bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unveiling NUSAP1 as a common gene signature linking chronic HBV infection and HBV-related HCC
Authors: Meng Jiao , Yang Zhenkun , Jiang Xinyi , Zou Jian
Published: March 2024

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant contributor to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Chronic HBV infection (CHB) facilitates disease progression through various mechanisms. However, the specific factor responsible for the progression of HBV infection to HCC remains unresolved. This study aims to identify the hub gene linking CHB and HBV-related HCC through bioinformatic analysis and experimental verification.

Methods

Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in datasets encompassing CHB and HBV-HCC patients from the GEO database. Enriched pathways were derived from GO and KEGG analysis. Hub genes were screened by protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis and different modules in Cytoscape software. The significance of the selected hub gene in prognosis was further assessed in validated datasets. The effects of hub genes on cell growth and apoptosis were further determined in functional experiments.

Results

The study revealed upregulation of NUSAP1 in CHBs and HBV-HCCs. High expression of NUSAP1 served as an independent predictor for poor prognosis of liver cancers. Functional experiments demonstrated that NUSAP1 promotes cell growth, influences cell cycle process, and protects cells from apoptosis in HepG2.2.15 cells.

Conclusion

NUSAP1 serves as a poor prognostic indicator for liver cancers, and potentially plays a crucial role in HBV-HCC progression by promoting proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis.
The Role of Entrepreneurship in Changing the Employment Rate in the European Union
Authors: Komninos Dimitrios , Dermatis Zacharias , Anastasiou Athanasios , Papageorgiou Christos
Published: March 2024

The aim of this research is to examine the role of entrepreneurship in changing the employment rate in the European Union (EU). With the aim of understanding the relationship between entrepreneurship and employment dynamics, this research investigates the impact of entrepreneurial activities on job creation, job opportunities, and overall employment trends across EU member states. By analyzing a comprehensive dataset encompassing various economic indicators and entrepreneurial metrics, including business startups, self-employment rates, and entrepreneurial ecosystem factors, this study provides insights into the mechanisms through which entrepreneurship influences employment in the EU. The analysis considers both the direct and indirect effects of entrepreneurship on employment, exploring how entrepreneurial ventures contribute to job creation, stimulate economic growth, and shape labor market dynamics. The findings of this study reveal that entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in changing the employment rate in the EU. Entrepreneurial activities, such as new business startups and self-employment, contribute significantly to job creation, particularly in sectors characterized by innovation, technology, and services. Furthermore, entrepreneurship fosters a dynamic and flexible labor market, promoting job opportunities and reducing unemployment rates. The study also highlights the importance of supportive policies, access to financing, and a favorable regulatory environment in facilitating entrepreneurship and its positive impact on employment. Understanding the role of entrepreneurship in changing the employment rate has implications for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders involved in fostering economic growth and labor market development in the EU. The findings emphasize the need to encourage and support entrepreneurial initiatives, provide resources and support mechanisms for startups, and create an enabling environment that nurtures entrepreneurship and innovation. By leveraging the potential of entrepreneurship, the EU can stimulate employment growth, enhance competitiveness, and achieve sustainable economic prosperity.
Malaria vaccine efficacy, safety, and community perception in Africa: a scoping review of recent empirical studies
Authors: Chutiyami Muhammad , Saravanakumar Priya , Bello Umar Muhammad , Salihu Dauda , Adeleye Khadijat , Kolo Mustapha Adam , Dawa Kabiru Kasamu , Hamina Dathini , Bhandari Pratibha , Sulaiman Surajo Kamilu , Sim Jenny
Published: March 2024

Aim

The review summarizes the recent empirical evidence on the efficacy, safety, and community perception of malaria vaccines in Africa.

Methods

Academic Search Complete, African Journals Online, CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, and two gray literature sources were searched in January 2023, and updated in June 2023. Relevant studies published from 2012 were included. Studies were screened, appraised, and synthesized in line with the review aim. Statistical results are presented as 95% Confidence Intervals and proportions/percentages.

Results

Sixty-six (N = 66) studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the vaccines identified, overall efficacy at 12 months was highest for the R21 vaccine (N = 3) at 77.0%, compared to the RTS,S vaccine (N = 15) at 55%. The efficacy of other vaccines was BK-SE36 (11.0–50.0%, N = 1), ChAd63/MVA ME-TRAP (− 4.7–19.4%, N = 2), FMP2.1/AS02A (7.6–9.9%, N = 1), GMZ2 (0.6–60.0%, N = 5), PfPZ (20.0–100.0%, N = 5), and PfSPZ-CVac (24.8–33.6%, N = 1). Injection site pain and fever were the most common adverse events (N = 26), while febrile convulsion (N = 8) was the most reported, vaccine-related Serious Adverse Event. Mixed perceptions of malaria vaccines were found in African communities (N = 17); awareness was generally low, ranging from 11% in Tanzania to 60% in Nigeria (N = 9), compared to willingness to accept the vaccines, which varied from 32.3% in Ethiopia to 96% in Sierra Leone (N = 15). Other issues include availability, logistics, and misconceptions.

Conclusion

Malaria vaccines protect against malaria infection in varying degrees, with severe side effects rarely occurring. Further research is required to improve vaccine efficacy and community involvement is needed to ensure successful widespread use in African communities.
Control of meltpool shape in laser welding
Authors: Suder Wojciech , Chen Xin , Sierra David Rico , Chen Guangyu , Wainwright James , Rajamudili Kuladeep , Pardal Goncalo Rodrigues , Williams Stewart
Published: March 2024

In laser welding, the achievement of high productivity and precision is a relatively easy task; however, it is not always obvious how to achieve sound welds without defects. The localised laser energy promotes narrow meltpools with steep thermal gradients, additionally agitated by the vapour plume, which can potentially lead to many instabilities and defects. In the past years, there have been many techniques demonstrated on how to improve the quality and tolerance of laser welding, such as wobble welding or hybrid processes, but to utilise the full potential of lasers, we need to understand how to tailor the laser energy to meet the process and material requirements. Understanding and controlling the melt flow is one of the most important aspects in laser welding. In this work, the outcome of an extensive research programme focused on the understanding of meltpool dynamics and control of bead shape in laser welding is discussed. The results of instrumented experimentation, supported by computational fluid dynamic modelling, give insight into the fundamental aspects of meltpool formation, flow direction, feedstock melting and the likelihood of defect formation in the material upon laser interaction. The work contributes to a better understanding of the existing processes, as well as the development of a new range of process regimes with higher process stability, improved efficiency and higher productivity than standard laser welding. Several examples including ultra-stable keyhole welding and wobble welding and a highly efficient laser wire melting are demonstrated. In addition, the authors present a new welding process, derived from a new concept of the meltpool flow and shape control by dynamic beam shaping. The new process has proven to have many potential advantages in welding, cladding and repair applications.
Numerical modeling techniques for noise emission of free railway wheels
Authors: Taenzer Linus , Pachale Urs , Van Damme Bart , Bergamini Andrea , Tallarico Domenico
Published: March 2024

In this article, we consider the numerical prediction of the noise emission from a wheelset in laboratory conditions. We focus on the fluid–structure interaction leading to sound emission in the fluid domain by analyzing three different methods to account for acoustic sources. These are a discretized baffled piston using the discrete calculation method (DCM), a closed cylindrical volume using the boundary element method (BEM) and radiating elastic disks in a cubic enclosure solved with the finite element method (FEM). We provide the validation of the baffled piston and the BEM using measurements of the noise emission of a railway wheel by considering ground reflections in the numerical models. Selected space-resolved waveforms are compared with experimental results as well as with a fluid–structure interaction finite element model. The computational advantage of a discretized disk mounted on a baffle and BEM compared to FEM is highlighted, and the baffled pistons limitations caused by a lack of edge radiation effects are investigated.
Is Primary Care Patient Experience Associated with Provider-Patient Language Concordance and Use of Interpreters for Spanish-preferring Patients: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Quigley Denise D. , Qureshi Nabeel , Predmore Zachary , Diaz Yareliz , Hays Ron D.
Published: March 2024

Background

Healthcare provided by a bilingual provider or with the assistance of an interpreter improves care quality; however, their associations with patient experience are unknown. We reviewed associations of patient experience with provider-patient language concordance (LC) and use of interpreters for Spanish-preferring patients.

Method

We reviewed articles from academic databases 2005–2023 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and Joanna Briggs Institute Checklists to rate study quality. We reviewed 217 (of 2193) articles, yielding 17 for inclusion.

Results

Of the 17 included articles, most articles focused on primary (n = 6 studies) or pediatric care (n = 5). All were cross-sectional, collecting data by self-administered surveys (n = 7) or interviews (n = 4). Most assessed the relationship between LC or interpreter use and patient experience by cross-sectional associations (n = 13). Two compared subgroups, and two provided descriptive insights into the conversational content (provider-interpreter-patient). None evaluated interventions, so evidence on effective strategies is lacking. LC for Spanish-preferring patients was a mix of null findings (n = 4) and associations with better patient experience (n = 3) (e.g., receiving diet/exercise counseling and better provider communication). Evidence on interpreter use indicated better (n = 2), worse (n = 2), and no association (n = 2) with patient experience. Associations between Spanish-language preference and patient experience were not significant (n = 5) or indicated worse experience (n = 4) (e.g., long waits, problems getting appointments, and not understanding nurses).

Conclusion

LC is associated with better patient experience. Using interpreters is associated with better patient experience but only with high-quality interpreters. Strategies are needed to eliminate disparities and enhance communication for all Spanish-preferring primary care patients, whether with a bilingual provider or an interpreter.
Milnor fibration theorem for differentiable maps
Authors: Cisneros-Molina José Luis , Menegon Aurélio
Published: March 2024

In Cisneros-Molina et al. (São Paulo J Math Sci, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40863-023-00370-y) it was proved the existence of fibrations à la Milnor (in the tube and in the sphere) for real analytic maps $$f:({\mathbb {R}}^n,0) \rightarrow ({\mathbb {R}}^k,0)$$

f
:

(

R

n

,
0
)

→

(

R

k

,
0
)

, where $$n\ge k\ge 2$$

n
≥
k
≥
2

, with non-isolated critical values. In the present article we extend the existence of the fibrations given in Cisneros-Molina et al. (São Paulo J Math Sci, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40863-023-00370-y) to differentiable maps of class $$C^{\ell }$$

C
ℓ

, $$\ell \ge 2$$

ℓ
≥
2

, with possibly non-isolated critical value. This is done using a version of Ehresmann fibration theorem for differentiable maps of class $$C^{\ell }$$

C
ℓ

between smooth manifolds, which is a generalization of the proof given by Wolf (Michigan Math J 11:65–70, 1964) of Ehresmann fibration theorem. We also present a detailed example of a non-analytic map which has the aforementioned fibrations.
Is interest rate hiking a recipe for missing several goals of monetary policy—beating inflation, preserving financial stability, and keeping up output growth?
Authors: Schäfer Dorothea , Semmler Willi
Published: March 2024

After the corona crisis, and even more so when the war in Ukraine struck, the price levels of all goods in the US and Europe rose surprisingly quickly and persistently. The FED began in March 2022 and the ECB in July 2022 with historically unique interest rate increases to combat the wage-price spiral that had not yet begun. In this article we show that energy, commodities and food were the main drivers of inflation. For this reason, central banks' goal of weakening demand for labor through historically large interest rate hikes seems unwise. We argue that the current measures cannot achieve all of their objectives: slowing inflation, stabilizing financial markets and sustaining growth. If interest rates remain high, but external forces emerge with a lasting effect and keep inflation rates high, especially in smaller emerging countries, it will be difficult to counteract this on a country or regional basis through high interest rate policy and national control of the price- and wage-Phillips curve. Significant negative side effects of interest rate hikes increase the risk of not making the necessary investments and, in particular, weaken the bargaining power of particularly vulnerable employment groups. Other tools are needed to curb inflation and keep it under control, for example more investment in sectors with supply disruptions and a massive expansion of investment in renewable energy.
A Meta-adversarial Framework for Cross-Domain Cold-Start Recommendation
Authors: Liu Yufang , Wang Shaoqing , Li Xueting , Sun Fuzhen
Published: March 2024

The cold-start problem in recommender systems has been facing a great challenge. Cross-domain recommendation can improve the performance of cold-start user recommendations in the target domain by using the rich information of users in the source domain. In cross-domain cold-start recommendation, users in target domain lack sufficient historical behaviors. Existing meta-learning-based methods depend on the feature distribution of training data and limit the adaptability in new tasks. To address these issues, we propose a meta-adversarial framework for cross-domain cold-start recommendation (MAFCDR) . Specifically, we employ a multi-level feature attention mechanism for independently learning the weights of long-term and short-term features to construct preferences of users in source domain. To migrate user representations, we train a meta-adversarial network that utilizes feature embeddings in the source domain as input and enhances the robustness and stability of the model. Then, the personalized bridge function transfers the user preferences in the source domain to the target domain. We build three cross-domain tasks using Amazon dataset and conduct extensive experiments, which demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in cold-start user recommendation.
How Sustainability from Fiber Content in Wood-Polymer Composites Outweighs Lower Material Performance: An Industry Perspective
Authors: Friedrich Daniel
Published: March 2024

There is increasing demand in the industry to make plastic-intensive products more sustainable. Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) represent a plastic-substitution technology. They consist of up to 80% wood fibers by volume embedded in a petrochemical plastic matrix. The fiber content makes them ecological, but then also more expensive and susceptible to color change and water absorption. This study uses a choice-based survey of 167 German industry experts to clarify whether WPC could be used across sectors to increase the sustainability of their products and applications, up to what maximum wood content they would give up the advantages of pure plastic in favor of sustainability, and on which company factors and plastic-relevant attitudinal characteristics the choice depends. 85% of respondents agreed with WPC, regardless of their branch. Only 18.6% would accept cost increases for sustainability, and the majority (48.5%) preferred to renounce color stability rather than moisture resistance (18.0%). However, if higher moisture absorption was tolerated, the experts tended towards lower maximum wood contents (p = 0.001, r = -0.30). To fully exploit WPC`s eco-potential, future developments should optimize its hydrophobic properties rather than color stability. Due to low dependencies of the results on company factors, the marketing of WPC can be carried out under high standardization levels.
Development of a methodology for the sampling and treatment of food waste and food residues in Kara Tepe (Lesvos) refugee camp
Authors: Kouvousi Despoina , Xypolias Panagiotis , Daskaloudis Ioannis , Papamichael Iliana , Zorpas Antonis A. , Klontza Eleftheria E. , Lekkas Demetris F.
Published: March 2024

This research focuses on the management of food waste in small communities such as the one at the Reception and Identification Center (RIC) of Kara Tepe in Lesvos (Greece), using the method of home composting. To understand production patterns and possible variations of the characteristics of food residues, a sampling methodology was designed for obtaining representative samples of the whole population of the center. Two composting trials were carried out using household composters with a tailored active aeration system. The first trial contained food residues and olive leaves as a bulking agent (Κ1), and the second one contained food residues, olive leaves and two-phase olive pomace (K2) to investigate co-composting with local agricultural byproducts. Results indicate that the compost produced in the first trial (K1) was stable but phytotoxic and unsuitable for use as a soil amendment. The compost produced in the second trial (K2) was also stable and non-phytotoxic but potentially harmful for very sensitive plants if used as a soil amendment because of high pH values. In addition, an analysis of the operational cost of the proposed treatment process was performed, involving the estimation of electricity and water consumption. The findings indicate that 304 home composters can cover the requirements of a population of this size (approximately 1300 people), at a cost of a mere 3.36 €/day. Given the unique challenges faced by island communities in contrast to urban areas, including differences in strategy development, waste management practices, infrastructure, cultural considerations and innovation potential, the findings serve as a foundational guide for similar island communities in Mediterranean areas (for policy and decision makers, stakeholders, academia, etc.) to develop tailored strategies within the framework of the circular economy that particularly focus on composting for reducing food waste and utilizing byproducts. Therefore, it is feasible to exploit the proposed methodology in similar-sized communities—villages or even a block of flats—for the on-site treatment and utilization of food residues since it can provide a good-quality compost at a reasonable cost.
First Record of Chelarctus virgosus Yang and Chan, 2012 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Scyllaridae) from the Oshika Peninsula, Northeastern Japan: 300 km Northward Range Extension of Slipper Lobsters
Authors: Ohtsuchi Naoya , Fukuda Kaito , Kawamura Tomohiko
Published: March 2024

A slipper lobster species Chelarctus virgosus recently separated from C. cultrifer (Ortmann 1897) by Yang and Chan (2012) was caught by a baited trap at a depth of 30 m, from off Onagawa, Oshika Peninsula (southern end of the Sanriku Coast), northeastern Japan. This record verified the distribution of C. virgosus in Japan. Also, this is the first record of scyllarid lobsters from the coastal waters of the Kuroshio-Oyashio Mixing Zone, updating the northern limit of distribution by more than 300 km. In addition, possible Japanese records tentatively listed in the original description of C. virgosus are revisited, and the distribution on the Pacific coast at the Boso Peninsula to the Ryukyu Archipelago was confirmed.
Paediatric cancer patients with severe sepsis or septic shock at the PICU with positive microbiological results do worse than those with negative results: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Veling Lisette S. , van Wolffelaar Fernanne F. , van der Bruggen Tjomme , vd Flier Michiel , Tissing Wim J. E. , Wösten-van Asperen Roelie M.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Infections are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in paediatric cancer patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether positive or negative microbiological results impact the clinical outcomes of sepsis in paediatric cancer patients admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods

We performed a retrospective observational single-centre cohort study between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020 in the Netherlands. All paediatric cancer patients aged 0 to 18 years admitted to PICU due to severe sepsis or septic shock were included.

Results

We identified 73 PICU admissions in 58 unique patients. Forty-nine of the 73 PICU admissions (67.1%) had positive blood and/or bronchoalveolar lavage microbiological results. Patients with positive results had a higher Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 (PELOD-2) score at PICU admission compared to patients with negative results (median (IQR), 7 (6–9) vs 6 (4–8), p = 0.04). Mortality in PICU among patients with positive results was significantly higher when compared to patients with negative results, 18% versus 0% respectively (p = 0.03). In addition, patients with positive results had significantly less ventilator-free days at day 28 compared to patients with negative results, median (IQR) 26 (19–28) versus 28 (27–28) respectively (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Microbiologically confirmed infections (bacterial, viral, or fungal) in paediatric cancer patients with sepsis are associated with higher mortality in PICU and a higher need for PICU resources. Large-scale (multicentre) studies in paediatric oncologic patients are required to confirm these results.
An embedding theorem for subshifts over amenable groups with the comparison property
Authors: BLAND ROBERT
Published: March 2024

We obtain the following embedding theorem for symbolic dynamical systems. Let G be a countable amenable group with the comparison property. Let X be a strongly aperiodic subshift over G. Let Y be a strongly irreducible shift of finite type over G that has no global period, meaning that the shift action is faithful on Y. If the topological entropy of X is strictly less than that of Y and Y contains at least one factor of X, then X embeds into Y. This result partially extends the classical result of Krieger when
$G = \mathbb {Z}$
and the results of Lightwood when
$G = \mathbb {Z}^d$
for
$d \geq 2$
. The proof relies on recent developments in the theory of tilings and quasi-tilings of amenable groups.
Distribution of growth lines in the tube wall of serpulids (Polychaeta, Annelida)
Authors: Vinn Olev
Published: March 2024

The frequency of growth increments in the tube wall of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic serpulids is in the range of modern species (i.e. 7–37 growth lines per 50 μm). The growth increments of serpulids do not show correlation with the water temperature and presumably cold water and warm water serpulid species are growing on average with similar speed in terms of number of growth lines per 50 μm. The large serpulid species have usually significantly larger growth increments than smaller species and presumably also grew faster than smaller species. The species with denser skeletons have lower growth rates than species with more porous skeletons. It is possible that serpulids do not have to calcify faster to produce thicker growth increments with lower density.
Does household debt affect the size of the fiscal multiplier?
Authors: Zurita Juan
Published: March 2024

Does household debt affect the size of the fiscal multiplier? We investigate the effects of household debt on government spending multipliers using a smooth transition vector autoregression model. Through generalized impulse response functions, we measure whether the effect of government spending on GDP is conditioned by different levels of household debt in Australia, Sweden, and Norway, three countries with high levels of household indebtedness, and in the world’s seven largest economies. Our results indicate that the short-term effects of government spending tend to be higher if fiscal expansion takes place during periods of low household debt. On average, the fiscal multiplier (on impact) is 0.70, 0.61, and 0.79 (percent of GDP) larger when the increase in government spending takes place during periods of low household debt for Australia, Norway, and the United States.
Exploring the Association Between Help-Seeking Intentions and Suicidal Ideation in Australian Adult Men
Authors: Tsindos Georgia , Scurrah Katrina , Benakovic Ruben , Reynolds Kate A. , King Kylie
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Background: Men account for three-quarters of suicide deaths in Australia. Self-reliant masculine norms may act as barriers to men’s help-seeking and contribute to suicidal ideation. Men who seek help may be less likely to experience suicidal ideation. Aim: We evaluated the association between help-seeking intentions and suicidal ideation in Australian adult men using data from Wave 2 of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health ( Ten to Men). Method: Using scores on the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, we explored the association between informal help-seeking intentions (e.g., friend, family), formal help-seeking intentions (e.g., psychologist), overall help-seeking intentions (all sources), and new-onset suicidal ideation. We conducted logistic regression analyses using a sample of 7,828 men aged 18–60 years. Results: Increased overall help-seeking intentions and informal help-seeking intentions were significantly associated with lower odds of new-onset suicidal ideation, whereas formal help-seeking intentions were not significantly associated. Limitations: The cross-sectional design limits inferences about causality. Conclusion: Men who have greater informal help-seeking intentions may be less likely to experience a new onset of suicidal ideation; however, more longitudinal research is needed.
Deciphering Contribution of Recycled Altered Oceanic Crust to Arc Magmas Using Ba‐Sr‐Nd Isotopes
Authors: Zhang Yuxiang , Shu Yunchao , Turner Simon , Chen Zuxing , Zeng Zhigang , Huang Fang
Published: March 2024

Altered oceanic crust (AOC) plays a critical role in geochemical recycling in subduction zones. However, identifying contributions of subducted AOC to arc magmas remains a conundrum due to the lack of effective tracers. Here, we investigate the Ba‐Sr‐Nd isotopic compositions of lavas from the Mariana arc and back‐arc. Based on a statistical analysis of the Sr‐Nd isotopes for global arc volcanoes, we confirm that AOC‐derived fluid (or hydrous melt), rather than sediment‐derived melt or fluid, is responsible for the Sr‐Nd isotope decoupling (i.e., 87Sr/86Sr is “excessively” enriched relative to 143Nd/144Nd when compared to the “normal” mantle derivates) observed in island arc lavas. We show that the arc lavas with increasingly decoupled Sr‐Nd isotopes generally have heavier Ba isotope ratios, which is also a characteristic feature of AOC‐derived fluids. Thus, these results establish an intimate link between subducted AOC, heavy Ba isotope compositions, and Sr‐Nd isotope decoupling signature in island arcs, which provides a powerful tool to trace the AOC recycling in subduction zones. Furthermore, a similar correlation is observed between Sr‐Nd isotope decoupling and heavy B isotope ratios for global arc lavas, implying that the recycling of AOC component is generally linked to serpentinite dehydration in subduction zones.
Distinctive Patterns of Water Level Change in Swedish Lakes Driven by Climate and Human Regulation
Authors: Aminjafari S. , Brown I. A. , Frappart F. , Papa F. , Blarel F. , Mayamey F. V. , Jaramillo F.
Published: March 2024

Despite having approximately 100,000 lakes, Sweden has limited continuous gauged lake water level data. Although satellite radar altimetry (RA) has emerged as a popular alternative to measure water levels in inland water bodies, it has not yet been used to understand the large‐scale changes in Swedish lakes. Here, we quantify the changes in water levels in 144 lakes using RA data and in situ gauged measurements to examine the effects of flow regulation and hydroclimatic variability. We use data from several RA missions, including ERS‐2, ENVISAT, JASON‐1,2,3, SARAL, and Sentinel‐3A/B. We found that during 1995–2022, around 52% of the lakes exhibited an increasing trend and 43% a decreasing trend. Most lakes exhibiting an increasing trend were in the north of Sweden, while most lakes showing a decreasing trend were in the south. Regarding the potential effects of regulation, we found that unregulated lakes had smaller trends in water level and dynamic storage than regulated ones. While the seasonal patterns of water levels in the lakes in the north are similar in regulated and unregulated lakes, in the south, they differ substantially. This study highlights the need to continuously monitor lake water levels for adaptation strategies in the face of climate change and understand the downstream effects of water regulatory schemes.
Reply to Comment by W. Knoben and M. Clark on “The Treatment of Uncertainty in Hydrometric Observations: A Probabilistic Description of Streamflow Records”
Authors: de Oliveira Debora Y. , Vrugt Jasper A.
Published: March 2024

In this Reply, we address the concerns of Knoben and Clark (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034294) or KC23 that “the assumptions needed to effectively use difference‐based variance estimation methods are not always met by hourly streamflow records.” There should be little doubt that the assumptions of our difference‐based estimator will sometimes be violated in hourly streamflow records but the results from de Oliveira and Vrugt (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022wr032263) and confirmed by the findings in our Reply show that such violations are sporadic enough not to affect much the error variance estimates. Snowmelt as pointed out by KC23 (https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034294) may not have received sufficient attention in our paper, yet their 365‐day record is simply not long enough to demonstrate bias of our discharge error variance estimates (and their dependence on flow level). This would require analysis of a much longer, multi‐year, streamflow record of a snowmelt‐driven watershed. The snowmelt catchment analyzed in dOV22 (https://doi.org/10.1029/2022wr032263) did not demonstrate bias in the discharge error variance estimates. We also provide additional clarification on the interpretation of the variance estimates obtained with the nonparametric estimator, and discuss the main issues in the test case presented in Knoben and Clark (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034294)).
Volcanic Lightning May Have Retooled the Nitrogen Needed for Life
Authors: Wilke Carolyn
Published: March 2024

Early Earth’s volcanoes could have spurred lightning that transformed atmospheric nitrogen, creating molecules that would have been necessary for life to emerge.
Extramedullary hematopoiesis in cancer
Authors: Barisas Derek A. G. , Choi Kyunghee
Published: March 2024

Hematopoiesis can occur outside of the bone marrow during inflammatory stress to increase the production of primarily myeloid cells at extramedullary sites; this process is known as extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). As observed in a broad range of hematologic and nonhematologic diseases, EMH is now recognized for its important contributions to solid tumor pathology and prognosis. To initiate EMH, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are mobilized from the bone marrow into the circulation and to extramedullary sites such as the spleen and liver. At these sites, HSCs primarily produce a pathological subset of myeloid cells that contributes to tumor pathology. The EMH HSC niche, which is distinct from the bone marrow HSC niche, is beginning to be characterized. The important cytokines that likely contribute to initiating and maintaining the EMH niche are KIT ligands, CXCL12, G-CSF, IL-1 family members, LIF, TNFα, and CXCR2. Further study of the role of EMH may offer valuable insights into emergency hematopoiesis and therapeutic approaches against cancer. Exciting future directions for the study of EMH include identifying common and distinct EMH mechanisms in cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic autoimmune diseases to control these conditions.
Construction of peptide/plasmid DNA complexes for plant gene transfection via the basic leucine zipper domain
Authors: Nomura Kota , Fujita Seiya , Shimatani Yuki , Kurita Taichi , Thagun Chonprakun , Abe Naoya , Oikawa Kazusato , Tsuchiya Kousuke , Uji Hirotaka , Numata Keiji
Published: March 2024

An important method for plant genetic modification is using peptide/pDNA complexes to transfer genes into plant cells. With conventional carrier peptides, the peptide sequence must contain a high amount of cationic amino acids to condense and introduce pDNA. As a result, the dissociation of pDNA from the complex is inefficient, often causing problems. Herein, we designed a new peptide carrier that mimics the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain of DNA-binding proteins, in which (LU)4 is the leucine zipper motif and (KUA)3 is the basic DNA-binding and cell-penetrating motif (U = α-aminoisobutyric acid). After (KUA)3-(LU)4 peptide was mixed with pDNA, DNA molecules were condensed to form nanoparticles of approximately 130 nm. Furthermore, when complexes of (KUA)3-(LU)4 peptide and pDNA were introduced into the leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana), expression of the reporter protein was detected in the plant cells. Thus, (KUA)3-(LU)4 peptide that mimics the bZIP domain is a novel and efficient carrier for pDNA with high dissociation efficiency.
Predicting the effects of degradation on viscoelastic relaxation time using model transient networks
Authors: Kobayashi Ryunosuke , Naito Mitsuru , Miyata Kanjiro , Sakai Takamasa , Chung Ung-il , Katashima Takuya
Published: March 2024

In this study, we utilized tetra-armed polyethylene glycol (Tetra-PEG) slimes, which are model transient networks with well-controlled structures, to predict the effects of long-term degradation on the viscoelastic properties of liquids. Viscoelastic liquids, such as sodium hyaluronate, are frequently used in biomedical applications within the human body. However, precisely controlling the viscoelastic properties of these liquids in the long-term is challenging, as the main chains of the liquids undergo stochastic degradation. To establish a predictable model for studying long-term degradation effects, we employed Tetra-PEG slime, and modifications were performed to introduce specific cleavage sites in areas with connections. The Tetra-PEG slimes were characterized by single relaxation modes, and these modes were independent from the degree of degradation, which was determined by hydrolyzing the cleavage sites. Overall, this work provides a universal design for viscoelastic liquids with precisely-controllable degradation.
Nanopore analysis of salvianolic acids in herbal medicines
Authors: Fan Pingping , Zhang Shanyu , Wang Yuqin , Li Tian , Zhang Hanhan , Zhang Panke , Huang Shuo
Published: March 2024

Natural herbs, which contain pharmacologically active compounds, have been used historically as medicines. Conventionally, the analysis of chemical components in herbal medicines requires time-consuming sample separation and state-of-the-art analytical instruments. Nanopore, a versatile single molecule sensor, might be suitable to identify bioactive compounds in natural herbs. Here, a phenylboronic acid appended Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) nanopore is used as a sensor for herbal medicines. A variety of bioactive compounds based on salvianolic acids, including caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid, protocatechualdehyde, salvianic acid A, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B are identified. Using a custom machine learning algorithm, analyte identification is performed with an accuracy of 99.0%. This sensing principle is further used with natural herbs such as Salvia miltiorrhiza, Rosemary and Prunella vulgaris. No complex sample separation or purification is required and the sensing device is highly portable.
Improved modeling of human vision by incorporating robustness to blur in convolutional neural networks
Authors: Jang Hojin , Tong Frank
Published: March 2024

Whenever a visual scene is cast onto the retina, much of it will appear degraded due to poor resolution in the periphery; moreover, optical defocus can cause blur in central vision. However, the pervasiveness of blurry or degraded input is typically overlooked in the training of convolutional neural networks (CNNs). We hypothesized that the absence of blurry training inputs may cause CNNs to rely excessively on high spatial frequency information for object recognition, thereby causing systematic deviations from biological vision. We evaluated this hypothesis by comparing standard CNNs with CNNs trained on a combination of clear and blurry images. We show that blur-trained CNNs outperform standard CNNs at predicting neural responses to objects across a variety of viewing conditions. Moreover, blur-trained CNNs acquire increased sensitivity to shape information and greater robustness to multiple forms of visual noise, leading to improved correspondence with human perception. Our results provide multi-faceted neurocomputational evidence that blurry visual experiences may be critical for conferring robustness to biological visual systems.
Functional analysis of the human perivascular subarachnoid space
Authors: Eide Per Kristian , Ringstad Geir
Published: March 2024

The human subarachnoid space harbors the cerebrospinal fluid, which flows within a landscape of blood vessels and trabeculae. Functional implications of subarachnoid space anatomy remain far less understood. This study of 75 patients utilizes a cerebrospinal fluid tracer (gadobutrol) and consecutive magnetic resonance imaging to investigate features of early (i.e. within 2-3 h after injection) tracer propagation within the subarachnoid space. There is a time-dependent perivascular pattern of enrichment antegrade along the major cerebral artery trunks; the anterior-, middle-, and posterior cerebral arteries. The correlation between time of first enrichment around arteries and early enrichment in nearby cerebral cortex is significant. These observations suggest the existence of a compartmentalized subarachnoid space, where perivascular ensheathment of arteries facilitates antegrade tracer passage towards brain tissue. Periarterial transport is impaired in subjects with reduced intracranial pressure-volume reserve capacity and in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus patients who also show increased perivascular space size.
Contact-separation-induced self-recoverable mechanoluminescence of CaF2:Tb3+/PDMS elastomer
Authors: Wang Wenxiang , Wang Shanwen , Gu Yan , Zhou Jinyu , Zhang Jiachi
Published: March 2024

Centrosymmetric-oxide/polydimethylsiloxane elastomers emit ultra-strong non-pre-irradiation mechanoluminescence under stress and are considered one of the most ideal mechanoluminescence materials. However, previous centrosymmetric-oxide/polydimethylsiloxane elastomers show severe mechanoluminescence degradation under stretching, which limits their use in applications. Here we show an elastomer based on centrosymmetric fluoride CaF2:Tb3+ and polydimethylsiloxane, with mechanoluminescence that can self-recover after each stretching. Experimentation indicates that the self-recoverable mechanoluminescence of the CaF2:Tb3+/polydimethylsiloxane elastomer occurs essentially due to contact electrification arising from contact-separation interactions between the centrosymmetric phosphors and the polydimethylsiloxane. Accordingly, a contact-separation cycle model of the phosphor–polydimethylsiloxane couple is established, and first-principles calculations are performed to model state energies in the contact-separation cycle. The results reveal that the fluoride–polydimethylsiloxane couple helps to induce contact electrification and maintain the contact-separation cycle at the interface, resulting in the self-recoverable mechanoluminescence of the CaF2:Tb3+/polydimethylsiloxane elastomer. Therefore, it would be a good strategy to develop self-recoverable mechanoluminescence elastomers based on centrosymmetric fluoride phosphors and polydimethylsiloxane.
Genome-wide association analyses of ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary debulking surgery identify candidate genes for residual disease
Authors: Ramachandran Dhanya , Tyrer Jonathan P. , Kommoss Stefan , DeFazio Anna , Riggan Marjorie J. ,   AOCS Group, Bowtell David , Fereday Sian , Traficante Nadia , Hung Jillian , Webb Penelope M. , Fasching Peter A. , Lambrechts Diether , García María J. , Rodríguez-Antona Cristina , Goodman Marc T. , Modugno Francesmary , Moysich Kirsten B. , Karlan Beth Y. , Lester Jenny , Kjaer Susanne K. , Jensen Allan , Høgdall Estrid , Goode Ellen L. , Cliby William A. , Kumar Amanika , Wang Chen , Cunningham Julie M. , Winham Stacey J. , Monteiro Alvaro N. , Schildkraut Joellen M. , Cramer Daniel W. , Terry Kathryn L. , Titus Linda , Bjorge Line , Thomsen Liv Cecilie Vestrheim ,   OPAL Study Group, Friedlander Michael , Obermair Andreas , Grant Peter , Beesley Vanessa , Blomfield Penelope , Brand Alison , Davis Alison , Leung Yee , Nicklin James , Quinn Michael , Livingstone Karen , O’Neill Helen , Williams Merran , Pejovic Tanja , Høgdall Claus K. , McNeish Iain A. , May Taymaa , Huntsman David G. , Pfisterer Jacobus , Canzler Ulrich , Park-Simon Tjoung-Won , Schröder Willibald , Belau Antje , Hanker Lars , Harter Philipp , Sehouli Jalid , Kimmig Rainer , de Gregorio Nikolaus , Schmalfeldt Barbara , Baumann Klaus , Hilpert Felix , Burges Alexander , Winterhoff Boris , Schürmann Peter , Speith Lisa-Marie , Hillemanns Peter , Berchuck Andrew , Johnatty Sharon E. , Ramus Susan J. , Chenevix-Trench Georgia , Pharoah Paul D. P. , Dörk Thilo , Heitz Florian
Published: March 2024

Survival from ovarian cancer depends on the resection status after primary surgery. We performed genome-wide association analyses for resection status of 7705 ovarian cancer patients, including 4954 with high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSOC), to identify variants associated with residual disease. The most significant association with resection status was observed for rs72845444, upstream of MGMT, in HGSOC (p = 3.9 × 10−8). In gene-based analyses, PPP2R5C was the most strongly associated gene in HGSOC after stage adjustment. In an independent set of 378 ovarian tumours from the AGO-OVAR 11 study, variants near MGMT and PPP2R5C correlated with methylation and transcript levels, and PPP2R5C mRNA levels predicted progression-free survival in patients with residual disease. MGMT encodes a DNA repair enzyme, and PPP2R5C encodes the B56γ subunit of the PP2A tumour suppressor. Our results link heritable variation at these two loci with resection status in HGSOC.
Chromosome-scale genome assemblies of Himalopsyche anomala and Eubasilissa splendida (Insecta: Trichoptera)
Authors: Ge Xinyu , Peng Lang , Deng Zhen , Du Jie , Sun Changhai , Wang Beixin
Published: March 2024

Trichoptera is one of the most evolutionarily successful aquatic insect lineages and is highly valued value in adaptive evolution research. This study presents the chromosome-level genome assemblies of Himalopsyche anomala and Eubasilissa splendida achieved using PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C sequencing. For H. anomala and E. splendida, assembly sizes were 663.43 and 859.28 Mb, with scaffold N50 lengths of 28.44 and 31.17 Mb, respectively. In H. anomala and E. splendida, we anchored 24 and 29 pseudochromosomes, and identified 11,469 and 10,554 protein-coding genes, respectively. The high-quality genomes of H. anomala and E. splendida provide critical genomic resources for understanding the evolution and ecology of Trichoptera and performing comparative genomics analyses.
HEvOD: A database of hurricane evacuation orders in the United States
Authors: Anand Harsh , Alemazkoor Negin , Shafiee-Jood Majid
Published: March 2024

Assessing and improving the effectiveness of evacuation orders is critical to improving hurricane emergency response, particularly as the frequency of hurricanes increases in the United States. However, our understanding of causal relationships between evacuation orders and evacuation decision-making is still limited, in large part due to the lack of standardized, high-temporal-resolution data on historical evacuation orders. To overcome this gap, we developed the Hurricane Evacuation Order Database (HEvOD) – a comprehensive database of hurricane evacuation orders issued in the United States between 2014 and 2022. The database features evacuation orders that were systematically retrieved and compiled from a wide range of resources and includes information on order type, announcement time, effective time, and evacuation area. The rich collection of attributes and the resolution of the data in the database will allow researchers to systematically investigate the impact of evacuation orders, as a vital public policy instrument, and can serve as an important resource to identify gaps in current policies, leading to more effective policy design in response to hurricanes.
Chromosome-level genome assembly of Platycarya strobilacea
Authors: Zhou Huijuan , Zhang Xuedong , Liu Hengzhao , Ma jiayu , Hao Fan , Ye Hang , Wang Yaling , Zhang Shuoxin , Yue Ming , Zhao Peng
Published: March 2024

Platycarya strobilacea belongs to the walnut family (Juglandaceae), is commonly known as species endemic to East Asia, and is an ecologically important, wind pollinated, woody deciduous tree. To facilitate this ancient tree for the ecological value and conservation of this ancient tree, we report a new high-quality genome assembly of P. strobilacea. The genome size was 677.30 Mb, with a scaffold N50 size of 45,791,698 bp, and 98.43% of the assembly was anchored to 15 chromosomes. We annotated 32,246 protein-coding genes in the genome, of which 96.30% were functionally annotated in six databases. This new high-quality assembly of P. strobilacea provide valuable resource for the phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis of the walnut family and angiosperm.