2, P < 0.001) and SLNB status (P = 0.027). Patients who were classified as high risk by MEL12 were approximately three times more likely to have melanoma detected in their sentinel lymph nodes compared to low-risk patients. 

Conclusions

The circulating MEL38 signature may assist in diagnosing patients with invasive melanoma vs. other conditions associated with a lower – or negligible – risk of mortality. A complementary and prognostic MEL12 signature is predictive of SLNB status, clinical stage and probability of survival. Plasma microRNA profiling may help to optimize existing diagnostic pathways as well as enable personalized, risk-informed melanoma treatment decisions.
Choroid plexus mis-splicing and altered cerebrospinal fluid composition in myotonic dystrophy type 1
Authors: Nutter Curtis A , Kidd Benjamin M , Carter Helmut A , Hamel Johanna I , Mackie Philip M , Kumbkarni Nayha , Davenport Mackenzie L , Tuyn Dana M , Gopinath Adithya , Creigh Peter D , Sznajder Łukasz J , Wang Eric T , Ranum Laura P W , Khoshbouei Habibeh , Day John W , Sampson Jacinda B , Prokop Stefan , Swanson Maurice S
Published: May 2023

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is a dominantly inherited multisystemic disease caused by CTG tandem repeat expansions in the DMPK 3′ untranslated region. These expanded repeats are transcribed and produce toxic CUG RNAs that sequester and inhibit activities of the MBNL family of developmental RNA processing factors. Although myotonic dystrophy is classified as a muscular dystrophy, the brain is also severely affected by an unusual cohort of symptoms, including hypersomnia, executive dysfunction, as well as early onsets of tau/MAPT pathology and cerebral atrophy. To address the molecular and cellular events that lead to these pathological outcomes, we recently generated a mouse Dmpk CTG expansion knock-in model and identified choroid plexus epithelial cells as particularly affected by the expression of toxic CUG expansion RNAs.

To determine if toxic CUG RNAs perturb choroid plexus functions, alternative splicing analysis was performed on lateral and hindbrain choroid plexi from Dmpk CTG knock-in mice. Choroid plexus transcriptome-wide changes were evaluated in Mbnl2 knockout mice, a developmental-onset model of myotonic dystrophy brain dysfunction. To determine if transcriptome changes also occurred in the human disease, we obtained post-mortem choroid plexus for RNA-seq from neurologically unaffected (two females, three males; ages 50–70 years) and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (one female, three males; ages 50–70 years) donors. To test that choroid plexus transcriptome alterations resulted in altered CSF composition, we obtained CSF via lumbar puncture from patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (five females, five males; ages 35–55 years) and non-myotonic dystrophy patients (three females, four males; ages 26–51 years), and western blot and osmolarity analyses were used to test CSF alterations predicted by choroid plexus transcriptome analysis.

We determined that CUG RNA induced toxicity was more robust in the lateral choroid plexus of Dmpk CTG knock-in mice due to comparatively higher Dmpk and lower Mbnl RNA levels. Impaired transitions to adult splicing patterns during choroid plexus development were identified in Mbnl2 knockout mice, including mis-splicing previously found in Dmpk CTG knock-in mice. Whole transcriptome analysis of myotonic dystrophy type 1 choroid plexus revealed disease-associated RNA expression and mis-splicing events. Based on these RNA changes, predicted alterations in ion homeostasis, secretory output and CSF composition were confirmed by analysis of myotonic dystrophy type 1 CSF. Our results implicate choroid plexus spliceopathy and concomitant alterations in CSF homeostasis as an unappreciated contributor to myotonic dystrophy type 1 CNS pathogenesis.
TERT and BRAF V600E mutations in thyroid cancer of World Trade Center Responders
Authors: van Gerwen Maaike , Cerutti Janete Maria , Mendes Thais Biude , Brody Rachel , Genden Eric , Riggins Gregory J , Taioli Emanuela
Published: May 2023

The 2-fold excess thyroid cancer risk reported in multiple World Trade Center (WTC) disaster exposed cohorts cannot entirely be explained by surveillance and physician bias thus highlighting the need to investigate the potential consequences of the dust exposure, containing carcinogenic and endocrine disruptive elements, on the thyroid. This study investigated the presence of TERT promoter and BRAF V600E mutations in 20 WTC-exposed versus 23 matched non-exposed thyroid cancers as potential mechanism explaining the excess risk. Although no significant difference in BRAF V600E mutation was found, TERT promoter mutations were significantly more prevalent in WTC thyroid cancer versus non-exposed thyroid cancers (P = 0.021). The odds of a TERT promoter mutation was significantly higher in the WTC versus the non-WTC thyroid cancers after adjustment [ORadj: 7.11 (95% CI: 1.21–41.83)]. These results may indicate that exposure to the mixture of pollutants present in the WTC dust resulted in an excess thyroid cancer risk and potentially more aggressive thyroid cancer, warranting investigating WTC responders on thyroid-associated symptoms during their health checkups. Future studies should include long-term follow-up to provide important insights in whether thyroid-specific survival is negatively affected by WTC dust exposure and whether this is because of the presence of one or more driver mutations.
Inter-individual variability during neurodevelopment: an investigation of linear and nonlinear resting-state EEG features in an age-homogenous group of infants
Authors: Davoudi Saeideh , Schwartz Tyler , Labbe Aurélie , Trainor Laurel , Lippé Sarah
Published: May 2023

Electroencephalography measures are of interest in developmental neuroscience as potentially reliable clinical markers of brain function. Features extracted from electroencephalography are most often averaged across individuals in a population with a particular condition and compared statistically to the mean of a typically developing group, or a group with a different condition, to define whether a feature is representative of the populations as a whole. However, there can be large variability within a population, and electroencephalography features often change dramatically with age, making comparisons difficult. Combined with often low numbers of trials and low signal-to-noise ratios in pediatric populations, establishing biomarkers can be difficult in practice. One approach is to identify electroencephalography features that are less variable between individuals and are relatively stable in a healthy population during development. To identify such features in resting-state electroencephalography, which can be readily measured in many populations, we introduce an innovative application of statistical measures of variance for the analysis of resting-state electroencephalography data. Using these statistical measures, we quantified electroencephalography features commonly used to measure brain development—including power, connectivity, phase-amplitude coupling, entropy, and fractal dimension—according to their intersubject variability. Results from 51 6-month-old infants revealed that the complexity measures, including fractal dimension and entropy, followed by connectivity were the least variable features across participants. This stability was found to be greatest in the right parietotemporal region for both complexity feature, but no significant region of interest was found for connectivity feature. This study deepens our understanding of physiological patterns of electroencephalography data in developing brains, provides an example of how statistical measures can be used to analyze variability in resting-state electroencephalography in a homogeneous group of healthy infants, contributes to the establishment of robust electroencephalography biomarkers of neurodevelopment through the application of variance analyses, and reveals that nonlinear measures may be most relevant biomarkers of neurodevelopment.
Long-term outcome of thoracoscopic ablation and radiofrequency catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation as a de novo procedure
Authors: Kim Juwon , Kim Ju Youn , Jeong Dong Seop , Chung Tae-Wan , Park Seung-Jung , Park Kyoung-Min , Kim June Soo , Lee Joo Myung , On Young Keun
Published: May 2023

Aims

Limited data are available regarding the efficacy of thoracoscopic ablation as the first procedure for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to compare the long-term efficacy of thoracoscopic ablation vs. radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation as the first procedure for persistent AF.

Methods and results

Between February 2011 and December 2020, 575 patients who underwent ablation for persistent AF were studied. Among them, thoracoscopic ablation was performed in 281 patients, RF catheter ablation in 228, and hybrid ablation in 66. Rhythm, clinical, and safety outcomes during 7-year follow-up were compared. The patients who underwent thoracoscopic ablation were older, had a higher prevalence of stroke, and had a larger left atrial volume than those who underwent RF catheter ablation. In the propensity score-matched population (n = 306), incidences of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence were 51.4% in the thoracoscopic ablation group and 62.5% in the RF catheter ablation group [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.869, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.618–1.223, P = 0.420]. Stroke and total procedural adverse events were not significantly different between thoracoscopic and RF catheter ablation (2.7 vs. 2.5%, P = 0.603, and 7.1 vs. 4.8%, P = 0.374, respectively). The hybrid ablation group showed similar rhythm outcomes compared with both the thoracoscopic and the RF catheter ablation groups. At the redo procedure, pulmonary vein gaps were more frequently observed in the RF catheter ablation group (32.6%) than in the thoracoscopic ablation group (7.9%) and in the hybrid ablation group (8.8%) (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

As a first procedure in persistent AF, thoracoscopic ablation and RF catheter ablation showed comparable efficacy, clinical, and safety outcomes during long-term follow-up.
Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation patients without previous oral anticoagulants or stable under warfarin: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Liu Shin-Huei , Chao Tze-Fan , Chan Yi-Hsin , Liao Jo-Nan , Chen Tzeng-Ji , Lip Gregory Y H , Chen Shih-Ann
Published: May 2023

Aims

Investigations on non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients without taking any oral anticoagulants (OACs) or staying well on warfarin were limited. We aimed to investigate the associations between stroke prevention strategies and clinical outcomes among AF patients who were previously well without taking any OACs or stayed well on warfarin for years.

Methods and results

The retrospective analysis included a total of 54 803 AF patients who did not experience an ischaemic stroke or intra-cranial haemorrhage (ICH) for years after AF was diagnosed. Among these patients, 32 917 patients who did not receive OACs were defined as the ‘original non-OAC cohort’ (group 1), and 8007 patients who continuously received warfarin were defined as the ‘original warfarin cohort’ (group 2). In group 1, compared to non-OAC, warfarin showed no significant difference in ischaemic stroke (aHR 0.979, 95%CI 0.863–1.110, P = 0.137) while those initiated NOACs were associated with lower risk (aHR 0.867, 95%CI 0.786–0.956, P = 0.043). When compared to warfarin, the composite of ‘ischaemic stroke or ICH’ and ‘ischaemic stroke or major bleeding’ was significantly lower in the NOAC initiator with an aHR of 0.927 (95%CI 0.865–0.994; P = 0.042) and 0.912 (95%CI 0.837–0.994; P < 0.001), respectively. In group 2, when compared to warfarin, those shifted to NOACs were associated with a lower risk of ischaemic stroke (aHR 0.886, 95%CI 0.790–0.993, P = 0.002) and major bleeding (aHR 0.849, 95%CI 0.756–0.953, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The NOACs should be considered for AF patients who were previously well without taking OACs and those who were free of ischaemic stroke and ICH under warfarin for years.
Tolerance-conferring defensive symbionts and the evolution of parasite virulence
Authors: Smith Cameron A , Ashby Ben
Published: May 2023

Defensive symbionts in the host microbiome can confer protection from infection or reduce the harms of being infected by a parasite. Defensive symbionts are therefore promising agents of biocontrol that could be used to control or ameliorate the impact of infectious diseases. Previous theory has shown how symbionts can evolve along the parasitism–mutualism continuum to confer greater or lesser protection to their hosts and in turn how hosts may coevolve with their symbionts to potentially form a mutualistic relationship. However, the consequences of introducing a defensive symbiont for parasite evolution and how the symbiont may coevolve with the parasite have received relatively little theoretical attention. Here, we investigate the ecological and evolutionary implications of introducing a tolerance-conferring defensive symbiont into an established host–parasite system. We show that while the defensive symbiont may initially have a positive impact on the host population, parasite and symbiont evolution tend to have a net negative effect on the host population in the long term. This is because the introduction of the defensive symbiont always selects for an increase in parasite virulence and may cause diversification into high- and low-virulence strains. Even if the symbiont experiences selection for greater host protection, this simply increases selection for virulence in the parasite, resulting in a net negative effect on the host population. Our results therefore suggest that tolerance-conferring defensive symbionts may be poor biocontrol agents for population-level infectious disease control.
Post-injury Inhibition of Endothelin-1 Dependent Renal Vasoregulation Mitigates Rhabdomyolysis-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Afolabi Jeremiah M , Kanthakumar Praghalathan , Williams Jada D , Kumar Ravi , Soni Hitesh , Adebiyi Adebowale
Published: May 2023

In patients with rhabdomyolysis, the overwhelming release of myoglobin into the circulation is the primary cause of kidney injury. Myoglobin causes direct kidney injury as well as severe renal vasoconstriction. An increase in renal vascular resistance (RVR) results in renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) reduction, tubular injury, and acute kidney injury (AKI). The mechanisms that underlie rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI are not fully understood but may involve the local production of vasoactive mediators in the kidney. Studies have shown that myoglobin stimulates endothelin-1 (ET-1) production in glomerular mesangial cells. Circulating ET-1 is also increased in rats subjected to glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis. However, the upstream mechanisms of ET-1 production and downstream effectors of ET-1 actions in rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI remain unclear. Vasoactive ET-1 is generated by ET converting enzyme 1 (ECE-1)-induced proteolytic processing of inactive big ET to biologically active peptides. The downstream ion channel effectors of ET-1-induced vasoregulation include the transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily C member 3 (TRPC3). This study demonstrates that glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis in Wistar rats promotes ECE-1-dependent ET-1 production, RVR increase, GFR decrease, and AKI. Rhabdomyolysis-induced increases in RVR and AKI in the rats were attenuated by post-injury pharmacological inhibition of ECE-1, ET receptors, and TRPC3 channels. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of TRPC3 channels attenuated ET-1-induced renal vascular reactivity and rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. These findings suggest that ECE-1-driven ET-1 production and downstream activation of TRPC3-dependent renal vasoconstriction contribute to rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. Hence, post-injury inhibition of ET-1-mediated renal vasoregulation may provide therapeutic targets for rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI.
3-D imaging of the Balmuccia peridotite body (Ivrea–Verbano zone, NW-Italy) using controlled source seismic data
Authors: Ryberg Trond , Haberland Christian , Wawerzinek Britta , Stiller Manfred , Bauer Klaus , Zanetti Alberto , Ziberna Luca , Hetényi György , Müntener Othmar , Weber Michael M , Krawczyk Charlotte M
Published: May 2023

We provide new results from a controlled-source seismic experiment on the deepest part of the Val Sesia crust–mantle section of the Ivrea–Verbano zone (IVZ) in the Italian Alps. The IVZ is a tilted, almost complete section through the continental crust and exposes gabbros and peridotites in the structurally deepest level, coinciding with high-resolution gravity anomalies imaging the Ivrea geophysical body. The seismic experiment SEIZE (SEismic imaging of the Ivrea ZonE) was conducted along two crossing profiles: an NNE-SSW profile of ∼11 km length and an E-W profile of ∼16 km length. 432 vibration points were recorded with 110 receivers resulting in 24 392 traveltime picks. Inversion methods using Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques have been used to derive an isotropic 3-D P-wave velocity model based on first break traveltimes (refracted phases) from controlled source seismic data. Resulting seismic P-wave velocities (Vp ) range from 4.5 to 7.5 km s−1, with an expected general trend of increasing velocities with depth. A sharp velocity change from low Vp in the West to high Vp in the East marks the Insubric Zone (ISZ), the Europe–Adria plate boundary. The most prominent feature of the 3-D tomography model is a high-velocity body (Vp increases from 6 to 7.5 km s−1) that broadens downwards. Its pointy shape peaks the surface East of Balmuccia at a location coincident with the exposed Balmuccia peridotite. Considering rock physics, high-resolution gravity and other geophysical data, we interpret this high-velocity body as dominantly composed of peridotite. The dimension of this seismically imaged peridotite material is far bigger than interpreted from geological cross-sections and requires a revision of previous models. The interpretation of ultramafic bodies in the IVZ as fragments of mantle peridotites interfingered in the crust during pre-Permian accretion is not supported by the new data. Instead, we revive a model that the contact between the Balmuccia peridotite and the Permian mafic magmas might represent a fossil continental crust–mantle transition zone.
Elucidating the toxic effect and disease mechanisms associated with Lyso-Gb3 in Fabry disease
Authors: Nikolaenko Valeria , Warnock David G , Mills Kevin , Heywood Wendy E
Published: May 2023

Fabry disease stems from a deficiency of alpha-galactosidase and results in the accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). However, the production of its deacylated form globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb3) is also observed and its plasma levels have closer association with disease severity. Studies have shown that lyso-Gb3 directly affects podocytes and causes sensitisation of peripheral nociceptive neurons. However, little is understood of the mechanisms of this cytotoxicity. To study the effect on neuronal cells, we incubated SH-Sy5y cells with lyso-Gb3 at low (20 ng/mL) and high (200 ng/mL) levels, to mimic mild and classical FD serum levels. We used glucosylsphingosine as a positive control to determine specific effects of lyso-Gb3. Proteomic analyses revealed that cellular systems affected by lyso-Gb3 included cell signalling particularly protein ubiquitination and protein translation. To confirm ER/proteasome perturbations, we performed an immune enrichment of ubiquitinated proteins and demonstrated specific increased protein ubiquitination at both doses. The most ubiquitinated proteins observed included the chaperone/heat shock proteins, cytoskeletal proteins and synthesis/translation proteins. To detect proteins that interact directly with lyso-Gb3, we immobilised lyso-lipids, then incubated them with neuronal cellular extracts and identified bound proteins using mass spectrometry. Proteins that specifically bound were chaperones and included HSP90, HSP60 and the TRiC complex. In conclusion, lyso-Gb3 exposure affects pathways involved in protein translation and folding. This response is observed as increased ubiquitination and changes in signalling proteins which may explain the multiple biological processes, particularly cellular remodelling, often associated with FD.
Typical meteorological year data analysis for optimal usage of energy systems at six selected locations in Nigeria
Authors: Kilanko Oluwaseu , Oyedepo Sunday O , Dirisu Joseph O , Leramo Richard O , Babalola Philip , Aworinde Abraham K , Udo Mfon , Okonkwo Alexander M , Akomolafe Marvelous I
Published: May 2023

In this study, the typical meteorological year (TMY) data for six locations representing the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria were generated and analyzed using the Sandia method. The analysis shows that seasonal variations exist in all the selected locations indicating two distinct seasons: the dry and wet seasons with varying lengths from north to south of the country. Due to its high global radiation levels (21–25 MJ/m2/d), the North is a desirable location for solar-thermal systems. In addition, the high monthly mean temperature variations (~18°C), low relative humidity (RHM) (15%) and constant wind speeds (4 m/s) experienced in the first 3 months of the year aid the installation of wind energy systems and the application of evaporative cooling techniques that reduce the thermal load and energy consumption of buildings. On the other side, the high RHM (80%) and mediocre radiation values derived almost throughout the year in the Southwest, Southeast and South–south regions discourages the extensive application of evaporative cooling and solar energy-based systems in such locations, but the moderate wind speeds (2.9 m/s) and monthly mean temperature variations associated with these regions between the first 3 months of the year allow for the application of natural ventilation and some passive cooling systems so as to reduce the thermal load of buildings in the regions. The information presented in this work can serve as a guide for design and selection of energy systems and application of energy-related projects in Nigeria.
Proof of the Strong Ivić Conjecture for the Cubic Moment of Maass-Form L-Functions
Authors: Qi Zhi
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we prove the following asymptotic formula for the spectral cubic moment of central $L$-values: $$\begin{align*}& \sum_{t_f \leqslant T} \frac{2 L \big( \tfrac 1 2, f \big)^3} {L(1, \textrm{Sym}^2 f)} + \frac{2} {\pi} \int_{ 0}^{T} \frac{\left| \zeta \big(\tfrac 1 2 + it \big) \right|^{6}} { | \zeta (1 + 2 it ) |^2 } \textrm{d} t = T^2 P_3 (\log T) + O (T^{1+{\varepsilon}}), \end{align*}$$where $f$ ranges in an orthonormal basis of (even) Hecke–Maass cusp forms and $P_3$ is a certain polynomial of degree $3$. It improves on the error term $O (T^{8/7+{\varepsilon} })$ in a paper of Ivić and hence confirms his strong conjecture for the cubic moment. This is the 1st time that the (strong) moment conjecture is fully proven in a cubic case. Moreover, we establish the short-interval variant of the above asymptotic formula on intervals of length as short as $T^{{\varepsilon} }$.
Fluorescent and Bioluminescent Reporter Mouse-Adapted Ebola Viruses Maintain Pathogenicity and Can Be Visualized in Vivo
Authors: Davies Katherine A , Welch Stephen R , Jain Shilpi , Sorvillo Teresa E , Coleman-McCray JoAnn D , Montgomery Joel M , Spiropoulou Christina F , Albariño César , Spengler Jessica R
Published: May 2023

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes lethal disease in humans but not in mice. Here, we generated recombinant mouse-adapted (MA) EBOVs, including 1 based on the previously reported serially adapted strain (rMA-EBOV), along with single-reporter rMA-EBOVs expressing either fluorescent (ZsGreen1 [ZsG]) or bioluminescent (nano-luciferase [nLuc]) reporters, and dual-reporter rMA-EBOVs expressing both ZsG and nLuc. No detriment to viral growth in vitro was seen with inclusion of MA-associated mutations or reporter proteins. In CD-1 mice, infection with MA-EBOV, rMA-EBOV, and single-reporter rMA-EBOVs conferred 100% lethality; infection with dual-reporter rMA-EBOV resulted in 73% lethality. Bioluminescent signal from rMA-EBOV expressing nLuc was detected in vivo and ex vivo using the IVIS Spectrum CT. Fluorescent signal from rMA-EBOV expressing ZsG was detected in situ using handheld blue-light transillumination and ex vivo through epi-illumination with the IVIS Spectrum CT. These data support the use of reporter MA-EBOV for studies of Ebola virus in animal disease models.
Influence of mineral ions on the growth and fermentation performance of Dekkera bruxellensis GDB248
Authors: Silva Rayssa Karla , Pita Will de Barros , Junior Marcos Antonio de Morais , de Souza Rafael Barros
Published: May 2023

The excess of minerals in the industrial substrates is detrimental for Saccharomyces cerevisiae ethanol fermentation performance. In this work, we sought to understand the effect of some of those minerals on the physiology of Dekkera bruxellensis. Three groups of minerals were classified on the basis of the aerobic growth profiles on glucose neutrals (K+, Mg2+, P5+, and Zn2+), inducers (Mn2+ and Ca2+), and inhibitors (Al3+, Cu2+, and Fe2+). Cu2+ showed the highest mineral toxicity, and its effect was dependent on the level of medium aeration. On the other hand, copper stimulated respiration by increasing growth on respiratory carbon sources. Most growth inhibitors also hampered glucose fermentation, with changes in carbon distribution to metabolic routes dedicated to anabolic reactions and for alternative reduced cofactors oxidations to maintain cellular homeostasis. The negative effect of Cu2+ on yeast fermentation was partially alleviated by Mg2+ and Mn2+, similar to magnesium antagonism observed for S. cerevisiae. All these results might contribute to understand the action of these minerals in sugarcane substrates on the physiology of D. bruxellensis cells. Therefore, it represents one more step for the consolidation of the industrial use of this yeast in the production of fuel ethanol as well as other biotechnological goods.
Trajectories of coronal mass ejection from solar-type stars
Authors: Menezes Fabian , Valio Adriana , Netto Yuri , Araújo Alexandre , Kay Christina , Opher Merav
Published: May 2023

The Sun and other solar-type stars have magnetic fields that permeate their interior and surface, extend through the interplanetary medium, and are the main drivers of stellar activity. Stellar magnetic activity affects the physical processes and conditions of the interplanetary medium and orbiting planets. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most impactful of these phenomena in near-Earth space weather and consist of plasma clouds with a magnetic field, ejected from the solar corona. Precisely predicting the trajectory of CMEs is crucial in determining whether a CME will hit a planet and impact its magnetosphere and atmosphere. Despite the rapid developments in the search for stellar CMEs, their detection is still very incipient. In this work, we aim to better understand the propagation of CMEs by analysing the influence of initial parameters on CME trajectories, such as position, velocities, and the stellar magnetic field’s configuration. We reconstruct magnetograms for Kepler-63 (KIC 11554435) and Kepler-411 (KIC 11551692) from spot transit mapping, and use a CME deflection model, ForeCAT, to simulate trajectories of hypothetical CMEs launched into the interplanetary medium from Kepler-63 and Kepler-411. We apply the same methodology to the Sun, for comparison. Our results show that in general deflections and rotations of CMEs decrease with their radial velocity and increase with ejection latitude. Moreover, magnetic fields stronger than the Sun’s, such as Kepler-63’s, tend to cause greater CME deflections.
A chance of rain: investigating the effects of stochastic charging on the orbital dynamics and precipitation of nanodust in Saturn’s rings
Authors: Mace M J T , Birkinshaw M , Leinhardt Z M
Published: May 2023

The precipitation of dusty material via unstable orbits on to Saturn from the ring plane is a phenomenon known as ring rain. A key open question for Saturn’s rings is whether silicates and organics rain out of the rings on to Saturn faster than water ice. Such preferential precipitation of dusty material would ‘clean’ the rings and make them appear youthful. In this paper, we investigate the stability of orbiting dust that is stochastically charged and may precipitate on to the planet, be ejected from the system, or remain stable over the duration of our numerical integrations. We find no clear relationship between dust particles’ launch locations in the main rings and their final deposition latitudes on the planet because the orbital motion is sensitive to initial conditions and the charging environment, but averaging over distributions of dust particle properties should lead to high-resolution stability maps for dust in the rings and deposition distributions on the planet, and hence predictions for the observable $\rm H_3^+$ emission strength.
The mass-loss rates of star clusters with stellar-mass black holes: implications for the globular cluster mass function
Authors: Gieles Mark , Gnedin Oleg Y
Published: May 2023

Stellar-mass black holes (BHs) can be retained in globular clusters (GCs) until the present. Simulations of GC evolution find that the relaxation driven mass-loss rate is elevated if BHs are present, especially near dissolution. We capture this behaviour in a parametrized mass-loss rate, bench marked by results from N-body simulations, and use it to evolve an initial GC mass function (GCMF), similar to that of young massive clusters in the Local Universe, to an age of 12 Gyr. Low-metallicity GCs ([Fe/H] ≲ −1.5) have the highest mass-loss rates, because of their relatively high BH masses, which combined with their more radial orbits and stronger tidal field in the past explains the high turnover mass of the GCMF ($\sim 10^5\, {\rm M}_\odot$ ) at large Galactic radii ($\gtrsim 10\, {\rm kpc}$ ). The turnover mass at smaller Galactic radii is similar because of the upper mass truncation of the initial GCMF and the lower mass-loss rate due to the higher metallicities. The density profile in the Galaxy of mass lost from massive GCs ($\gtrsim 10^{5}\, {\rm M}_\odot$ ) resembles that of nitrogen-rich stars in the halo, confirming that these stars originated from GCs. We conclude that two-body relaxation is the dominant effect in shaping the GCMF from a universal initial GCMF, because including the effect of BHs reduces the need for additional disruption mechanisms.
Surveying nearby brown dwarfs with HGCA: direct imaging discovery of a faint, high-mass brown dwarf orbiting HD 176535 A
Authors: Li Yiting , Brandt Timothy D , Brandt G Mirek , An Qier , Franson Kyle , Dupuy Trent J , Chen Minghan , Bowens-Rubin Rachel , Lewis Briley L , Bowler Brendan P , Gibbs Aidan , Kiman Rocio , Faherty Jacqueline , Currie Thayne , Jensen-Clem Rebecca , Zhang Hengyue , Contreras-Martinez Ezequiel , Fitzgerald Michael P , Mazin Benjamin A , Millar-Blanchaer Maxwell
Published: May 2023

Brown dwarfs with well-measured masses, ages, and luminosities provide direct benchmark tests of substellar formation and evolutionary models. We report the first results from a direct imaging survey aiming to find and characterize substellar companions to nearby accelerating stars with the assistance of the Hipparcos–Gaia Catalog of Accelerations (HGCA). In this paper, we present a joint high-contrast imaging and astrometric discovery of a substellar companion to HD 176535 A, a K3.5V main-sequence star aged approximately $3.59_{-1.15}^{+0.87}$ Gyr at a distance of 36.99 ± 0.03 pc. In advance of our high-contrast imaging observations, we combined precision High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) Radial Velocities (RVs) and HGCA astrometry to predict the potential companion’s location and mass. We thereafter acquired two nights of KeckAO/NIRC2 direct imaging observations in the L′ band, which revealed a companion with a contrast of $\Delta L^{\prime }_p = 9.20\pm 0.06$ mag at a projected separation of ≈0.35 arcsec (≈13 au) from the host star. We revise our orbital fit by incorporating our dual-epoch relative astrometry using the open-source Markov chain Monte Carlo orbit fitting code orvara. We obtain a dynamical mass of $65.9_{-1.7}^{+2.0} M_{\rm Jup}$ that places HD 176535 B firmly in the brown dwarf regime. HD 176535 B is a new benchmark dwarf useful for constraining the evolutionary and atmospheric models of high-mass brown dwarfs. We found a luminosity of $\rm log(\mathit{ L}_{bol}/L_{\odot }) = -5.26\pm 0.07$ and a model-dependent effective temperature of 980 ± 35 K for HD 176535 B. We infer HD 176535 B to be a T dwarf from its mass, age, and luminosity. Our dynamical mass suggests that some substellar evolutionary models may be underestimating luminosity for high-mass T dwarfs. Given its angular separation and luminosity, HD 176535 B would make a promising candidate for Aperture Masking Interferometry with JWST and GRAVITY/Keck Planet Imager and Characterizer, and further spectroscopic characterization with instruments like the CHARIS/SCExAO/Subaru integral field spectrograph.
Galaxy cluster SZ detection with unbiased noise estimation: an iterative approach
Authors: Zubeldia Íñigo , Rotti Aditya , Chluba Jens , Battye Richard
Published: May 2023

Multi-frequency matched filters (MMFs) are routinely used to detect galaxy clusters from CMB data through the thermal Sunyaev–Zeldovich (tSZ) effect, leading to cluster catalogues that can be used for cosmological inference. In order to be applied, MMFs require knowledge of the cross-frequency power spectra of the noise in the maps. This is typically estimated from the data and taken to be equal to the power spectra of the data, assuming the contribution from the tSZ signal of the detections to be negligible. Using both analytical arguments and Planck-like mock observations, we show that doing so causes the MMF noise to be overestimated, inducing a loss of signal to noise. Furthermore, the MMF cluster observable (the amplitude $\hat{y}_0$ or the signal to noise q) does not behave as expected, which can potentially bias cosmological inference. In particular, the observable becomes biased with respect to its theoretical prediction and displays a variance that also differs from its predicted value. We propose an iterative MMF (iMMF) approach designed to mitigate these effects. In this approach, after a first standard MMF step, the noise power spectra are reestimated by masking the detections from the data, delivering an updated iterative cluster catalogue. Applying our iMMF to our Planck-like mock observations, we find that the aforementioned effects are completely suppressed. This leads to a signal-to-noise gain relative to the standard MMF, with more significant detections and a higher number of them, and to a cluster observable with the expected theoretical properties, thus eliminating any potential biases in the cosmological constraints.
Follow-up timing of 24 pulsars discovered in commensal radio astronomy FAST survey
Authors: Wu Q D , Yuan J P , Wang N , Li D , Wang P , Xue M Y , Zhu W W , Miao C C , Yan W M , Wang J B , Yao J M , Wang S Q , Sun S N , Kou F F , Tu Z Y , Xie J T , Pan Z C , Zhao D , Chen Y T , Dang S J , Feng Y , Liu Z J , Miao X L , Meng L Q , Yuan M , Niu C H , Niu J R , Qian L , Wang S , Xie X Y , Xiao Y F , Yue Y L , You S P , Yu X H , Zhao R S , Zhang L , Yuen R , Wen Z G , Tedila H M
Published: May 2023

The follow-up timing observations were carried out for 24 pulsars discovered with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) in Commensal Radio Astronomy FAST Survey. We report their phase-connected timing ephemeris, polarization pulse profiles, and Faraday rotation measurements. With their spin periods spanning from 2.995 ms to 4.34 s, their period derivatives were determined to spread between 7.996(8) × 10−21 and 9.83(3) × 10−15 s s−1, which imply that they have characteristic ages from 1.97 × 106 to 5.93 × 109 yr. It is inferred that PSRs J0211+4235 and J0518+2431 are beyond the ‘traditional death line’. PSR J0211+4235 is beyond the ‘death valley’. The death line model of Zhang et al. also cannot explain the radio presence of PSR J0211+4235. This suggests that radiation theory needs to be improved. Besides, ten of the 22 canonical pulsars show nulling phenomena. Moreover, PSR J1617+1123 exhibits variation of emission and J0540+4542 shows subpulse drifting. The DM of five pulsars is larger than the estimated by the YMW16 electron density model, which could suggest that electron density models need updates for higher Galactic latitude regions. PSRs J0447+2447 and J1928−0548 are isolated millisecond pulsars. With their flux densities spanning from 5(1)–553(106) μJy, some of these new pulsars found by FAST are distant, dim, and low-$\dot{E}$ ones and are suitable for testing pulsar emission theories.
Formation of globular clusters in dwarf galaxies of the Local Group
Authors: Chen Yingtian , Gnedin Oleg Y
Published: May 2023

The existence of globular clusters (GCs) in a few satellite galaxies, and their absence in majority of dwarf galaxies, present a challenge for models attempting to understand the origins of GCs. In addition to GC presence appearing stochastic and difficult to describe with average trends, in the smallest satellite galaxies GCs contribute a substantial fraction of total stellar mass. We investigate the stochasticity and number of GCs in dwarf galaxies using an updated version of our model that links the formation of GCs to the growth of the host galaxy mass. We find that more than 50 per cent of dwarf galaxies with stellar mass $M_{\star }\lesssim 2\times 10^7\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ do not host GCs, whereas dwarfs with $M_{\star }\sim 10^8\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ almost always contain some GCs, with a median number ∼10 at z  = 0. These predictions are in agreement with the observations of the Local Volume dwarfs. We also confirm the near-linear GC system mass–halo mass relation down to $M_{\mathrm{h}}\simeq 10^8\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ under the assumption that GC formation and evolution in galaxies of all mass can be described by the same physical model. A detailed case study of two model dwarfs that resemble the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy shows that observational samples can be notably biased by incompleteness below detection limit and at large radii.
The Schönberg–Chandrasekhar limit in presence of small anisotropy and modified gravity
Authors: Chowdhury Shaswata , Sarkar Tapobrata
Published: May 2023

The Schönberg–Chandrasekhar limit in post-main-sequence evolution for stars of masses in the range 1.4 ≲ M/M⊙ ≲ 6 gives the maximum pressure that the stellar core can withstand, once the central hydrogen is exhausted. It is usually expressed as a quadratic function of 1/α, with α being the ratio of the mean molecular weight of the core to that of the envelope. Here, we revisit this limit in scenarios where the pressure balance equation in the stellar interior may be modified, and in the presence of small stellar pressure anisotropy, that might arise due to several physical phenomena. Using numerical analysis, we derive a three parameter-dependent master formula for the limit, and discuss various physical consequences. As a by-product, in a limiting case of our formula, we find that in the standard Newtonian framework, the Schönberg–Chandrasekhar limit is best-fit by a polynomial that is linear, rather than quadratic, to lowest order in 1/α.
A new small glitch in Vela discovered with a hidden Markov model
Authors: Dunn L , Melatos A , Espinoza C M , Antonopoulou D , Dodson R
Published: May 2023

A striking feature of the Vela pulsar (PSR J0835−4510) is that it undergoes sudden increases in its spin frequency, known as glitches, with a fractional amplitude of the order of 10−6 approximately every 900 d. Glitches of smaller magnitudes are also known to occur in Vela. Their distribution in both time and amplitude is less well constrained but equally important for understanding the physical process underpinning these events. In order to better understand these small glitches in Vela, an analysis of high-cadence observations from the Mount Pleasant Observatory is presented. A hidden Markov model (HMM) is used to search for small, previously undetected glitches across 24 yr of observations covering MJD 44929 to MJD 53647. One previously unknown glitch is detected around MJD 48636 (1992 January 15), with fractional frequency jump Δf/f = (8.19 ± 0.04) × 10−10 and frequency derivative jump $\Delta \dot{f}/\dot{f} = (2.98 \pm 0.01) \times 10^{-4}$ . Two previously reported small glitches are also confidently redetected, and independent estimates of their parameters are reported. Excluding these events, 90 per cent confidence frequentist upper limits on the sizes of missed glitches are also set, with a median upper limit of $\Delta f^{90~{{\% }}}/f = 1.35 \times 10^{-9}$. Upper limits of this kind are enabled by the semi-automated and computationally efficient nature of the HMM, and are crucial to informing studies that are sensitive to the lower end of the glitch size distribution.