bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioaccumulation for heavy metal removal: a review
Authors: Nnaji Nnabueze Darlington , Onyeaka Helen , Miri Taghi , Ugwa Chinenye
Published: April 2023

This paper reviews plants and microorganisms removal of heavy metals from contaminated sites through bioaccumulation. Increased industrial activities have led to the uncontrolled release of metals into the environment, resulting in a global increase in metal pollution. Heavy metals are also consumed from the surface of glasses over a prolonged period of use. Heavy metal pollution is a serious problem that can have wide-ranging and long-lasting impacts on human health and the environment. Therefore, effective removal and remediation of heavy metal pollution are crucial to protect human and ecological health. Traditional methods of heavy metal removal, such as chemical treatment and physical removal, can be costly and can also have negative impacts on the environment. The utilization of plants and microorganisms for bioremediation of metal-polluted environments has proven effective for removing metals through accumulation and/or detoxification. This method is effective, economical, versatile, and environmentally friendly. Bioaccumulation utilizes plants and microorganisms to absorb and remove heavy metals from contaminated sites. This method is not only cost-effective but also helps to minimize the environmental impact of heavy metal pollution. Additionally, bioaccumulation can be used in combination with other techniques, such as phytostabilization and phytodegradation, to further improve the efficiency of heavy metal removal. The paper also discusses the use of plants and microorganisms in the removal of heavy metals from water and soil through biomagnification and bioconcentration. Techniques such as phytoaccumulation, phytostimulation, phytodegradation, phytovolatilization, phytostabilization, and phytofiltration are also discussed as effective ways of remediation of heavy metal contaminated sites.
A Structured Benefit-Risk Assessment Operating Model for Investigational Medicinal Products in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Sullivan Tim , Zorenyi Gyorgy , Feron Jane , Smith Meredith , Nord Magnus
Published: April 2023

Robust and transparent formal benefit-risk (BR) analyses for medicinal products represent a means to better understand the appropriate use of medicinal products, and to maximize their value to prescribers and patients. Despite regulatory and social imperatives to conduct structured BR (sBR) assessments, and the availability of a plethora of methodological tools, there exists large variability in the uptake and execution of sBR assessments among pharmaceutical companies. As such, in this paper we present an sBR assessment framework developed and implemented within a large global pharmaceutical company that aims to guide the systematic assessment of BR across the continuum of drug development activities, from first-time-in-human studies through to regulatory submission. We define and emphasize the concepts of Key Clinical Benefits and Key Safety Risks as the foundation for BR analysis. Furthermore, we define and foundationally employ the concepts of sBR and a Core Company BR position as the key elements for our BR framework. We outline 3 simple stages for how to perform the fundamentals of an sBR analysis, along with an emphasis on the weighting of Key Clinical Benefits and Key Safety Risks, and a focus on any surrounding uncertainties. Additionally, we clarify existing definitions to differentiate descriptive, semi-quantitative, and fully quantitative BR methodologies. By presenting our framework, we wish to stimulate productive conversation between industry peers and health authorities regarding best practice in the BR field. This paper may also help facilitate the pragmatic implementation of sBR methodologies for organizations without an established framework for such assessments.
Network capacity improvement in 5G by using dynamic fractional frequency reuse (FFR)
Authors: Alotaibi Sultan
Published: April 2023

The FFR approach reduces interference between macrocells and small cells/femtocells, which are installed within macrocell’s range. Dense deployment and unplanned installation of small cells and femtocells has a detrimental impact on the performance of the system as a result of the interference. Thus, the FFR concept distributes resources to maintain interference. However, some small cells/femtocells may suffer from shortage resources. In this work, dynamic FFR mechanism has been proposed. The scheme maximizes small cell/femtocell network’s capacity. The strategy aims to boost small cell/femotcell network’s capacity and system throughput. The fundamental goal of this research is to maximize the dedicated radio resources, which are allocated to small cells/femtocells, based on a predetermined cost function. According to the cost function, which is computed for all sub-regions, the proposed dynamic FFR will allocate more radio resources to small cells/femtocells, which suffer from lack resources. The highest degree of the cost function of a certain sub-region would have the largest amount of small cells/femtocells. The sub-region with the lowest cost function would receive fewer radio resources for small cell/femtocell UEs. The throughput is utilized as a metric for the purpose of evaluating the proposed strategy. MATLAB simulation is conducted for that reason. The results show that the proposed technique outperforms the fixed FFR.
The effectiveness of a parent-implemented, phonological awareness programme on the phonological awareness skills of preschool children
Authors: Bennett Hannah , Denston Amanda , Arrow Alison
Published: April 2023

A child’s early literacy and language skills are the most reliable predictor of future academic achievement. Despite vast amounts of research supporting this link, many children start formal schooling with low early literacy skills. Without intervention or support, these children will likely continue to fall behind their peers. This exploratory study investigated the effectiveness of a parent-led phonological awareness programme (n = 3), implemented at home with their 4-year-old children (n = 4) in Christchurch, New Zealand. This study used an exploratory case study mixed methods design. The programme focused on improving children’s phonological awareness skills by providing parents with readily available activities which taught a range of phonological skills. Parents were supported throughout implementation by the researcher with coaching and modelling. Overall, the study found parents to be effective at implementing the phonological awareness programme and facilitating the development of their children’s emergent literacy skills. Children demonstrated increased phoneme identification, blending and segmenting skills and additional skills not explicitly taught, such as phoneme manipulation. Participation in the programme also positively affected children’s interest in literacy activities, such as reading and writing. Parent reports identified positive effects on children’s articulation, speech, engagement and overall confidence. Parents were positively affected by their participation in the programme, with reports of increased confidence in their English proficiencies and literacy skill development.
Neutrosophic Log-Logistic Distribution Model in Complex Alloy Metal Melting Point Applications
Authors: Rao Gadde Srinivasa
Published: April 2023

The log-logistic distribution is more comprehensively applied in the area of survival and reliability engineering analysis for modeling the lifetime data practices of both human and electronic designs. The goal of this paper is to develop a generalization of the classical pattern log-logistic distribution, known as the neutrosophic log-logistic distribution (NLLD), to model various survival and reliability engineering data with indeterminacies. The developed distribution is especially useful for modeling indeterminate data that is roughly positively skewed. This paper discusses the developed NLLD’s main statistical properties such as neutrosophic survival function, neutrosophic hazard rate, neutrosophic moments, and neutrosophic mean time failure. Furthermore, the neutrosophic parameters are estimated using the well-known maximum likelihood (ML) estimation method in a neutrosophic environment. A simulation study is carried out to establish the achievement of the estimated neutrosophic parameters. As a final point, the proposed NLLD applications in the real world have been discussed with the help of real data. The real data illustrated that the efficiency of the proposed model as compared with the existing models.
Two Dimensions of Responsibility: Quality and Competence of Will
Authors: MADIGAN TAYLOR
Published: April 2023

Pure quality of will theories claim that ‘the ultimate object’ of our responsibility responses (i.e., praise and blame) is the quality of our will. Any such theory is false—or so I argue. There is a second dimension of (moral) responsibility, independent of quality of will, that our responsibility responses track and take as their object—namely, how adroitly we are able to translate our will into action; I call this competence of will. I offer a conjectural explanation of the two dimensions of (moral) responsibility: it matters to us that people actually perform adequately well because of how much it matters to us that we are able to live and work together successfully.
The Generalized Risk-Adjusted Cost-Effectiveness (GRACE) Model for Measuring the Value of Gains in Health: An Exact Formulation
Authors: Lakdawalla Darius N. , Phelps Charles E.
Published: April 2023

The generalized risk-adjusted cost-effectiveness (GRACE) analysis method modifies standard cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), the primary method currently used worldwide to value health improvements arising from healthcare interventions. Generalizing standard CEA, GRACE allows for decreasing or even increasing returns to health. Previous presentations of GRACE have relied extensively on Taylor Series expansion methods to specify key model parameters, including those that properly adjust for illness severity and preexisting disability, consequences of uncertain treatment outcomes, and the marginal rate of substitution between life expectancy and health-related quality of life. Standard CEA cannot account for these sources of value or cost in its valuation of medical treatments. However, calculations of GRACE measures based on Taylor Series are approximations, which may be poorly behaved in some contexts. This paper provides a new approach for implementing GRACE, using exact utility functions instead of Taylor Series approximations. While any proper utility function will suffice, we illustrate with three well-known functions: constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) utility; hyperbolic absolute risk aversion (HARA) utility, of which CRRA is a special case; and expo-power (EP) utility, of which constant absolute risk aversion (CARA) is a special case. The analysis then extends from two-period to multiperiod models. We discuss methods to estimate parameters of HARA and EP functions using two different types of data, one from discrete choice experiments and the other from “happiness economics” methods. We conclude with some reflections on how this analysis might affect benefit-cost analysis studies of healthcare interventions.
Brownian motion on the golden ratio Sierpinski gasket
Authors: Cao Shiping , Qiu Hua
Published: April 2023

We construct a strongly local regular Dirichlet form on the golden ratio Sierpinski gasket, which is a self-similar set without a finitely ramified cell structure, via a study on the trace of an electrical network on an infinite graph. The Dirichlet form is the unique one that is self-similar in the sense of an infinite iterated function system, and is decimation invariant with respect to a graph-directed construction. The proof is based on a fixed point problem of a renormalization map, inspired by Sabot's celebrated work for finitely ramified fractals. Lastly, the Hunt process associated with the Dirichlet form satisfies a two-sided sub-Gaussian heat kernel estimate.
The boundedness of the bilinear oscillatory integral along a parabola
Authors: Li Guoliang , Li Junfeng
Published: April 2023

In this paper, the $L^p(\mathbb{R})\times L^q(\mathbb{R})\rightarrow L^r(\mathbb{R})$ boundedness of the bilinear oscillatory integral along parabola
\begin{equation*}
T_\beta(f, g)(x)=p.v.\int_{{\mathbb R}} f(x-t)g(x-t^{2})\,{\rm e}^{i |t|^{\beta}}\,\frac{{\rm d}t}{t}
\end{equation*}is set up, where β > 1 or β < 0, $\frac{1}{p}+\frac{1}{q}=\frac{1}{r}$ and $\frac{1}{2}\lt r\lt\infty$, p > 1 and q > 1. The result for the case β < 0 extends the $L^\infty\times L^2\to L^2$ boundedness obtained by Fan and Li (D. Fan and X. Li, A bilinear oscillatory integral along parabolas, Positivity 13(2) (2009), 339–366) by confirming an open question raised in it.
The rational homotopy type of homotopy fibrations over connected sums
Authors: Chenery Sebastian
Published: April 2023

We provide a simple condition on rational cohomology for the total space of a pullback fibration over a connected sum to have the rational homotopy type of a connected sum after looping. This takes inspiration from a recent work of Jeffrey and Selick, in which they study pullback fibrations of this type but under stronger hypotheses compared to our result.
New Cretaceous crickets of the subfamilies Nemobiinae and Podoscirtinae (Orthoptera, Grylloidea: Trigonidiidae, Oecanthidae) attest the antiquity of these clades
Authors: Desutter-Grandcolas Laure , Josse Hugo , Laurent Marie , Campos Lucas Denadai de , Hugel Sylvain , Soriano Carmen , Nel André , Perrichot Vincent
Published: April 2023

Fossils are more and more used in phylogenetic evolutionary studies either for clade calibration, or as terminals in a dataset including morphological characters. The strength of these methodological advances relies however on the quality and completeness of the fossil record. For crickets (Insecta, Orthoptera, Gryllidea), few ancient (pre-Cenozoic) well-preserved fossils are known, except for isolated wings often classified in purely fossil groups and a few fossils found in Cretaceous amber. Here, we present two remarkable fossils from mid-Cretaceous amber of France, that were imaged using X-ray synchrotron microtomography and exhibit an exquisite preservation allowing description with a precision similar to that of extant taxa.Palaeonemobius occidentalisLaurent and Desutter-Grandcolas,gen. nov., sp. nov.andPicogryllus carentonensisJosse and Desutter-Grandcolas,gen. nov., sp. nov.are the oldest representatives of the Nemobiinae and Podoscirtinae subfamilies of the Trigonidiidae and Oecanthidae families respectively.P. carentonensisJosse and Desutter-Grandcolas,gen. nov., sp. nov.is also the smallest adult male with a full stridulatory apparatus ever documented in crickets (body length 3.3 mm), and the first taxon of the cricket clade for which male genitalia can be partly described. We discuss the significance of Cretaceous fossils of crickets for future evolutionary studies of this clade.
Geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotopic characteristics of ferroan-magnesian metaluminous granites of the NW Sanandaj–Sirjan zone, Iran: granite formation in a compressional–extensional setting during Late Jurassic time
Authors: Shirmohammadi Majid , Sepahi Ali Asghar , Santos José Francisco , Maanijou Mohammad , Torkian Ashraf , Vahidpour Hamed
Published: April 2023

The Almogholagh–Dehgolan region is in the North Sanandaj–Sirjan zone of NW Iran. The granites of the region are metaluminous and display geochemical and textural characteristics of transitional granites between ferroan (A-type) and I-type granites. In geotectonic discrimination diagrams, the Almogholagh–Dehgolan granites plot mainly in the fields of within-plate granites and volcanic arc granites. With the exception of the Qalaylan granites, parts of other granites resemble A2-type granites. Granites of the Qalaylan intrusive body have petrographic and geochemical features close to I-type granites and are not A-type. Primary mantle and chondrite-normalized spider diagrams show enrichments in light rare earth elements relative to heavy rare earth elements. For an age of 150 Ma, the initial87Sr/86Sr and143Nd/144Nd ratios vary from 0.702769 to 0.706545 and from 0.512431 to 0.512558, respectively. Epsilon Nd values vary in a relatively limited range between −0.3 and +2.2, which corresponds to a mixed mantle–crustal source. On the basis of new geochemical and isotopic data, we suggest a geodynamic model involving partial melting of lower crustal rocks with the contribution of mantle magmas in a weakly extensional tectonic setting for the generation of the A-type granites of the region. The occurrence of ferroan (A-type) granites in this region of the Sanandaj–Sirjan zone indicates the existence of a partly extensional tectonic environment in a mainly compressional subduction-related regime in Late Jurassic time.
KMS states on
Authors: Arjunan Anbu , Sruthymurali  , Sundar S.
Published: April 2023

Let
$C_c^{*}(\mathbb{N}^{2})$
be the universal
$C^{*}$
-algebra generated by a semigroup of isometries
$\{v_{(m,n)}\,:\, m,n \in \mathbb{N}\}$
whose range projections commute. We analyse the structure of KMS states on
$C_{c}^{*}(\mathbb{N}^2)$
for the time evolution determined by a homomorphism
$c\,:\,\mathbb{Z}^{2} \to \mathbb{R}$
. In contrast to the reduced version
$C_{red}^{*}(\mathbb{N}^{2})$
, we show that the set of KMS states on
$C_{c}^{*}(\mathbb{N}^{2})$
has a rich structure. In particular, we exhibit uncountably many extremal KMS states of type I, II and III.
Law, Labour and Lunch in France at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
Authors: Bruegel Martin
Published: April 2023

Ventilation emerged as an efficient technique to reduce the health impact of dust and gas in workspaces around 1900. However, this technical solution to a major sanitary problem collided with the human factor. When, in 1894, French law imposed shop-floor clearance during lunch to facilitate aeration, workers resisted the injunction as a disturbance of their daily eating routine. Authorities relied on labour inspectors to find solutions to contentious situations. The 1901 union-led strike in the high-fashion district in Paris propelled the issue to national attention. Striking women demanded the strict enforcement of the aeration rule. The executive obliged, but the newfound zeal subsequently rekindled antagonism towards the regulation. Reversing their claim, women workers launched a community-based petitioning campaign to return to pre-strike tolerance. Rumours of another walk-out by seamstresses, triggered by the enforcement of the regulation in 1902, precipitated a governmental volte-face. Authorities apprehended the power of the street and the threat of public disorder. Government yielded to the women's influence. A more relaxed version of the decree – it did not automatically require the evacuation of workspaces – appeared on 29 November 1904. It had taken ten years, and a zigzagging trajectory, to overcome the unanticipated consequences of purposive legislative action. The new rules proved to be very solid: they remained in place until Covid-19 pushed the government to temporarily authorize eating at one's workplace to prevent the spread of the virus in canteens and restaurants.
‘Rice ambiguity’ and the taste of modernity on Siberut Island, Indonesia
Authors: Darmanto
Published: April 2023

Indigenous Mentawai on Siberut Island (Indonesia) consume sago and tubers as their staple foods. Since the early twentieth century, Dutch colonial officers, missionaries, migrants, and Indonesian state agencies have strongly encouraged the cultivation and consumption of rice in lieu of these native staples. While Mentawai find rice tastier, easier to serve, and more prestigious, they also discover that rice fails to satisfy their appetites or fortify their bodies. They show little interest in cultivating rice. Mentawai view rice as a symbol of modernity and associate it with powerful mainland people who have long diminished their autonomy. In this article, I argue that the desire to consume rice and the reluctance to produce it reflect a desire to be modern without losing autonomy. Further, this ‘rice ambiguity’ reveals that food is more than just a symbol of social processes and basic sustenance. Rather, food is a transformative agent that can be used to create, enact, and alter identities, values, and ideas.
‘REACHING OUT’ OR INSTITUTIONAL VIRTUE-SIGNALLING? THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY OPERA PROJECTS IN UK OPERA HOUSES TODAY
Authors: Rudland Oliver
Published: April 2023

The education and outreach departments that coordinate community and participation projects have become a ubiquitous component of opera houses in the UK over the last 40 years yet rarely do their productions appear on the main stage. This article considers recent projects run by Opera North, English National Opera, Opera Holland Park and Glyndebourne and asks whether opera houses are genuinely committed to connecting communities with opera or treat outreach as no more than a means of obtaining funding. The article explores the history of the development of outreach departments and the potential that community involvement offers as a revitalising force for the operatic artform. A series of interviews with opera professionals brings the debate up to date.
Spanish heritage language learners’ motivational profile in the postsecondary classroom: Insights from psychological network modeling
Authors: Zalbidea Janire , Pascual y Cabo Diego , Loza Sergio , Luque Alicia
Published: April 2023

This study sought to investigate the psychological network structure of adult Spanish heritage language (HL) learners’ motivational profile by considering interconnections among the following variables: the possible HL selves, family influence, intended HL learning effort, HL achievement goal orientations, HL enjoyment, HL anxiety, perceived classroom environment, and critical language awareness. In line with a complex systems perspective, mutually interdependent connections among variables were estimated using psychological network modeling. The analysis revealed a majority of positive associations among the system constituents, with nodes representing the possible HL selves, HL enjoyment, and intended HL learning effort holding the most central influence on the network. Results also shed light on the unexplored relevance of critical language awareness in understanding HL learners’ motivational and emotional dispositions. We discuss the theoretical, pedagogical, and methodological implications of the study, highlighting the potential of network analysis for providing insights into complex psychological phenomena.
Risk-adjusted policies to minimise perioperative staffing shortages during a pandemic: An agent-based simulation study
Authors: Prabhu Vishnunarayan G. , Hand William R. , Isik Tugce , Song Yongjia , Taaffe Kevin M.
Published: April 2023

Healthcare workers’ (HCWs) safety and availability to care for patients are critical during a pandemic such as the one caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Among providers of different specialities, it is critical to protect those working in hospital settings with a high risk of infection. Using an agent-based simulation model, various staffing policies were developed and simulated for 90 days using data from the largest health systems in South Carolina. The model considers staffing policies that include geographic segregation, interpersonal contact limits, and a combination of factors, including the patient census, transmission rates, vaccination status of providers, hospital capacity, incubation time, quarantine period, and interactions between patients and providers. Comparing the existing practices to various risk-adjusted staffing policies, model predictions show that restricted teaming and rotating schedules significantly (p-value <0.01) reduced weekly HCW unavailability and the number of infected HCWs by 22% and 38%, respectively, when the vaccination rates among HCWs were lower (<75%). However, as the vaccination rate increases, the benefits of risk-adjusted policies diminish; and when 90% of HCWs were vaccinated, there were no significant (p-value = 0.09) benefits. Although these simulated outcomes are specific to one health system, our findings can be generalised to other health systems with multiple locations.
Boundaries of Belonging: The Welfare State in the Wake of Decolonisation
Authors: Chamedes Giuliana , Sohm Matthew
Published: April 2023

Over the course of the 1970s, Europe reckoned with the after-effects of decolonisation – a transformative process in world history that not only led to the movement of millions of people from the former colonies, but also threw into question European economic and cultural hegemony. The three articles in this forum investigate different ways Europe remade itself in response to the unmaking of European imperialism. All three demonstrate that Europe radically redrew the boundaries of belonging over the course of the 1970s, either by limiting access to national welfare states for migrants and former colonial subjects, by crafting a new form of international welfare state that was less focused on the redistribution of wealth, or by ‘Europeanising’ fossil fuel production so as to insulate the continent from the economic power of the so-called Third World.
Daring to Taste: A Review of Living as a Bird by Vinciane Despret
Authors: Keune Jason D.
Published: April 2023

There is a certain sigh of relief—a sense of coming home—when encountering a concept that deeply reinforces a scholarly path that you have been on for over a decade, especially when that concept is better articulated than anything you have ever produced yourself. It was that home that I found in Vinciane Despret’s Living as a Bird. My mind perked up when I read, “if we are to sound like economists, there is also a price to be paid,”1 and then really connected with a sentence where she explains that in addition to being particularly punishing to read, studies of bird territories and territorialization, which are rooted in a clean, quantitative economics approach, have certain things that fail to be said, due to an “element of negligence.”2 Finally, she turns to a quotation by Bruno Latour that rang wonderfully true with a sense of where I have lived over the last several years:
Shared State Responsibility for Land-Based Marine Plastic Pollution
Authors: Tanaka Yoshifumi
Published: April 2023

Plastic litter is introduced into the oceans from land-based sources located in many countries around the world. Marine plastic pollution may therefore be attributable to multiple states, resulting in shared state responsibility. This article discusses the issue of shared state responsibility for land-based marine plastic pollution by examining (i) primary rules of international law concerning the prevention of land-based marine plastic pollution; (ii) secondary rules of international law on this subject; and (iii) possible ways of strengthening the primary rules. It concludes that the barrier for the invocation of state responsibility may become higher in cases of shared state responsibility. Three cumulative solutions to this problem are proposed: elaborating the obligation of due diligence, strengthening compliance procedures, and interlinking regimes governing the marine environment and international watercourses.
Interaction of Air Pressure and Groundwater as Main Cause of Sub‐Daily Relative Seismic Velocity Changes
Authors: Kramer R. , Lu Y. , Bokelmann G.
Published: April 2023

Our study investigates variations of seismic velocity that occur over short time scales of hours. We use coda wave interferometry to inspect 5 months of continuous data from a seismological array in southern Germany. This results in relative seismic velocities (dv/v) that show temporal variations on the order of 10−4. Spectra of the velocity time series contain strong daily and sub‐daily behavior indicating that the daily and sub‐daily changes in the seismic velocity are primarily caused by atmospheric tides. We also note the influence of temperature changes on daily variations, but as a second‐order effect. The explanatory model focuses on depth variations of the groundwater table, linking atmospheric pressure (loading and de‐loading the Earth's surface) to variations in seismic velocity. Our results highlight an important environmental influence on seismic velocity that needs to be considered before seismic velocity variations can be used for inspecting fluid and stress variations in situ.
Regime Shift of the Sea Level Trend in the South China Sea Modulated by the Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability
Authors: Cheng Xuhua , Zhao Mingyu , Duan Wei , Jiang Long , Chen Jiajia , Yang Chengcheng , Zhou Yifei
Published: April 2023

During the altimeter era, the sea level in the South China Sea (SCS) and western tropical Pacific (WTP) experienced significant decadal variability. The sea level rose during 1993–2009 and fell during 2010–2019. The decadal variability of Walker Circulation associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation can explain the sea level variability in the WTP to a great extent. The wind forced westward propagating Rossby waves increased (decreased) the sea level in the WTP during 1993–2009 (2010–2019). However, the interior wind forcing has a negligible contribution to the decadal variability of the sea level in the SCS. The remote forcing from WTP through the oceanic bridge was supposed to play a dominant role. The sensitive experiments of a 1½‐layer model and Regional Oceanic Modeling System suggested that the sea level signals via the Sibutu Passage and Mindoro Strait accounted for the decadal variability of sea level in the central basin of SCS.
On Consistent Parameterizations for Both Dominant Wind‐Waves and Spectral Tail Directionality
Authors: Alday Matias , Ardhuin Fabrice
Published: April 2023

Numerical wave models have been developed to reproduce the evolution of waves generated in all directions and over a wide range of wavelengths. The amount of wave energy in the different directions and wavelength is the result of a number of physical processes that are not well understood and that may not be represented in parameterizations. Models have generally been tuned to reproduce dominant wave properties: significant wave height, mean direction, dominant wavelengths. A recent update in wave dissipation parameterizations has shown that it can produce realistic energy levels and directional distribution for shorter waves too. Here, we show that this new formulation of the wave energy sink can reproduce the variability of measured infrasound power below a frequency of 2 Hz, associated with a large energy level of waves propagating perpendicular to the wind, for waves with frequencies up to 1 Hz. The details are sensitive to the balance between the non‐linear transfer of energy away from the wind direction, and the influence of dominant and relatively long waves on the dissipation of shorter waves in other directions.
Marine Fresh Carbon Pool Dominates Summer Carbonaceous Aerosols Over Arctic Ocean
Authors: Gu Weihua , Xie Zhouqing , Wei Zexun , Chen Afeng , Jiang Bei , Yue Fange , Yu Xiawei
Published: April 2023

The source of marine carbonaceous aerosols is crucial to determine as it provides information about the ocean‐cloud‐climate relationship and the carbon cycle. However, contribution of different marine organic pools to marine primary organic aerosols remains controversial and this will lead to uncertainties in climate models. Here, we report the stable carbon isotopes and carbonaceous fraction of marine aerosols, measured during three summer Arctic cruises (33°N–85°N, July‐September, 2014–2018). By comparing the stable carbon isotopic signatures of seawater and aerosols in the Arctic Ocean, we found that the marine fresh carbon pool had a depleted isotopic signature, contributing 80 ± 12% of the carbonaceous fraction. Both in 2016 and 2018, the aerosol carbon isotopes in the Arctic Ocean were significantly higher than those in 2014. Increased productivity in the Arctic Ocean may dominate the increase of stable carbon isotope in the marine fresh carbon pool on an annual scale. Our research highlights the important contribution of fresh marine carbon pool to marine carbonaceous aerosols in response to marine ecosystem change under Arctic warming.
Using InSAR for Surface Deformation Monitoring and Active Layer Thickness Retrieval in the Heihe River Basin on the Northeast Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau
Authors: Peng Sijia , Peng Xiaoqing , Frauenfeld Oliver W. , Yang Guangshang , Tian Weiwei , Tian Jie , Ma Jinhui
Published: April 2023

In cold regions characterized by perennially frozen soil, climate warming has caused permafrost degradation, which is manifested by surface deformation and deepening of the active layer. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is a common method to obtain large‐scale surface deformation, especially in mountainous terrain where it is difficult to install a large number of monitoring sites. Here, we used Sentinel‐1A SAR data acquired from March 2017 to March 2021 to monitor surface deformation and estimate active layer thickness (ALT) using two methods—temperature‐based and soil moisture‐based—in the permafrost regions of the Heihe River Basin on the northeast Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. We find that the seasonal deformation amplitude ranges 10–60 mm, and the annual mean vertical deformation trend ranges from −40 to 30 mm/a. We verify the ALT estimates with observations and find that the method based on soil moisture has higher accuracy and is therefore more applicable in this particular study area. The ALT gradually decreases from the southeast to the northwest, ranging from 0.3 to 6.5 m, with an average value of 2.47 m. These results contribute to better quantifying the response of permafrost change and to understanding the spatial distribution of ALT on a large scale, serving as guidance for engineering and other applications.
On the Combination of Physical Parameterization Schemes for Tropical Cyclone Track and Intensity Forecasts in the Context of Uncertainty
Authors: Wang Xuan , Tan Zhe‐Min
Published: April 2023

The selection of physical parameterization schemes for tropical cyclone (TC) forecasts has required a substantial amount of effort. In general, the evaluation of physical parameterization schemes and their combined performance was based solely on the deterministic forecast, which had inherent limitations in representing the overall performance of physical parameterization schemes due to the model uncertainty. This study introduces an uncertainty‐informed framework of evaluating and selecting the combination of physical parameterization schemes for TC forecasts, based on the ensemble forecast that could include the model uncertainty roles. The performance ranking of the scheme combination based on the ensemble mean error is found to be distinct from that based on the deterministic forecast error. Moreover, differences in both ensemble mean errors and ensemble spreads for various scheme combinations highlight the importance of considering two metrics concurrently, that is, via the quality of the forecast distribution as a whole, to assess the forecast performance. Consequently, the ensemble Continuous Ranked Probability Score (eCRPS) is used to quantify the performance of the scheme combinations, and it is demonstrated that the performance is more comprehensive than that in the deterministic context. Finally, the well‐performed scheme combination for the forecasts of six intense TCs is chosen from the evaluated schemes in the context of model uncertainty, based on the overall quality of TC track and intensity forecast distributions.
Evogliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, prevents diabetic cardiomyopathy by alleviating cardiac lipotoxicity in db/db mice
Authors: Pham Trong Kha , Nguyen To Hoai T. , Yi Joo Mi , Kim Gwang Sil , Yun Hyeong Rok , Kim Hyoung Kyu , Won Jong Chul
Published: April 2023

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are glucose-lowering drugs for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We investigated whether evogliptin® (EVO), a DPP-4 inhibitor, could protect against diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and the underlying mechanisms. Eight-week-old diabetic and obese db/db mice were administered EVO (100 mg/kg/day) daily by oral gavage for 12 weeks. db/db control mice and C57BLKS/J as wild-type (WT) mice received equal amounts of the vehicle. In addition to the hypoglycemic effect, we examined the improvement in cardiac contraction/relaxation ability, cardiac fibrosis, and myocardial hypertrophy by EVO treatment. To identify the mechanisms underlying the improvement in diabetic cardiomyopathy by EVO treatment, its effect on lipotoxicity and the mitochondrial damage caused by lipid droplet accumulation in the myocardium were analyzed. EVO lowered the blood glucose and HbA1c levels and improved insulin sensitivity but did not affect the body weight or blood lipid profile. Cardiac systolic/diastolic function, hypertrophy, and fibrosis were improved in the EVO-treated group. EVO prevented cardiac lipotoxicity by reducing the accumulation of lipid droplets in the myocardium through suppression of CD36, ACSL1, FABP3, PPARgamma, and DGAT1 and enhancement of the phosphorylation of FOXO1, indicating its inhibition. The EVO-mediated improvement in mitochondrial function and reduction in damage were achieved through activation of PGC1a/NRF1/TFAM, which activates mitochondrial biogenesis. RNA-seq results for the whole heart confirmed that EVO treatment mainly affected the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to lipid metabolism. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that EVO improves cardiac function by reducing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial injury and provides a potential therapeutic option for DCM.
SAMHD1-induced endosomal FAK signaling promotes human renal clear cell carcinoma metastasis by activating Rac1-mediated lamellipodia protrusion
Authors: An Sunho , Vo Tam Thuy Lu , Son Taekwon , Choi Hoon , Kim Jinyoung , Lee Juyeon , Kim Byung Hoon , Choe Misun , Ha Eunyoung , Surh Young-Joon , Kim Kyu-Won , Seo Ji Hae
Published: April 2023

Human sterile α motif and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) has deoxyribonucleoside triphosphohydrolase (dNTPase) activity that allows it to defend against human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) infections and regulate the cell cycle. Although SAMHD1 mutations have been identified in various cancer types, their role in cancer is unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the oncogenic role of SAMHD1 in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), particularly as a core molecule promoting cancer cell migration. We found that SAMHD1 participated in endocytosis and lamellipodia formation. Mechanistically, SAMHD1 contributed to the formation of the endosomal complex by binding to cortactin. Thereafter, SAMHD1-stimulated endosomal focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling activated Rac1, which promoted lamellipodia formation on the plasma membrane and enhanced the motility of ccRCC cells. Finally, we observed a strong correlation between SAMHD1 expression and the activation of FAK and cortactin in tumor tissues obtained from patients with ccRCC. In brief, these findings reveal that SAMHD1 is an oncogene that plays a pivotal role in ccRCC cell migration through the endosomal FAK-Rac1 signaling pathway.
Altered acylcarnitine metabolism and inflexible mitochondrial fuel utilization characterize the loss of neonatal myocardial regeneration capacity
Authors: Kankuri E. , Finckenberg P. , Leinonen J. , Tarkia M. , Björk S. , Purhonen J. , Kallijärvi J. , Kankainen M. , Soliymani R. , Lalowski M. , Mervaala E.
Published: April 2023

Myocardial regeneration capacity declines during the first week after birth, and this decline is linked to adaptation to oxidative metabolism. Utilizing this regenerative window, we characterized the metabolic changes in myocardial injury in 1-day-old regeneration-competent and 7-day-old regeneration-compromised mice. The mice were either sham-operated or received left anterior descending coronary artery ligation to induce myocardial infarction (MI) and acute ischemic heart failure. Myocardial samples were collected 21 days after operations for metabolomic, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. Phenotypic characterizations were carried out using echocardiography, histology and mitochondrial structural and functional assessments. In both groups, MI induced an early decline in cardiac function that persisted in the regeneration-compromised mice over time. By integrating the findings from metabolomic, transcriptomic and proteomic examinations, we linked regeneration failure to the accumulation of long-chain acylcarnitines and insufficient metabolic capacity for fatty acid beta-oxidation. Decreased expression of the redox-sensitive mitochondrial Slc25a20 carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase together with a decreased reduced:oxidized glutathione ratio in the myocardium in the regeneration-compromised mice pointed to a defect in the redox-sensitive acylcarnitine transport to the mitochondrial matrix. Rather than a forced shift from the preferred adult myocardial oxidative fuel source, our results suggest the facilitation of mitochondrial fatty acid transport and improvement of the beta-oxidation pathway as a means to overcome the metabolic barrier for repair and regeneration in adult mammals after MI and heart failure.
Repeated home drinking water sampling to improve detection of particulate lead spikes: a simulation study
Authors: Dorevitch Samuel , Geiger Sarah D. , Kelly Walton , Jacobs David E. , Demirtas Hakan
Published: April 2023

Background

Lead can be present in drinking water in soluble and particulate forms. The intermittent release of lead particulates in drinking water can produce highly variable water lead levels (WLLs) in individual homes, a health concern because both particulate and soluble lead are bioavailable. More frequent water sampling would increase the likelihood of identifying sporadic lead “spikes,” though little information is available to aid in estimating how many samples are needed to achieve a given degree of sensitivity to spike detection.

Objective

To estimate the number of rounds of tap water sampling needed to determine with a given level of confidence that an individual household is at low risk for the intermittent release of lead particulates.

Methods

We simulated WLLs for 100,000 homes on 15 rounds of sampling under a variety of assumptions about lead spike release. A Markovian structure was used to describe WLLs for individual homes on subsequent rounds of sampling given a set of transitional probabilities, in which homes with higher WLLs at baseline were more likely to exhibit a spike on repeated sampling.

Results

Assuming 2% of homes had a spike on the first round of sampling and a mid-range estimate of transitional probabilities, the initial round of sampling had a 6.4% sensitivity to detect a spike. Seven rounds of sampling would be needed to increase the sensitivity to 50%, which would leave unrecognized the more than 15,000 homes that intermittently exhibit spikes.

Significance

For assessing household risk for lead exposure through drinking water, multiple rounds of water sampling are needed to detect the infrequent but high spikes in WLLs due to particulate release. Water sampling procedures for assessment of lead exposure in individual homes should be modified to account for the infrequent but high spikes in WLL.

Impact

It has been known for decades that intermittent “spikes” in water lead occur due to the sporadic release of lead particulates. However, conventional water sampling strategies do not account for these infrequent but hazardous events. This research suggests that current approaches to sampling tap water for lead testing identify only a small fraction of homes in which particulate spikes occur, and that sampling procedures should be changed substantially to increase the probability of identifying the hazard of particulate lead release into drinking water.
N6-methyladenosine reader YTHDF2 promotes multiple myeloma cell proliferation through EGR1/p21cip1/waf1/CDK2-Cyclin E1 axis-mediated cell cycle transition
Authors: Liu Rui , Miao Jiyu , Jia Yachun , Kong Guangyao , Hong Fei , Li Fangmei , Zhai Meng , Zhang Ru , Liu Jiaxi , Xu Xuezhu , Wang Ting , Liu Hui , Hu Jinsong , Yang Yun , He Aili
Published: April 2023

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematological malignancy. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant RNA modification. YTH domain-containing family protein 2 (YTHDF2) recognizes m6A-cotaining RNAs and accelerates degradation to regulate cancer progression. However, the role of YTHDF2 in MM remains unclear. We investigated the expression levels and prognostic role of YTHDF2 in MM, and studied the effect of YTHDF2 on MM proliferation and cell cycle. The results showed that YTHDF2 was highly expressed in MM and was an independent prognostic factor for MM survival. Silencing YTHDF2 suppressed cell proliferation and caused the G1/S phase cell cycle arrest. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and m6A-RIP (MeRIP) revealed that YTHDF2 accelerated EGR1 mRNA degradation in an m6A-dependent manner. Moreover, overexpression of YTHDF2 promoted MM growth via the m6A-dependent degradation of EGR1 both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, EGR1 suppressed cell proliferation and retarded cell cycle by activating p21cip1/waf1 transcription and inhibiting CDK2-cyclinE1. EGR1 knockdown could reverse the inhibited proliferation and cell cycle arrest upon YTHDF2 knockdown. In conclusion, the high expression of YTHDF2 promoted MM cell proliferation via EGR1/p21cip1/waf1/CDK2-cyclin E1 axis-mediated cell cycle transition, highlighting the potential of YTHDF2 as an effective prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target for MM.