bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Political Strategies to Overcome Climate Policy Obstructionism
Authors: Srivastav Sugandha , Rafaty Ryan
Published: September 2022

Great socioeconomic transitions bring about the demise of certain industries and the rise of others. The losers of the transition tend to deploy a variety of tactics to obstruct change. We develop a political-economy model of interest group competition and garner evidence of tactics deployed in the global climate movement. From this we deduce a set of strategies for how the climate movement competes against entrenched hydrocarbon interests. Five strategies for overcoming obstructionism emerge: (1) appeasement, which involves compensating the losers; (2) co-optation, which seeks to instigate change by working with incumbents; (3) institutionalism, which involves changes to public institutions to support decarbonization; (4) antagonism, which creates reputational or litigation costs to inaction; and (5) countervailance, which makes low-carbon alternatives more competitive. We argue that each strategy addresses the problem of obstructionism through a different lens, reflecting a diversity of actors and theories of change within the climate movement. The choice of which strategy to pursue depends on the institutional context.
Manganese Mobility in Gale Crater, Mars: Leached Bedrock and Localized Enrichments
Authors: Berger J. A. , King P. L. , Gellert R. , Clark B. C. , Flood V. A. , McCraig M. A. , Ming D. W. , O’Connell‐Cooper C. D. , Schmidt M. E. , Thompson L. M. , VanBommel S. J. V. , Wilhelm B. , Yen A. S.
Published: September 2022

In Gale crater on Mars, the rover Curiosity has discovered evidence of fluid mobilization of the redox‐sensitive element manganese. We present results for Mn from Curiosity's Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer (APXS), which show that the average MnO concentration in mudstone‐dominated sedimentary units (0.22 wt%) is about one‐half of the concentration in the average Mars crust (0.44 wt%). Geochemical trends indicate that Mn in the sedimentary bedrock, most of which has a basaltic provenance, was leached by chemical alteration and dissolution. In >350 vertical meters of mudstone‐dominated strata, the apparent leaching of Mn and retention of Fe in Fe‐O‐H phase(s) resulted in the fractionation of Fe and Mn, indicating relatively moderate Eh‐pH fluid conditions that were not highly alkaline, reducing, or oxidizing. Exceptions are fracture‐associated, silica‐rich haloes where both Mn and Fe were leached by low pH fluids. The rover also discovered Mn‐rich veins, nodules, and patchy, dark coatings on rock surfaces, which are variably associated with enrichments in Fe, P, Cl, and/or Zn. These Mn‐rich features represent ∼1% of the 1029 APXS measurements acquired over ∼25 km of rover traverse. A thermochemical model shows that dissolved Mn2+ could have been concentrated via evaporation, sublimation, and/or freezing. Manganese was then likely precipitated in localized features when >99.99% of the Mn2+‐bearing water was removed from the system. These findings indicate that Mn was mobile in Gale crater and therefore bioavailable as a potential energy source for life.
Forecasting GIC Activity Associated With Solar Wind Shocks for the Australian Region Power Network
Authors: Marshall R. A. , Pearce E. A. , Waters C. L. , Terkildsen M.
Published: September 2022

Abstracts

Space weather induced Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) that are hazardous to power networks at high latitudes are often the result of rapid changes in near‐Earth space current systems such as the auroral electrojets and field‐aligned currents. GIC activity at low‐middle latitudes may be driven by currents that are more relevant to these regions such as the ring or magnetopause current systems. Solar wind shocks create rapid changes in the magnetopause current that manifest as large step changes in the geomagnetic field at the Earth's surface, often referred to as geomagnetic sudden impulses (SIs), that are effective drivers of GIC activity in power networks at low‐middle latitudes. This paper describes the results of a study into the relationship between the driver of SIs, solar wind shocks, and their potential impact on power systems in the Australian region, as quantified by a GIC‐index. The initial data set for analysis was produced by programmatically scanning solar wind data obtained from the ACE satellite spanning the period 1998–2008 for solar wind shocks. For each identified solar wind shock, geomagnetic field data from the Australian region were analyzed to determine the corresponding SI and GIC‐index. Statistical analyses of GIC‐indices and various solar wind parameters associated with the shocks resulted in an empirical model that is a function of solar wind dynamic pressure, geomagnetic latitude, and change in solar wind speed with good operational predictive capability. This model was further assessed using online catalogs of solar wind shock events.
Direct Measurement of CO2 Air‐Sea Exchange Over a Desert Fringing Coral Reef, Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba), Israel
Authors: McGowan Hamish , Lensky Nadav , Abir Shai , Shaked Yonathan , Wurgaft Eyal
Published: September 2022

Understanding the role of coral reefs on air‐sea CO2 exchange is essential to accurately estimate carbon budgets throughout the tropical and subtropical oceans. Results from research conducted in humid marine environments show coral reefs are mainly net sources of CO2 to the atmosphere due to calcification being dominant over respiration and dissolution. However, coral reefs are also found bordering deserts in the subtropical high‐pressure belt. Here, we present results from concurrent direct measurements of air‐sea CO2 exchange over fringing coral reefs and open sea bordered by hyper‐arid deserts in the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba). The fringing coral reefs were found to be a net sink of CO2 at −1.62 ± 4 μmol m−2 s−1 sequestering 1.96 times more CO2 than adjacent open sea. The CO2 fluxes showed a negative correlation with some local meteorological parameters such as humidity, wind speed, and net radiation but were positively correlated to air temperature. The air‐sea CO2 fluxes were also found to be correlated with dust, which is believed to trigger metabolic processes in bacteria and phytoplankton in the low‐nutrient, low‐chlorophyll sea of the study site. Results are compared to measurements from the humid marine setting of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
The association between household biomass fuel use and leukocyte telomere length among toddlers in Bhaktapur, Nepal
Authors: Chandyo Ram K. , Schwinger Catherine , Kvestad Ingrid , Ulak Manjeswori , Ranjitkar Suman , Shrestha Merina , Nguyen Linda Vy , Corona-Perez Diana , DeVivo Immaculata , Shrestha Laxman , Strand Tor A.
Published: September 2022

Background

Biomass fuels are still in use for cooking by many households in resource poor countries such as Nepal and is a major source of household air pollution (HAP). Chronic exposure to HAP has been shown to be associated with shorter telomere length in adults.

Objectives

To measure the association between exposure related to household biomass fuel in infancy and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) at 18–23 months of age among 497 children from Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Methods

In a prospective cohort study design, we have collected information on household cooking fuel use and several clinical, anthropometric, demographic, and socioeconomic variables. We estimated the association between biomass fuel use and the relative LTL in multiple linear regression models.

Results

Most of the families (78%) reported liquified petroleum gas (LPG) as the primary cooking fuel, and 18.7% used biomass. The mean relative (SD) LTL was 1.03 (0.19). Children living in households using biomass fuel had on average 0.09 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.13) units shorter LTL than children in households with no biomass fuel use. The observed association was unaltered after adjusting for relevant confounders. The association between LTL and biomass use was strongest among children from households with ≤2 rooms and without separate kitchen.

Significance

Exposure to biomass fuel use in early life might have consequences for longevity, and risk of chronic illnesses reflected in shortening of the telomeres. Our findings support the ongoing effort to reduce exposure to biomass fuel in low-resource settings.

Impact statements

Biomass for cooking is a leading source of household air pollution in low and middle-income countries, contributing to many chronic diseases and premature deaths. Chronic exposure to biomass fuel through oxidative stress and inflammation has been associated with a shortening of the telomeres, a “biological marker” of longevity. This prospective cohort study describes the association between household biomass fuel use and leukocyte telomere length among 497 toddlers. Leukocyte telomere length was significantly shorter among children living in households with biomass fuel than in children from homes where mainly LPG was used for cooking.

Clinical Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02272842, registered October 21, 2014, Universal Trial Number: U1111-1161-5187 (September 8, 2014)
Hypertension and cardiomyopathy associated with chronic kidney disease: epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment considerations
Authors: Law Jonathan P. , Pickup Luke , Pavlovic Davor , Townend Jonathan N. , Ferro Charles J.
Published: September 2022

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex condition with a prevalence of 10–15% worldwide. An inverse-graded relationship exists between cardiovascular events and mortality with kidney function which is independent of age, sex, and other risk factors. The proportion of deaths due to heart failure and sudden cardiac death increase with progression of chronic kidney disease with relatively fewer deaths from atheromatous, vasculo-occlusive processes. This phenomenon can largely be explained by the increased prevalence of CKD-associated cardiomyopathy with worsening kidney function. The key features of CKD-associated cardiomyopathy are increased left ventricular mass and left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic and systolic left ventricular dysfunction, and profound cardiac fibrosis on histology. While these features have predominantly been described in patients with advanced kidney disease on dialysis treatment, patients with only mild to moderate renal impairment already exhibit structural and functional changes consistent with CKD-associated cardiomyopathy. In this review we discuss the key drivers of CKD-associated cardiomyopathy and the key role of hypertension in its pathogenesis. We also evaluate existing, as well as developing therapies in the treatment of CKD-associated cardiomyopathy.
Leptin enhances social motivation and reverses chronic unpredictable stress-induced social anhedonia during adolescence
Authors: Lei Yun , Wang Dan , Bai Yu , Nougaisse Jayvon , Weintraub Neal L. , Guo Ming , Lu Xin-Yun
Published: September 2022

Social anhedonia, a loss of interest and pleasure in social interactions, is a common symptom of major depression as well as other psychiatric disorders. Depression can occur at any age, but typically emerges in adolescence or early adulthood, which represents a sensitive period for social interaction that is vulnerable to stress. In this study, we evaluated social interaction reward using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in adolescent male and female mice. Adolescent mice of both sexes exhibited a preference for the social interaction-associated context. Chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) impaired the development of CPP for social interaction, mimicking social anhedonia in depressed adolescents. Conversely, administration of leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, enhanced social interaction-induced CPP in non-stressed control mice and reversed social anhedonia in CUS mice. By dissecting the motivational processes of social CPP into social approach and isolation avoidance components, we demonstrated that leptin treatment increased isolation aversion without overt social reward effect. Further mechanistic exploration revealed that leptin stimulated oxytocin gene transcription in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, while oxytocin receptor blockade abolished the leptin-induced enhancement of socially-induced CPP. These results establish that chronic unpredictable stress can be used to study social anhedonia in adolescent mice and provide evidence that leptin modulates social motivation possibly via increasing oxytocin synthesis and oxytocin receptor activation.
Mutant p53 gain of function mediates cancer immune escape that is counteracted by APR-246
Authors: Zhou Xiaolei , Santos Gema Sanz , Zhan Yue , Oliveira Mariana M. S. , Rezaei Shiva , Singh Madhurendra , Peuget Sylvain , Westerberg Lisa S. , Johnsen John Inge , Selivanova Galina
Published: September 2022

Background

p53 mutants contribute to the chronic inflammatory tumour microenvironment (TME). In this study, we address the mechanism of how p53 mutants lead to chronic inflammation in tumours and how to transform it to restore cancer immune surveillance.

Methods

Our analysis of RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas Breast Invasive Carcinoma (TCGA-BRCA) project revealed that mutant p53 (mtp53) cancers correlated with chronic inflammation. We used cell-based assays and a mouse model to discover a novel gain of function of mtp53 and the effect of the mtp53 reactivating compound APR-246 on the anti-tumour immune response.

Results

We found that tumour samples from patients with breast carcinoma carrying mtp53 showed elevated Interferon (IFN) signalling,TumourInflammationSignature (TIS) score and infiltration of CD8+ T cells compared to wild type p53 (wtp53) tumours. We showed that the expression of IFN and immune checkpoints were elevated in tumour cells in a mtp53-dependent manner, suggesting a novel gain of function. Restoration of wt function to mtp53 by APR-246 induced the expression of endogenous retroviruses, IFN signalling and repressed immune checkpoints. Moreover, APR-246 promoted CD4+ T cells infiltration and IFN signalling and prevented CD8+ T cells exhaustion within the TME in vivo.

Conclusions

Breast carcinomas with mtp53 displayed enhanced inflammation. APR-246 boosted the interferon response or represses immune checkpoints in p53 mutant tumour cells, and restores cancer immune surveillance in vivo.
Topical application of an irreversible small molecule inhibitor of lysyl oxidases ameliorates skin scarring and fibrosis
Authors: Chaudhari Nutan , Findlay Alison D. , Stevenson Andrew W. , Clemons Tristan D. , Yao Yimin , Joshi Amar , Sayyar Sepidar , Wallace Gordon , Rea Suzanne , Toshniwal Priyanka , Deng Zhenjun , Melton Philip E. , Hortin Nicole , Iyer K. Swaminathan , Jarolimek Wolfgang , Wood Fiona M. , Fear Mark W.
Published: September 2022

Scarring is a lifelong consequence of skin injury, with scar stiffness and poor appearance presenting physical and psychological barriers to a return to normal life. Lysyl oxidases are a family of enzymes that play a critical role in scar formation and maintenance. Lysyl oxidases stabilize the main component of scar tissue, collagen, and drive scar stiffness and appearance. Here we describe the development and characterisation of an irreversible lysyl oxidase inhibitor, PXS-6302. PXS-6302 is ideally suited for skin treatment, readily penetrating the skin when applied as a cream and abolishing lysyl oxidase activity. In murine models of injury and fibrosis, topical application reduces collagen deposition and cross-linking. Topical application of PXS-6302 after injury also significantly improves scar appearance without reducing tissue strength in porcine injury models. PXS-6302 therefore represents a promising therapeutic to ameliorate scar formation, with potentially broader applications in other fibrotic diseases.
Ambipolar blend-based organic electrochemical transistors and inverters
Authors: Stein Eyal , Nahor Oded , Stolov Mikhail , Freger Viatcheslav , Petruta Iuliana Maria , McCulloch Iain , Frey Gitti L.
Published: September 2022

CMOS-like circuits in bioelectronics translate biological to electronic signals using organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) based on organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs). Ambipolar OECTs can reduce the complexity of circuit fabrication, and in bioelectronics have the major advantage of detecting both cations and anions in one device, which further expands the prospects for diagnosis and sensing. Ambipolar OMIECs however, are scarce, limited by intricate materials design and complex synthesis. Here we demonstrate that judicious selection of p- and n-type materials for blend-based OMIECs offers a simple and tunable approach for the fabrication of ambipolar OECTs and corresponding circuits. These OECTs show high transconductance and excellent stability over multiple alternating polarity cycles, with ON/OFF ratios exceeding 103 and high gains in corresponding inverters. This work presents a simple and versatile new paradigm for the fabrication of ambipolar OMIECs and circuits with little constraints on materials design and synthesis and numerous possibilities for tunability and optimization towards higher performing bioelectronic applications.
Ubiquitination of CLIP-170 family protein restrains polarized growth upon DNA replication stress
Authors: Wang Xi , Zheng Fan , Yi Yuan-yuan , Wang Gao-yuan , Hong Li-xin , McCollum Dannel , Fu Chuanhai , Wang Yamei , Jin Quan-wen
Published: September 2022

Microtubules play a crucial role during the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity. In fission yeast cells, the microtubule plus-end tracking proteins (+TIPs) (including the CLIP-170 homologue Tip1) regulate microtubule dynamics and also transport polarity factors to the cell cortex. Here, we show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase Dma1 plays an unexpected role in controlling polarized growth through ubiquitinating Tip1. Dma1 colocalizes with Tip1 to cortical sites at cell ends, and is required for ubiquitination of Tip1. Although the absence ofdma1+does not cause apparent polar growth defects in vegetatively growing cells, Dma1-mediated Tip1 ubiquitination is required to restrain polar growth upon DNA replication stress. This mechanism is distinct from the previously recognized calcineurin-dependent inhibition of polarized growth. In this work, we establish a link between Dma1-mediated Tip1 ubiquitination and DNA replication or DNA damage checkpoint-dependent inhibition of polarized growth in fission yeast.
A single hole spin with enhanced coherence in natural silicon
Authors: Piot N. , Brun B. , Schmitt V. , Zihlmann S. , Michal V. P. , Apra A. , Abadillo-Uriel J. C. , Jehl X. , Bertrand B. , Niebojewski H. , Hutin L. , Vinet M. , Urdampilleta M. , Meunier T. , Niquet Y.-M. , Maurand R. , Franceschi S. De
Published: September 2022

Semiconductor spin qubits based on spin–orbit states are responsive to electric field excitations, allowing for practical, fast and potentially scalable qubit control. Spin electric susceptibility, however, renders these qubits generally vulnerable to electrical noise, which limits their coherence time. Here we report on a spin–orbit qubit consisting of a single hole electrostatically confined in a natural silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor device. By varying the magnetic field orientation, we reveal the existence of operation sweet spots where the impact of charge noise is minimized while preserving an efficient electric-dipole spin control. We correspondingly observe an extension of the Hahn-echo coherence time up to 88 μs, exceeding by an order of magnitude existing values reported for hole spin qubits, and approaching the state-of-the-art for electron spin qubits with synthetic spin–orbit coupling in isotopically purified silicon. Our finding enhances the prospects of silicon-based hole spin qubits for scalable quantum information processing.
Metabolomic profiles predict individual multidisease outcomes
Authors: Buergel Thore , Steinfeldt Jakob , Ruyoga Greg , Pietzner Maik , Bizzarri Daniele , Vojinovic Dina , Upmeier zu Belzen Julius , Loock Lukas , Kittner Paul , Christmann Lara , Hollmann Noah , Strangalies Henrik , Braunger Jana M. , Wild Benjamin , Chiesa Scott T. , Spranger Joachim , Klostermann Fabian , van den Akker Erik B. , Trompet Stella , Mooijaart Simon P. , Sattar Naveed , Jukema J. Wouter , Lavrijssen Birgit , Kavousi Maryam , Ghanbari Mohsen , Ikram Mohammad A. , Slagboom Eline , Kivimaki Mika , Langenberg Claudia , Deanfield John , Eils Roland , Landmesser Ulf
Published: September 2022

Risk stratification is critical for the early identification of high-risk individuals and disease prevention. Here we explored the potential of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-derived metabolomic profiles to inform on multidisease risk beyond conventional clinical predictors for the onset of 24 common conditions, including metabolic, vascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal and neurological diseases and cancers. Specifically, we trained a neural network to learn disease-specific metabolomic states from 168 circulating metabolic markers measured in 117,981 participants with ~1.4 million person-years of follow-up from the UK Biobank and validated the model in four independent cohorts. We found metabolomic states to be associated with incident event rates in all the investigated conditions, except breast cancer. For 10-year outcome prediction for 15 endpoints, with and without established metabolic contribution, a combination of age and sex and the metabolomic state equaled or outperformed established predictors. Moreover, metabolomic state added predictive information over comprehensive clinical variables for eight common diseases, including type 2 diabetes, dementia and heart failure. Decision curve analyses showed that predictive improvements translated into clinical utility for a wide range of potential decision thresholds. Taken together, our study demonstrates both the potential and limitations of NMR-derived metabolomic profiles as a multidisease assay to inform on the risk of many common diseases simultaneously.
Effectiveness of immunization with multi-component bacterial immunomodulator in foals at 35th day of life
Authors: Anna Migdał , Łukasz Migdał , Adam Okólski , Chełmońska-Soyta Anna
Published: September 2022

The aim of the study was to investigate the mechanisms leading to immunization through the use of a multicomponent bacterial immunomodulator and to find out the relationship between the TLR 4 receptor with selected parameters of innate immunity and to acquire immunity. The study was conducted on 18 Polish Pony Horses foals divided into two study groups: control (n = 9) and experimental (n = 9). Foals from the experimental group received intramuscular duplicate injection of 5 ml of multi-component bacterial immunomodular at 35 and 40 days of age. RNA isolated from venous blood was used to evaluate the expression ofTLR4genes using RT-PCR. Concentration of Il-6, IL-10, IgM and IgG2 was determined by the ELISA method in blood plasma. Immunostimulation had a significant impact on the level of genes expression forTLR4expression and IL-6 concentration. No effect of stimulation on IgM and IgG2 concentrations was found. The expression ofTLR4genes as well as the levels of interleukins could be modulated by stimulation with a pharmacological agent multi-component bacterial immunomodulator. The experiment demonstrated a strong positive correlation between TLR4 gene expression and IL-6 concentration and between TLR4 gene expression and IgM concentration.
Modelling response time in a mental rotation task by gender, physical activity, and task features
Authors: Fargier Patrick , Champely Stéphane , Massarelli Raphael , Ammary Laureine , Hoyek Nady
Published: September 2022

Mental rotation (MR) is a spatial skill considered to be a key-component of intellectual ability. Studies have suggested that the response time (RT) in a MR task (MRt) might be influenced, with possible gender differences, by the practice of a physical activity (PA) and depending on the plane, direction, degrees of the MR and the frame of reference to perform it. The present study aimed at examining the respective influences of all these variables on the RT by developing a linear mixed-effect model from the RTs varying according to the MR plane, direction, degrees and frame of reference. The MRt was performed by 96 males and females, all undergraduate students, distributed in three groups (sedentary subjects, artistic gymnasts, and futsal players). The results showed that only gender had a main effect (faster log RT in males), probably task-dependent. The other variables interacted among them showing that: (a) the log RT may be influenced by rotations experienced during PA, in particular during the locomotion on a horizontal ground and (b) such influence mainly depends on the compatibility of the physical rotations experienced with the plane and the degrees of the MRt.
Intratumoral heterogeneity of c-KIT mutations in a feline splenic mast cell tumor and their functional effects on cell proliferation
Authors: Hasegawa Yuki , Shosu Kazuha , Tsuji kanako , Shimoyama Yumiko , Miyama Takako Shimokawa , Baba Kenji , Okuda Masaru , Itamoto Kazuhito , Igase Masaya , Mizuno Takuya
Published: September 2022

A cat was presented with mast cell tumors (MCTs) of the skin and spleen. During the initial diagnosis, the exon 8 mutation of c-KIT was detected in the masses from skin and spleen by a commercial laboratory test. Consequently, treatment with toceranib was started. After complete remission, because of recurrence on day 117, the spleen and skin tumors were removed, but the cat eventually died on day 191. The analysis of ten cDNA clones of the c-KIT gene cloned from the surgically removed spleen revealed that seven different cDNA patterns were included, indicating the heterogeneity of this gene in the splenic MCT. The seven cDNA nucleotide patterns can be classified into four protein sequence patterns. In addition to the previously known mutations in exon 8, we identified novel mutations in exons 9, 10, and 18; four amino acids deletion in exon 9, and a point mutation in exons 10 and 18. Mouse IL-3-dependent cell line, Ba/F3, was transduced with these mutant clones, and c-KIT phosphorylation and proliferation assays were performed. We found that certain mutations affected the c-KIT phosphorylation status and cell proliferation. This suggests that heterogeneity among the population of tumor cells exists in MCTs, and that the dominant clones of this heterogeneity may contribute to the subsequent tumor cell growth.
Measurement of subcutaneous fat tissue: reliability and comparison of caliper and ultrasound via systematic body mapping
Authors: Hoffmann Jana , Thiele Jens , Kwast Stefan , Borger Michael Andrew , Schröter Thomas , Falz Roberto , Busse Martin
Published: September 2022

Caliper and ultrasound (US) are used to measure subcutaneous fat tissue depth (SFT) and then to calculate total body fat. There is no evidence-based recommendation as to whether caliper or US are equally accurate. The aim of this paper was therefore to compare reliability of both methods. In this methodical study, 54 participants (BMI: 24.8 ± 3.5 kg/m2; Age: 43.2 ± 21.7 years) were included. Using systematic body mapping, the SFT of 56 areas was measured. We also analyzed 4 body sites via MRI. A comparison between caliper and US detected clear differences in mean SFT of all areas (0.83 ± 0.33 cm vs. 1.14 ± 0.54 cm; p < 0.001) showing moderate reliability (ICC 0.669, 95%CI: 0.625–0.712). US and MRI revealed in the abdominal area a SFT twice as thick as caliper (2.43 ± 1.36 cm vs. 2.26 ± 1.32 cm vs. 1.15 ± 0.66 cm; respectively). Caliper and US revealed excellent intrarater (ICC caliper: 0.944, 95%CI: 0.926–0.963; US: 0.934, 95%CI: 0.924–0.944) and good interrater reliability (ICC caliper: 0.794, 95%CI: 0.754–0.835; US: 0.825, 95%CI: 0.794–0.857). Despite the high reliability in measuring SFT that caliper and US show, our comparison of the two methods yielded clear differences in SFT, particularly in the abdominal area. In accuracy terms, US is preferable for most mapping areas.
Municipal and neighbourhood level wastewater surveillance and subtyping of an influenza virus outbreak
Authors: Mercier Elisabeth , D’Aoust Patrick M. , Thakali Ocean , Hegazy Nada , Jia Jian-Jun , Zhang Zhihao , Eid Walaa , Plaza-Diaz Julio , Kabir Md Pervez , Fang Wanting , Cowan Aaron , Stephenson Sean E. , Pisharody Lakshmi , MacKenzie Alex E. , Graber Tyson E. , Wan Shen , Delatolla Robert
Published: September 2022

Recurrent influenza epidemics and pandemic potential are significant risks to global health. Public health authorities use clinical surveillance to locate and monitor influenza and influenza-like cases and outbreaks to mitigate hospitalizations and deaths. Currently, global integration of clinical surveillance is the only reliable method for reporting influenza types and subtypes to warn of emergent pandemic strains. The utility of wastewater surveillance (WWS) during the COVID-19 pandemic as a less resource intensive replacement or complement for clinical surveillance has been predicated on analyzing viral fragments in wastewater. We show here that influenza virus targets are stable in wastewater and partitions favorably to the solids fraction. By quantifying, typing, and subtyping the virus in municipal wastewater and primary sludge during a community outbreak, we forecasted a citywide flu outbreak with a 17-day lead time and provided population-level viral subtyping in near real-time to show the feasibility of influenza virus WWS at the municipal and neighbourhood levels in near real time using minimal resources and infrastructure.
Task-irrelevant object response to action enhances the sense of agency for controlling the object in automation
Authors: Nakashima Ryoichi , Kumada Takatsune
Published: September 2022

The sense of agency (SoA) refers to the experience of controlling our bodies and tools. Recent automated systems require the operators to have less manual control, which decreases the SoA. This study investigated how to increase the SoA when operating automated systems, by focusing on the effect of an object’s responses to operators’ actions on the SoA. Participants applied brakes to a moving black circle by pressing a key, in order to stop the circle near a goal. Then, they estimated their SoA for stopping the circle. We informed them that there were automatic control trials in which the circle stopped independently of their keypress (86% of the trials). The circle’s color briefly changed to white (i.e., flashed) when they pressed the key in a half of the automatic control trials. The SoA was higher with the flash than without it. However, the SoA neither increased when the circle flashed independently of a keypress nor when another object flashed due to a keypress. Furthermore, the keypress contingent object-flash did not influence the SoA when the participants controlled the circle manually. These results indicated that spatiotemporally contingent object responses to actions can enhance the SoA in automatic control situations.
Impact of national pneumococcal vaccination program on invasive pneumococcal diseases in South Korea
Authors: Jung Yeon Haw , Choe Yong June , Lee Chae Young , Jung Sang Oun , Lee Dong Han , Yoo Jae Il
Published: September 2022

Following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), the rate of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) declined, however, IPDs replaced by serotypes that are not included in the vaccine have emerged. We describe the epidemiology of IPD in South Korea over a 4.5-year period, encompassing the impact following introduction of PCV10/13 and PPSV23 into the public immunization program, and assess serotype dynamics in pediatric and adult population. This was a nationwide, retrospective review of surveillance of all IPD cases in Korea between September 2014 to December 2019. We analyzed VT13 (serotypes included in 13-valent conjugate vaccine) and NVT (nonvaccine type) cases by age, sex, IPD type, vaccination status, and deaths. A total of 893 cases with serotype data were included; 306 (34%) VT13 cases and 587 (66%) NVT cases. Serotype 3 (n = 155) was the most common VT13 serotype, followed by serotypes 19A (n = 70) and 14 (n = 28). Among the NVTs, serotype 10A (n = 74) was the most common serotype, followed by serotypes 23A (n = 60) and 34 (n = 58). Persons who had PCV13 vaccination were at lower risk (aOR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.73, P = 0.022) of death compared to unvaccinated persons. Introduction of PCV10/13 and PPSV23 vaccination program has had different impacts on the serotype-specific IPD across age groups. The most common serotypes included serotypes 3 and 19A (VT13), and 10A, 23A, and 34 (NVT). Our findings suggest continued monitoring in the midst of new vaccine development, and a need to develop novel strategies to mitigate the IPDs from emerging pneumococcal serotypes.
Investigating the role of structural water on the electrochemical properties of α-V2O5 through density functional theory
Authors: Sandagiripathira Kaveen , Moghaddasi Mohammad Ali , Shepard Robert , Smeu Manuel
Published: September 2022

Structural water was found to affect the voltage, energy density, and diffusion properties of α-V2O5 through increased interlayer spacing and charge shielding effects when intercalating mono-, di-, and trivalent ions for secondary batteries.
Structural cutting and recombining in layered sodium dysprosium phosphonate: key roles of flexible pyrazinyl hydrazone molecular tools
Authors: Sun Xiao , Chen Peiqiong , Liu Yanan , Liu Hou-Ting , Tian Haiquan
Published: September 2022

A cutting [Na5Dy6] phosphonate cluster and a recombinant [Na4Dy8]∞phosphonate layer are isolated using the pyrazinyl hydrazone ligand. The latter presents the first heterometal phosphonate exhibiting triple N-bridges of pyrazinyl groups.
A strain-induced considerable decrease of lattice thermal conductivity in 2D KAgSe with Coulomb interaction
Authors: Xu Zhiyuan , Xia Qiong , Gao Guoying
Published: September 2022

The phonon spectrum and temperature-dependent lattice thermal conductivity of monolayer KAgSe with and without Coulomb interaction is discussed.
Molecular electrostatic potential as a general and versatile indicator for electronic substituent effects: statistical analysis and applications
Authors: Shin Donghan , Jung YounJoon
Published: September 2022

We have found that the molecular electrostatic potential can be (i) strongly correlated with the Hammett parameter with the normality of the residuals (ii) and applied to many chemical situations to describe electrostatic behaviours of substituents.
New relativistic quantum chemical methods for understanding light-induced therapeutics
Authors: Hedegård Erik Donovan , Creutzberg Joel
Published: September 2022

The inorganic platinum complexes currently in clinical use for cancer treatment have severe side effects, and complexes with fewer side effects are required. Here we discuss recently developed theoretical methods that can help in the search for new anti-cancer drugs.
Probiotic coated with glycol chitosan/alginate relieves oxidative damage and gut dysmotility induced by oxytetracycline in zebrafish larvae
Authors: Wang Ju , Wang Lei , Shi Shengnan , Cao Yaqi , Feng Junmei , Liu Changhong , Zheng Lei
Published: September 2022

Probiotic coated with glycol chitosan/alginate increases colonization rate ofLacticaseibacillus rhamnosusGG and relieves oxidative damage and gut dysmotility in oxytetracycline-treated zebrafish larvae.
Anticancer activity of novel silicon phthalocyanines against the colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (DLD-1)
Authors: Farajzadeh Nazli , Güler Kuşçulu Nilgün , Yenilmez H. Yasemin , Bahar Dilek , Altuntaş Bayır Zehra
Published: September 2022

This study presents the effect of the axial ligand length on the pharmacological features of new water-soluble axially disubstituted silicon phthalocyanines bearing 2,4,6-tris((dimethylamino)methyl)phenoxy groups.
One-pot synthesis of ferrocenyl dithiocarbamates and their application in the detection of Cu2+
Authors: Dong Junyang , Hu Jianfeng , Zhang Hao
Published: September 2022

Synthesis of ferrocenyl dithiocarbamate derivatives: coupling of dithiocarbamate and N-tosylhydrazone under green conditions and application for recognition of Cu2+.
PMA-FeCo mixed-oxide magnetic quasi-nanosheets
Authors: Akram Bilal , Wang Mingxin , Wang Xun
Published: September 2022

A cluster-nuclei co-assembly strategy has been adopted to obtain magnetic quasi-nanosheets that exhibit excellent performance towards microplastic removal from water.
Millimetre-wave spectroscopy of 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal and an astronomical search with ALMA
Authors: Koucký J. , Kolesniková L. , Luková K. , Vávra K. , Kania P. , Coutens A. , Loison J.-C. , Jørgensen J. K. , Belloche A. , Urban Š.
Published: September 2022

Context. Several sugar-like molecules have been found in the interstellar medium (ISM). The molecule studied in this work, 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal, is among the candidates to be searched for, as it is a dehydration product of C3 sugars and contains structural motifs that are typical for some interstellar molecules. Furthermore, it has recently been predicted that it is more abundant in the ISM than its tentatively detected isomer 3-hydroxypropenal.

Aims. So far, only low-frequency microwave data of 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal have been published. The aim of this work is to deepen our knowledge about the millimetre-wave spectrum of 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal, enabling its detailed search towards astronomical objects. In particular, we target the solar-type protostar IRAS 16293-2422 and the star-forming region Sagittarius (Sgr) B2(N).

Methods. The rotational spectrum of 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal was measured and analysed in the frequency regions of 128-166 GHz and 285-329 GHz. The interstellar exploration towards IRAS 16293-2422 was based on the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) data of the Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS). We also used the imaging spectral line survey ReMoCA performed with ALMA towards Sgr B2(N) to search for 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal in the ISM. We modelled the astronomical spectra under the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE).

Results. We provide laboratory analysis of hundreds of rotational transitions of 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal in the ground state and the lowest lying excited vibrational state. We report its non-detection towards IRAS 16293 B. The 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal/3-hydroxypropenal abundance ratio is estimated to be ≲0.9–1.3, in agreement with the predicted value of ~1.4. We report the non-detection of 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal towards the hot molecular core Sgr B2(N1), and we did not detect the related aldehydes 2-hydroxypropanal and 3-hydroxypropenal either. We find that these three molecules are at least nine, four, and ten times less abundant than acetaldehyde in this source, respectively.

Conclusions. Despite the non-detections of 2-hydroxyprop-2-enal, the results of this work represent a significant improvement on previous investigations in the microwave region and meet the requirements for further searches for this molecule in the ISM.
Shell helium-burning hot subdwarf B stars as candidates for blue large-amplitude pulsators
Authors: Xiong H. , Casagrande L. , Chen X. , Vos J. , Zhang X. , Justham S. , Li J. , Wu T. , Li Y. , Han Z.
Published: September 2022

Blue large-amplitude pulsators (BLAPs) are a newly discovered type of variable star. Their typical pulsation periods are on the order of a few tens of minutes, with relatively large amplitudes of 0.2–0.4 mag in optical bands, and their rates of period changes are on the order of 10−7 yr−1 (both positive and negative). They are extremely rare objects and attempts to explain their origins and internal structures have attracted a great deal of attention. Previous studies have proposed that BLAPs may be pre-white dwarfs, with masses around 0.3 M⊙, or core-helium-burning stars in the range of ∼0.7 − 1.1 M⊙. In this work, we use a number of MESA models to compute and explore whether BLAPs could be explained as shell helium-burning subdwarfs type B (SHeB sdBs). The models that best match existing observational constraints have helium core masses in the range of ∼0.45 − 0.5 M⊙. Our model predicts that the positive rate of period change may evolve to negative. The formation channels for SHeB sdBs involve binary evolution and although the vast majority of BLAPs do not appear to be binaries (with the exception of HD 133729), the observational constraints are still very poor. Motivated by these findings, we explored the Roche lobe overflow channel. Of the 304 binary evolution models we computed, about half of them are able to produce SHeB sdBs in long-period binaries that evade detection from the limited observations that are currently available.
Mapping network symmetries with structural position vectors
Authors: Thompson Avery
Published: September 2022

Structural position vectors find symmetries significantly faster, highlight structural features of networks
Jets and vortices propel fish forward
Authors: Piccone Ashley
Published: September 2022

Time-resolved particle image velocimetry experiments show the generation, evolution, and dissipation of jets and vortices when eel-like fish turn.
Large-scale geometry obstructs localization
Authors: Ludewig Matthias , Thiang Guo Chuan
Published: September 2022

We explain the coarse geometric origin of the fact that certain spectral subspaces of topological insulator Hamiltonians are delocalized, in the sense that they cannot admit an orthonormal basis of localized wavefunctions, with respect to any uniformly discrete set of localization centers. This is a robust result requiring neither spatial homogeneity nor symmetries and applies to Landau levels of disordered quantum Hall systems on general Riemannian manifolds.
Molecular dynamics simulations of interfacial structure, dynamics, and interfacial tension of tetrabutylammonium bromide aqueous solution in the presence of methane and carbon dioxide
Authors: Naeiji Parisa , Woo Tom K. , Ohmura Ryo , Alavi Saman
Published: September 2022

The interfacial behavior of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) aqueous solutions in the absence of gas and the presence of methane and carbon dioxide gases is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The aqueous TBAB phase, at concentrations similar to the solid semiclathrate hydrate (1:38 mol ratio), has a smaller interfacial tension and an increase in the gas molecules adsorbed at the interface compared to that in pure water. Both these factors may contribute to facilitating the uptake of the gases into the solid phase during the process of semiclathrate hydrate formation. At similar gas pressures, CO2 is adsorbed preferentially compared to CH4, giving it a higher surface density, due to the stronger intermolecular interactions of CO2 molecules of the solution at the interface. The increase in relative adsorption of CH4 at the solution surface compared to that in pure water surface is due to the hydrophobic interactions between the n-alkyl chains of the TBA+ cation and methane gas.
Social Sustainability and Community Development Practices: The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Authors: Collishaw Christin S.
Published: September 2022

The following is a case study of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta, Canada. The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Banff Centre) is located within the unique setting of the land known as Banff National Park, the first national park established in Canada (Parks Canada, 2018). Banff National Park lies within the traditional territory of the Treaty 7 First Nations, part of Canada’s larger Indigenous population who have been subjected to centuries of racism and exploitation by European settlers and their descendants. Truth and reconciliation policies and processes have received increasing attention in Canadian society, although actual practices often fall short of these principles.An aspiring leader in arts and creativity, the Banff Centre goes beyond its educational programming to engage in community development activities which support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). The Banff Centre hosted a Truth and Reconciliation Summit in 2016, and followed up this summit with ongoing speaker series, strengthening relationships between locals and Treaty 7 First Nations who have lived in the area for thousands of years.

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© C.S. Collishaw, 2021
Variable range hopping conductivity in molecular beam epitaxial InSb
Authors: Holmes S N , Gough J , Chen C , Ritchie D A , Pepper M
Published: September 2022

A variable range hopping (VRH) transport mechanism can be induced in molecular beam epitaxial, n-type doped InSb wafers with focussed Ga+ ion beam damage. This technique allows areas of wafer to be selectively damaged and then subsequently processed into gated metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) devices where a disordered, two-dimensional (2D) device can be established. At high levels of damage (dose >1016 Ga+ ions cm−2) amorphous crystalline behavior results with activated conductivity characteristic of a three-dimensional system with VRH below 150 K. At lower doses (1014–1016 Ga+ ions cm−2) a thermally activated conductivity is induced at ∼0.9 K, characteristic of Mott phonon-assisted VRH. At 1 K the devices either conduct with conductivity >∼(e
2/h) where e is the fundamental charge and h is Planck’s constant, or are thermally activated depending on the dose level. The lightly damaged devices show weak antilocalization signals with conductivity characteristic of a 2D electronic system. As the Ga+ dose increases, the measured phase coherence length reduces from ∼500 nm to ∼100 nm. This provides a region of VRH transport where phase-coherent transport processes can be studied in the hopping regime with the dimensionality controlled by a gate voltage in an MIS-device.
An extended Stokes–Einstein model for condensed ionic water structures with topological complexity
Authors: Li Peizhao , Lu Haibao , Fu Yong-Qing
Published: September 2022

‘What is the structure of water?’ This has been a perplexing question for a long time and water structure with various phases is a great topic of research interest. Topological complexity generally occurs because hydrophilic ions strongly influence the size and shape of condensed water structures owing to their kosmotropic and chaotropic transitions. In this study, an extended Stokes–Einstein model incorporating Flory–Huggins free energy equation is proposed to describe the constitutive relationship between dynamic diffusion and condensed water structure with a topological complexity. The newly developed model provides a geometrical strategy of end-to-end distance and explores the constitutive relationship between condensed ionic water structures and their dynamic diffusion behaviors. A free-energy function is then formulated to study thermodynamics in electrolyte aqueous solution, in which the condensed ionic water structures undergo topologically complex changes. Finally, effectiveness of the proposed model is verified using both molecular dynamics simulations and experimental results reported in literature.