bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use and Productivity of Visual Aids as Retrieval Support in Police Interviews of Preschool-Aged Victims of Abuse
Authors: Johnson Miriam S. , Hyvik Martine Stordrange , Bråthen Ida Caroline , Magnussen Svein , Grung Rolf Magnus , Røed Ragnhild Klingenberg , Pripp Are Hugo , Baugerud Gunn Astrid
Published: December 2023

Professional use of external retrieval cues, such as various types of visual aids, has been utilized in investigative interviews of children for decades based on the assumption that aids can facilitate children’s recollection of abusive incidents. Although analog studies and surveys have provided insight into various aspects of visual aid utilization, there is a scarcity of field studies that addresses the use of visual aids in large samples of authentic investigative interviews of preschool-aged children. In the present study, the use and productivity of visual aids were examined in 140 investigative interviews of 3- to 6-year-old children, all of whom disclosed abuse in cases that progressed to prosecution. The exploratory analyses focused on the overall use of visual aids, the types of questions posed along with visual aids when the interviewer directly asks questions regarding the investigated incident(s), and the extent to which the children provided forensically relevant information in response to questions used along with visual aids. It was found that visual aids were utilized to elicit information regarding the investigated incident(s) in 92% (n = 129) of the interviews, with emotion cards and drawing materials being the most common aids used. The highest proportion of questions asked alongside visual aids were directive (41.6%) and option-posing (37.3%) questions, followed by suggestive questions (17.9%), and a rather low proportion of open-ended invitations (3.2%). In addition to visual aids, open-ended invitations elicited the most forensically relevant information from the interviewees. The need for standardized guidelines and specialized training for the use of visual aids in investigative interviews of young children is discussed.
Effectiveness of a transdiagnostic indicated preventive intervention for adolescents at high risk for anxiety and depressive disorders
Authors: Garcia-Lopez Luis-Joaquin , Jimenez-Vazquez David , Muela-Martinez Jose-Antonio , Piqueras Jose A. , Espinosa-Fernandez Lourdes , Canals-Sans Josefa , Vivas-Fernandez Manuel , Morales-Hidalgo Paula , Diaz-Castela Maria-Mar , Rivera Maria , Ehrenreich-May Jill
Published: December 2023

Despite ample evidence for transdiagnostic interventions in clinical populations and in universal prevention approaches, there are only a few controlled trials examining their role for indicated prevention. This study is the first randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a brief, 8-session group version of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A), called PROCARE-I (Preventive Transdiagnostic Intervention for Adolescents at Risk for Emotional Disorders-Indicated), delivered online, and including a booster session, in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents compared to an active control condition. Sixty-four adolescents (53% identifying as female) with elevated levels of anxiety and/or depression were randomly assigned to either the 8-week PROCARE-I or the active control condition. Self-report, parent, and clinician measures were collected before and after the interventions, at the 6-month follow-up, and 1 month after the booster session. After the intervention, participants in the PROCARE-I group showed improved scores on 9 of the 13 primary and secondary outcome measures, including reduction of anxiety and mood symptomatology, level of risk of developing emotional disorders, resilience, as well as increase of psychological flexibility, and emotional regulation. In contrast, those in the control group showed improvements in only 2 of the 13 outcome measures. After the booster session, significant differences were found between the PROCARE-I and control condition on measures of overall anxiety and depression symptoms, emotional risk, resilience, and quality of life. Low dropout rates and limited incidence of emotional disorders were observed at follow-ups. The interventions were well-accepted, with high satisfaction rates.
Vertical Distribution of Potentially Toxic Metals and PAHs in the Alvarado Lagoon, Veracruz in the Southern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Velandia-Aquino Laura Begoña , Botello Alfonso V. , Ponce-Vélez Guadalupe , Namihira-Santillán Patricia E. , Villanueva-Fragoso Susana
Published: December 2023

The impact of urban and agricultural development on sediment quality in the Alvarado Lagoon region in the southern Gulf of Mexico requires an examination of the historical behavior of potential toxic metals (PTMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Consequently, this study aims to assess the ecotoxicological hazards that benthic species and human consumers face in the area. These results are crucial for economic activities in the region and can help prevent future hazards. We examined two sediment profiles from the ecosystem: Profile 1, which spans the period between 1929 and 1998, and Profile 2, which covers the years between 1929 and 2007. The study evaluated the degree of human-induced pollution of six trace metal elements (PTMs): arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and vanadium (V) in the sediments of Alvarado Lagoon. The Enrichment Factor (EF) and Geoaccumulation Index (IGeo) were computed as internationally recognized indices to measure the magnitude of contamination and additional anthropogenic and geochemical inputs contributing to the natural levels of the elements. Our analysis indicates that there is no evidence of either enrichment or pollution (EF < 1 class 1; IGeo < 0 class zero) found in the sediments of Alvarado Lagoon. The occurrence of these elements can be attributed to their lithogenic origin, as supported by a significant correlation observed between them. Within the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analyzed, solely Naphthalene (Nap) and Phenanthrene (Phe) were identified in both sediment profiles. The levels of chemicals are indicative of minimal ecotoxicological risks, with Nap ranging between 0.25 and 0.43 µg g−1 and Phe ranging between 0.31 and 0.79 µg g−1. The analysis of factors in this study identified two distinct factors, one related to lithogenic processes and another related to petrogenic processes. The sedimentary profiles of the study site confirmed low levels of potentially toxic metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), posing insignificant environmental risks. As a result, the ecosystem in this area has demonstrated resilience.
Asymmetric Electrolytes Design for Aqueous Multivalent Metal Ion Batteries
Authors: Yang Xiaochen , Wang Xinyu , Xiang Yue , Ma Longtao , Huang Wei
Published: December 2023

With the rapid development of portable electronics and electric road vehicles, high-energy-density batteries have been becoming front-burner issues. Traditionally, homogeneous electrolyte cannot simultaneously meet diametrically opposed demands of high-potential cathode and low-potential anode, which are essential for high-voltage batteries. Meanwhile, homogeneous electrolyte is difficult to achieve bi- or multi-functions to meet different requirements of electrodes. In comparison, the asymmetric electrolyte with bi- or multi-layer disparate components can satisfy distinct requirements by playing different roles of each electrolyte layer and meanwhile compensates weakness of individual electrolyte. Consequently, the asymmetric electrolyte can not only suppress by-product sedimentation and continuous electrolyte decomposition at the anode while preserving active substances at the cathode for high-voltage batteries with long cyclic lifespan. In this review, we comprehensively divide asymmetric electrolytes into three categories: decoupled liquid-state electrolytes, bi-phase solid/liquid electrolytes and decoupled asymmetric solid-state electrolytes. The design principles, reaction mechanism and mutual compatibility are also studied, respectively. Finally, we provide a comprehensive vision for the simplification of structure to reduce costs and increase device energy density, and the optimization of solvation structure at anolyte/catholyte interface to realize fast ion transport kinetics.
Treatment-seeking behavior and barriers to mental health service utilization for depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking: The role of religious and traditional healers in mental healthcare of Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Yimer Tesfa Mekonen , Chan Gary CK , Belete Habte , Hides Leanne , Leung Janni
Published: December 2023

Understanding mental healthcare seeking and associated factors is essential for planning mental health services. This study aimed to assess treatment seeking and barriers to care for depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking in a community sample of Northwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to screen 1,728 participants for depressive symptoms (n = 414) and hazardous drinking (n = 155). Participants were asked whether they had sought mental healthcare. We also assessed the barriers to seeking mental healthcare. Logistic regression was used to identify associated factors. Among people with depressive symptoms, 14.3%, 15.5%, and 19.6% sought treatment from healthcare settings, non-healthcare settings, or any sources, respectively. Religious places (39.5%) were the most helpful treatment sources. People with low levels of internalized stigma (adj OR = 3.00 [1.41, 6.42]) and positive attitudes towards mental illness (adj OR = 2.84 [1.33, 6.07]) were nearly threefold more likely to seek depression treatment. No participants with hazardous drinking sought treatment from healthcare settings, and only 1.3% had sought help from families/friends. Over 97% of participants with depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking reported at least one barrier to treatment-seeking from a healthcare setting. Religious and traditional healers were as important as healthcare settings for treatment-seeking.
A forerunner of Darwin in the service of nihilists: the translation and reception of Vestiges in Russia
Authors: Khramov Alexander V.
Published: December 2023

Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation by Robert Chambers, a Scottish publisher and popular writer, was one of the most influential evolutionary works in the pre-Darwinian age. This article examines the circumstances in which this treatise was published in Russia in 1863 and went through a second printing in 1868. Vestiges was translated into Russian by Alexander Palkhovsky (1831–1907), a former medical student, ideologically close to the nihilist movement, and was initially printed by the radical publisher Anatoly Cherenin, later prosecuted for his ties with revolutionary circles. Vestiges was translated not from the English original, but from a German translation by Karl Vogt. Given the popularity of German materialism among Russian radicals in the 1860s, association with Vogt's name did much to draw attention to the translation. Contrary to Vogt, who took an anti-evolutionary stance while translating Vestiges, Palkhovsky and other nihilists ardently supported evolution in the hope that it would help them combat religious belief. Praising the author of Vestiges for his evolutionary views, Russian radicals at the same time criticized him for numerous references to God, teleological thinking and blindness to social problems. In their attempts to put Vestiges into service, Russian nihilists were similar to English freethinkers of the 1840s. The study of how Vestiges was read and perceived in Russia provides a better understanding of the cross-cultural reception of evolutionary ideas on the eve of Darwin's Origin of Species.
Farmers’ selection criteria for sweet potato varieties in Benin: An application of Best-Worst Scaling
Authors: Ahoudou Idrissou , Sogbohossou Dêêdi E. O. , Fassinou Hotegni Nicodeme V. , Adjé Charlotte O. A. , Assogba Komlan Françoise , Moumouni-Moussa Ismail , Achigan-Dako Enoch G.
Published: December 2023

Integrating farmers’ preferences into the breeding and dissemination of new genotypes is a effective approach to enhance their successful adoption by farmers. In the case of sweet potato, a staple crop in many parts of West Africa, there is a need for more research on the selection criteria used by farmers when choosing which varieties to grow. This study aims to highlight farmers’ selection criteria for sweet potato varieties in the main production areas in Benin. A total of 480 farmers from the top three sweet potato production areas were surveyed. The relative importance of various traits for sweet potato farmers was evaluated using best-worst scaling methods. Latent class analysis was applied to find groups of farmers with similar preferences. Best-Worst Scaling analysis revealed that high root yield, root size, marketability, and early maturing were the most important variety selection criteria. Latent class analysis revealed three farmers’ groups referred to as ‘Yield potential’, ‘Market value’, and ‘Plant resilience’ classes. ‘Yield potential’ farmers were more likely to be from Atlantique and Alibori departments; they significantly committed more acreage to sweet potato production. The ‘Market value’ farmers highlighted the variety of root size and commercial value as the main selection criteria and consisted of farmers with primary education levels from the Ouémé department. ‘Plant resilience’ refers to a group of Alibori farmers who prioritize environmental issues and primarily grow sweet potatoes for self-consumption. Our findings shed light on farmers’ preferences and suggested that heterogeneity in sweet potato selection criteria was highly influenced by various socio-economic factors and location.
The Corporate Investment Benefits of Mutual Fund Dual Holdings
Authors: Renjie Rex Wang , Verwijmeren Patrick , Xia Shuo
Published: December 2023

Mutual fund families increasingly hold bonds and stocks from the same firm. We present evidence that dual ownership allows firms to increase valuable investments and refinance by issuing bonds with lower yields and fewer restrictive covenants, especially when firms face financial distress. Dual holders also prevent overinvestment by firms with entrenched managers. Overall, our results suggest that mutual fund families internalize the agency conflicts of their portfolio companies, highlighting the positive governance externalities of intra-family cooperation.
Transoral robotic tongue base mucosectomy for head and neck cancer of unknown primary: six-year outcome experience
Authors: Mettias Bassem , Nijim Hazem , Laugharne David , Mortimore Sean
Published: December 2023

Background and Objective

Head and neck carcinoma of unknown primary is a diagnostic dilemma. The clinical and imaging workup remains ineffective in two-thirds of patients. Transoral robotic surgery has shown an advantage in the primary detection over the previous standard panendoscopy.

Methods

This is an observational cohort study that took place at a large healthcare centre with robotic surgery experience in head and neck over six-years. All included carcinoma of unknown primary patients followed the standard recommendation for primary identification. Final diagnostic step of robotic tongue base mucosectomy with or without tonsillectomy was introduced. The cancer detection rate in tongue base only, the functional outcome and the effect on the cancer pathway were evaluated.

Results

Carcinoma of unknown primary was reported in 44 per cent of patients. All identified specimens were human papillomavirus positive. There was no significant effect on functional outcome of swallowing and the national 62-day cancer pathway. Robotic surgery allowed optimum treatment of carcinoma of unknown primary in early nodal disease.

Conclusion

Robotic surgery is a useful paradigm in the management of carcinoma of unknown primary. It is safe with minimal morbidity and good functional outcome after the surgery.
Narratives of Authoritarianism in Times of Crisis: Democracy and Limitations of Progressive Politics in Plurinational Bolivia
Authors: Ranta Eija
Published: December 2023

In Bolivia, expectations for a decolonised society turned into a political crisis in the autumn of 2019. Discussing the limitations of progressive politics in cultivating democracy, this article identifies three narratives of authoritarianism – liberal democratic, developmentalist and colonial – which the opponents of Evo Morales use to frame their disillusionment with his rule. It argues that these multiple narratives lend meaning to contradictory experiences in a context in which hopes for a major decolonising state-transformation process have devolved into a deep polarisation of Bolivian society. The events in Bolivia are discussed in the context of rising authoritarianism throughout Latin America.
Telemedicine and the assessment of clinician time: a scoping review
Authors: Kidholm Kristian , Jensen Lise Kvistgaard , Johansson Minna , Montori Victor M.
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Telemedicine may improve healthcare access and efficiency if it demands less clinician time than usual care. We sought to describe the degree to which telemedicine trials assess the effect of telemedicine on clinicians’ time and to discuss how including the time needed to treat (TNT) in health technology assessment (HTA) could affect the design of telemedicine services and studies.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review by searching clinicaltrials.gov using the search term “telemedicine” and limiting results to randomized trials or observational studies registered between January 2012 and October 2023. We then reviewed trial registration data to determine if any of the outcomes assessed in the trials measured effect on clinicians’ time.

Results

We found 113 studies and of these 78 studies of telemedicine met the inclusion criteria and were included. Nine (12 percent) of the 78 studies had some measure of clinician time as a primary outcome, and 11 (14 percent) as a secondary outcome. Four studies compared direct measures of TNT with telemedicine versus usual care, but no statistically significant difference was found. Of the sixteen studies including indirect measures of clinician time, thirteen found no significant effects, two found a statistically significant reduction, and one found a statistically significant increase.

Conclusions

This scoping review found that clinician time is not commonly measured in studies of telemedicine interventions. Attention to telemedicine’s TNT in clinical studies and HTAs of telemedicine in practice may bring attention to the organization of clinical workflows and increase the value of telemedicine.
Textual materiality and abstraction in mathematics
Authors: Kiel Steensen Anna , Johansen Mikkel Willum , Misfeldt Morten
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we wish to explore the role that textual representations play in the creation of new mathematical objects. We do so by analyzing texts by Joseph-Louis Lagrange (1736–1813) and Évariste Galois (1811–1832), which are seen as central to the historical development of the mathematical concept of groups. In our analysis, we consider how the material features of representations relate to the changes in conceptualization that we see in the texts.

Against this backdrop, we discuss the idea that new mathematical concepts, in general, are increasingly abstract in the sense of being detached from material configurations. Our analysis supports the opposite view. We suggest that changes in the material aspects of textual representations (i.e., the actual graphic inscriptions) play an active and crucial role in conceptual change.

We employ an analytical framework adapted from Bruno Latour’s 1999 account of intertwined material and representational practices in the empirical sciences. This approach facilitates a foregrounding of the interconnection between the conceptual development of mathematics, and the construction, (re-)configuration, and manipulation of the materiality of representations. Our analysis suggests that, in mathematical practice, distinctions between the material and structural features of representations are not permanent and absolute. This problematizes the appropriateness of the distinction between concrete inscriptions and abstract relations in understanding the development of mathematical concepts.
Assessing the performance of national sentinel food lists at subnational levels in six countries
Authors: Vogliano Chris , Varela Veronica , Woldt Monica , Alayon Silvia , Hackl Laura S , Kennedy Gina , Pedersen Sarah H , Milner Erin M , Yourkavitch Jennifer
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To assess how well national sentinel lists of the most frequently consumed foods in each food group capture data at subnational levels to measure minimum diet diversity (MDD).

Design:

We analysed data from seven surveys with 24-h open dietary recalls to evaluate: (1) the percentage of reported foods that were included in each sentinel food list; (2) whether these lists captured consumption of some food groups better than others and (3) differences between estimates of dietary diversity calculated from all food items mentioned in the open 24-h recall v. only food items included in the sentinel lists.

Setting:

Seven subnational areas: Bangladesh (2), Benin, Colombia, Kenya, Malawi and Nepal.

Participants:

8094 women 15–49 years; 4588 children 6–23 months.

Results:

National sentinel food lists captured most foods reportedly consumed by women (84 %) and children (86 %). Food groups with the highest variability were ‘other fruits’ and ‘other vegetables.’ MDD calculated from the sentinel list was, on average, 6·5 (women) and 4·1 (children) percentage points lower than when calculated from open 24-h recalls, with a statistically significant difference in most subnational areas.

Conclusion:

National sentinel food lists can provide reliable data at subnational levels for most food groups, with some variability by country and sub-region. Assessing the accuracy of national sentinel food lists, especially for fruits and vegetables, before using them at the subnational level could avoid potentially underestimating dietary diversity and provide more accurate local information for programmes, policy and research.
Mothers’ experiences of reducing family mealtime screen use in Australian households with young children
Authors: Litterbach Eloise-Kate , Laws Rachel , Zheng Miaobing , Campbell Karen J , Spence Alison C
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Screen use at mealtimes is associated with poor dietary and psychosocial outcomes in children and is disproportionately prevalent among families of low socio-economic position (SEP). This study aimed to explore experiences of reducing mealtime screen use in mothers of low SEP with young children.

Design:

Motivational interviews, conducted via Zoom or telephone, addressed barriers and facilitators to reducing mealtime screen use. Following motivational interviews, participants co-designed mealtime screen use reduction strategies and trialled these for 3–4 weeks. Follow-up semi-structured interviews then explored maternal experiences of implementing strategies, including successes and difficulties. Transcripts were analysed thematically.

Setting:

Australia.

Participants:

Fourteen mothers who had no university education and a child between six months and six years old.

Results:

A range of strategies aimed to reduce mealtime screen use were co-designed. The most widely used strategies included changing mealtime location and parental modelling of expected behaviours. Experiences were influenced by mothers’ levels of parenting self-efficacy and mealtime consistency, included changes to mealtime foods and an increased value of mealtimes. Experiences were reportedly easier, more beneficial and offered more opportunities for family communication, than anticipated. Change required considerable effort. However, effort decreased with consistency.

Conclusions:

The diverse strategies co-designed by mothers highlight the importance of understanding why families engage in mealtime screen use and providing tailored advice for reduction. Although promising themes were identified, in this motivated sample, changing established mealtime screen use habits still required substantial effort. Embedding screen-free mealtime messaging into nutrition promotion from the inception of eating will be important.
The study of shadowing effect for LTE and 5G networks in suburban environment
Authors: Seah Shi Jie , Jong Siat Ling , Yin Lam Hong , Leow Chee Yen
Published: December 2023

The presence of obstacles in the propagation path is a critical factor in air-to-ground (AG) communication. The behavior of wireless signal propagation depends on several variables, such as frequency, building height, elevation angle, and street design. This paper aims to compare the three established line of sight (LOS) probability model based on actual site data, including the building geometry in suburban environment. The comparison between these three models using the site data provide a guideline for selecting the LOS probability model based on the optimistic and pessimistic predictions. The shadowing loss was evaluated at frequencies 2 and 3.5 GHz with an elevation angle of 20° in two suburban locations at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. Three prediction models, ITU-R P.1410-5, Holis and Pechac, and Pang et al., available in the literature were used to identify and compare the line-of-sight probability. By focusing on the shadowing model in suburban area, the guideline for optimizing LOS communications or navigation in these challenging environments can be developed. The finding highlights the importance of considering building height in AG communication for network performance evaluation and design.
Darmmikrobiota und Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen: Ein Überblick zu Zusammenhängen und möglichen Implikationen für therapeutische Interventionen
Authors: Neubauer Johanna , Kaiser Anna , Hohmann Sarah
Published: December 2023

Zusammenfassung: Während zu Beginn der Mikrobiomforschung vorwiegend gastrointestinale Erkrankungen im Fokus standen, wurden in den letzten Jahren Zusammenhänge mit weiteren körperlichen Prozessen und (neuro)psychiatrischen Erkrankungen wie beispielsweise der Autismus-Spektrum-Störung (ASS) festgestellt, welche über die „Gehirn-Darm-Mikrobiom-Achse“ vermittelt werden. Hierbei konnte gezeigt werden, dass sich die Zusammensetzung des Mikrobioms von ASS-Patient_innen und gesunden Kontrollen unterscheidet. Als Ursache hierfür werden mögliche systemische Auswirkungen von z. B. Stoffwechselprodukten bestimmter Mikrobiota oder mikrobiotainduzierten chronisch inflammatorischen Prozessen auf das Gehirn (über die „Gehirn-Darm-Mikrobiom-Achse“ vermittelt) vermutet. Die konkreten zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen sind bisher jedoch weitgehend unklar. Aufgrund der noch sehr unklaren Datenlage können aktuell noch keine allgemeingültigen Empfehlungen für entsprechende therapeutische Interventionen abgeleitet werden. Es gibt jedoch bereits erste vielversprechende Daten, die eine positive Veränderung der autismusspezifischen Symptomatik durch den Einsatz diätetischer Maßnahmen, Prä- und Probiotika, Stuhltransplantationen von gesunden Kontrollpersonen und eine Einschränkung der Aufnahme bestimmter Metabolite in den Darm aufzeigen. Weitere qualitativ hochwertige klinische Studien sind notwendig, um die Pathophysiologie der ASS besser zu verstehen und die Diagnostik und Therapie anpassen zu können.
Geochemical and Photochemical Constraints on S[IV] Concentrations in Natural Waters on Prebiotic Earth
Authors: Ranjan Sukrit , Abdelazim Khaled , Lozano Gabriella G. , Mandal Sangita , Zhou Cindy Y. , Kufner Corinna L. , Todd Zoe R. , Sahai Nita , Sasselov Dimitar D.
Published: December 2023

Aqueous S[IV] species (, ) derived from volcanogenic atmospheric SO2 are important to planetary habitability through their roles in proposed origins‐of‐life chemistry and influence on atmospheric sulfur haze formation, but the early cycling of S[IV] is poorly understood. Here, we combine new laboratory constraints on S[IV] disproportionation kinetics with a novel aqueous photochemistry model to estimate the concentrations of S[IV] in natural waters on prebiotic Earth. We show that S[IV] disproportionation is slow in pH ≥ 7 waters, with timescale T ≥ 1 year at room temperature, meaning that S[IV] was present in prebiotic natural waters. However, we also show that photolysis of S[IV] by UV light on prebiotic Earth limited [S[IV]] < 100 µM in global‐mean steady‐state. Because of photolysis, [S[IV]] was much lower in natural waters compared to the concentrations generally invoked in laboratory simulations of origins‐of‐life chemistry (≥10 mM), meaning further work is needed to confirm whether laboratory S[IV]‐dependent prebiotic chemistries could have functioned in nature. [S[IV]] ≥ 1 µM in terrestrial waters for: (a) SO2 outgassing ≥20× modern, (b) pond depths <10 cm, or (c) UV‐attenuating agents present in early waters or the prebiotic atmosphere. Marine S[IV] was sub‐saturated with respect to atmospheric SO2, meaning that atmospheric SO2 deposition was efficient and that, within the constraints of present knowledge, UV‐attenuating sulfur hazes could only have persisted on prebiotic Earth if sulfur emission rates were very high (≳100× modern). Our work illustrates the synergy between planetary science, geochemistry and synthetic organic chemistry toward understanding the emergence and maintenance of life on early Earth.
Instabilities Across the Agulhas Current Enhance Upward Nitrate Supply in the Southwest Subtropical Indian Ocean
Authors: Marshall Tanya A. , Beal Lisa , Sigman Daniel M. , Fawcett Sarah E.
Published: December 2023

The Agulhas Current, like other western boundary currents (WBCs), transports nutrients laterally from the tropics to the subtropics in a subsurface “nutrient stream.” These nutrients are predominantly supplied to surface waters by seasonal convective mixing, to fuel a brief period of productivity before phytoplankton become nutrient‐limited. Episodic mixing events characteristic of WBC systems can temporarily alleviate nutrient scarcity by vertically entraining deep nutrients into surface waters. However, our understanding of these nutrient fluxes is lacking because they are spatio‐temporally limited, and once they enter the sunlit layer, the nutrients are rapidly consumed by phytoplankton. Here, we use a novel application of nitrate Δ(15–18), the difference between the nitrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of nitrate, to characterize three (sub)mesoscale events of upward nitrate supply across the Agulhas Current in winter: (1) mixing at the edges of an anticyclonic eddy, (2) inshore upwelling associated with a submesoscale meander of the Agulhas Current, and (3) overturning at the edge of the current core driven by submesoscale instabilities. All three events manifest as upward injections of high‐Δ(15–18) nitrate into the thermocline and surface where nitrate Δ(15–18) is otherwise low; these entrainment events are not always apparent in the other co‐collected data. The dynamics driving the nitrate supply events are common to all WBCs, implying that nutrient entrainment facilitated by WBCs is quantitatively significant and supports productivity in otherwise oligotrophic subtropical surface waters. A future rise in energy across WBC systems may increase these nutrient fluxes, partly offsetting the predicted stratification‐induced decrease in subtropical ocean fertility.
Internal Variability Increased Arctic Amplification During 1980–2022
Authors: Sweeney Aodhan J. , Fu Qiang , Po‐Chedley Stephen , Wang Hailong , Wang Muyin
Published: December 2023

Since 1980, the Arctic surface has warmed four times faster than the global mean. Enhanced Arctic warming relative to the global average warming is referred to as Arctic Amplification (AA). While AA is a robust feature in climate change simulations, models rarely reproduce the observed magnitude of AA, leading to concerns that models may not accurately capture the response of the Arctic to greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we use CMIP6 data to train a machine learning algorithm to quantify the influence of internal variability in surface air temperature trends over both the Arctic and global domains. Application of this machine learning algorithm to observations reveals that internal variability increases the Arctic warming but slows global warming in recent decades, inflating AA since 1980 by 38% relative to the externally forced AA. Accounting for the role of internal variability reconciles the discrepancy between simulated and observed AA.
Architecture and Evolution of the Southern Chotts‐Jeffara Basin, Tunisia
Authors: Bruna P.‐O. , Bertotti G. , Charton R. J. G. , Dixon R. , Nasri A.
Published: December 2023

Southern Tunisia is known to be less deformed and simpler than its neighboring Atlassic domain to the north. This area is complex and basin evolution in the Southern Chotts‐Jeffara (SCJ) basin is debated. In this paper we combined surface and subsurface data with low temperature thermochronology (LTT) to reinvestigate the tectono‐sedimentary evolution of the SCJ basin from Permian to Jurassic. We reconstruct the present‐day architecture of the SCJ basin along two regional sections. In these sections, we focused mainly on regional thickness variations and on internal reflections interpreted from seismic data. We observe three structural elements: (a) A Paleozoic culmination, oriented E‐W, capped by Mid‐Upper Triassic deposits; (b) the Tebaga of Medenine (ToM), a culmination also oriented E‐W but located ∼50 km north of the Paleozoic culmination; and (c) A Triassic culmination in the eastern part of the area, oriented NW‐SE. We note the absence of major normal faults along the sections. The LTT data we present are the first published in this area and allow to reconstruct the timing and magnitude of vertical movements. These data prove: (a) exhumation at ∼230 Ma of the Permian and Lower Triassic units associated with the onset of the ToM removing locally about 900 m of pre‐Cretaceous sediments; and (b) the development of the Triassic culmination ∼180 Ma removing 2000 m of pre‐Cretaceous sediments in the Jebel Rehach. This study demonstrates that vertical movements in the SCJ basin are controlled by long‐wavelength processes developed essentially in shortening regimes.
A pilot study of alternative substrates in the critically Ill subject using a ketogenic feed
Authors: McNelly Angela , Langan Anne , Bear Danielle E. , Page Alexandria , Martin Tim , Seidu Fatima , Santos Filipa , Rooney Kieron , Liang Kaifeng , Heales Simon J. , Baldwin Tomas , Alldritt Isabelle , Crossland Hannah , Atherton Philip J. , Wilkinson Daniel , Montgomery Hugh , Prowle John , Pearse Rupert , Eaton Simon , Puthucheary Zudin A.
Published: December 2023

Bioenergetic failure caused by impaired utilisation of glucose and fatty acids contributes to organ dysfunction across multiple tissues in critical illness. Ketone bodies may form an alternative substrate source, but the feasibility and safety of inducing a ketogenic state in physiologically unstable patients is not known. Twenty-nine mechanically ventilated adults with multi-organ failure managed on intensive care units were randomised (Ketogenic n = 14, Control n = 15) into a two-centre pilot open-label trial of ketogenic versus standard enteral feeding. The primary endpoints were assessment of feasibility and safety, recruitment and retention rates and achievement of ketosis and glucose control. Ketogenic feeding was feasible, safe, well tolerated and resulted in ketosis in all patients in the intervention group, with a refusal rate of 4.1% and 82.8% retention. Patients who received ketogenic feeding had fewer hypoglycaemic events (0.0% vs. 1.6%), required less exogenous international units of insulin (0 (Interquartile range 0-16) vs.78 (Interquartile range 0-412) but had slightly more daily episodes of diarrhoea (53.5% vs. 42.9%) over the trial period. Ketogenic feeding was feasible and may be an intervention for addressing bioenergetic failure in critically ill patients. Clinical Trials.gov registration: NCT04101071.
Global transcontinental power pools for low-carbon electricity
Authors: Yang Haozhe , Deshmukh Ranjit , Suh Sangwon
Published: December 2023

The transition to low-carbon electricity is crucial for meeting global climate goals. However, given the uneven spatial distribution and temporal variability of renewable resources, balancing the supply and demand of electricity will be challenging when relying on close to 100% shares of renewable energy. Here, we use an electricity planning model with hourly supply-demand projections and high-resolution renewable resource maps, to examine whether transcontinental power pools reliably meet the growing global demand for renewable electricity and reduce the system cost. If all suitable sites for renewable energy are available for development, transcontinental trade in electricity reduces the annual system cost of electricity in 2050 by 5–52% across six transcontinental power pools compared to no electricity trade. Under land constraints, if only the global top 10% of suitable renewable energy sites are available, then without international trade, renewables are unable to meet 12% of global demand in 2050. Introducing transcontinental power pools with the same land constraints, however, enables renewables to meet 100% of future electricity demand, while also reducing costs by up to 23% across power pools. Our results highlight the benefits of expanding regional transmission networks in highly decarbonized but land-constrained future electricity systems.
Maternal dominance contributes to subgenome differentiation in allopolyploid fishes
Authors: Xu Min-Rui-Xuan , Liao Zhen-Yang , Brock Jordan R. , Du Kang , Li Guo-Yin , Chen Zhi-Qiang , Wang Ying-Hao , Gao Zhong-Nan , Agarwal Gaurav , Wei Kevin H-C , Shao Feng , Pang Shuai , Platts Adrian E. , van de Velde Jozefien , Lin Hong-Min , Teresi Scott J. , Bird Kevin , Niederhuth Chad E. , Xu Jin-Gen , Yu Guo-Hua , Yang Jian-Yuan , Dai Si-Fa , Nelson Andrew , Braasch Ingo , Zhang Xiao-Gu , Schartl Manfred , Edger Patrick P. , Han Min-Jin , Zhang Hua-Hao
Published: December 2023

Teleost fishes, which are the largest and most diverse group of living vertebrates, have a rich history of ancient and recent polyploidy. Previous studies of allotetraploid common carp and goldfish (cyprinids) reported a dominant subgenome, which is more expressed and exhibits biased gene retention. However, the underlying mechanisms contributing to observed ‘subgenome dominance’ remains poorly understood. Here we report high-quality genomes of twenty-one cyprinids to investigate the origin and subsequent subgenome evolution patterns following three independent allopolyploidy events. We identify the closest extant relatives of the diploid progenitor species, investigate genetic and epigenetic differences among subgenomes, and conclude that observed subgenome dominance patterns are likely due to a combination of maternal dominance and transposable element densities in each polyploid. These findings provide an important foundation to understanding subgenome dominance patterns observed in teleost fishes, and ultimately the role of polyploidy in contributing to evolutionary innovations.
Mixed success for carbon payments and subsidies in support of forest restoration in the neotropics
Authors: Sinacore Katherine , García Edwin H. , Finkral Alex , van Breugel Michiel , Lopez Omar R. , Espinosa Carlos , Miller Andrea , Howard Theodore , Hall Jefferson S.
Published: December 2023

Restoration of forests in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has the potential to contribute to international carbon mitigation targets. However, high upfront costs and variable cashflows are obstacles for many landholders. Carbon payments have been promoted as a mechanism to incentivize restoration and economists have suggested cost-sharing by third parties to reduce financial burdens of restoration. Yet empirical evidence to support this theory, based on robust, dynamic field sampling is lacking. Here we use large, long-term datasets from Panama to evaluate the financial prospects of three forest restoration methods under different cost-sharing and carbon payment designs where income is generated through timber harvests. We show some, but not all options are economically viable. Further work combining growth and survival data from field trials with more sophisticated financial analyses is essential to understanding barriers and realizing the potential of forest restoration in LMICs to help meet global carbon mitigation commitments.
Synergistic pretraining of parametrized quantum circuits via tensor networks
Authors: Rudolph Manuel S. , Miller Jacob , Motlagh Danial , Chen Jing , Acharya Atithi , Perdomo-Ortiz Alejandro
Published: December 2023

Parametrized quantum circuits (PQCs) represent a promising framework for using present-day quantum hardware to solve diverse problems in materials science, quantum chemistry, and machine learning. We introduce a “synergistic” approach that addresses two prominent issues with these models: the prevalence of barren plateaus in PQC optimization landscapes, and the difficulty to outperform state-of-the-art classical algorithms. This framework first uses classical resources to compute a tensor network encoding a high-quality solution, and then converts this classical output into a PQC which can be further improved using quantum resources. We provide numerical evidence that this framework effectively mitigates barren plateaus in systems of up to 100 qubits using only moderate classical resources, with overall performance improving as more classical or quantum resources are employed. We believe our results highlight that classical simulation methods are not an obstacle to overcome in demonstrating practically useful quantum advantage, but rather can help quantum methods find their way.
Diversity and dissemination of viruses in pathogenic protozoa
Authors: Heeren Senne , Maes Ilse , Sanders Mandy , Lye Lon-Fye , Adaui Vanessa , Arevalo Jorge , Llanos-Cuentas Alejandro , Garcia Lineth , Lemey Philippe , Beverley Stephen M. , Cotton James A. , Dujardin Jean-Claude , Van den Broeck Frederik
Published: December 2023

Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth and play a significant role in the evolution of many organisms and ecosystems. In pathogenic protozoa, the presence of viruses has been linked to an increased risk of treatment failure and severe clinical outcome. Here, we studied the molecular epidemiology of the zoonotic disease cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru and Bolivia through a joint evolutionary analysis of Leishmania braziliensis and their dsRNA Leishmania virus 1. We show that parasite populations circulate in tropical rainforests and are associated with single viral lineages that appear in low prevalence. In contrast, groups of hybrid parasites are geographically and ecologically more dispersed and associated with an increased prevalence, diversity and spread of viruses. Our results suggest that parasite gene flow and hybridization increased the frequency of parasite-virus symbioses, a process that may change the epidemiology of leishmaniasis in the region.
Oblivious network intrusion detection systems
Authors: Sayed Mahmoud AbdelHafeez , Taha Mostafa
Published: December 2023

A main function of network intrusion detection systems (NIDSs) is to monitor network traffic and match it against rules. Oblivious NIDSs (O-NIDS) perform the same tasks of NIDSs but they use encrypted rules and produce encrypted results without being able to decrypt the rules or the results. Current implementations of O-NIDS suffer from slow searching speeds and/or lack of generality. In this paper, we present a generic approach to implement a privacy-preserving O-NIDS based on hybrid binary gates. We also present two resource-flexible algorithm bundles built upon the hybrid binary gates to perform the NIDS’s essential tasks of direct matching and range matching as a proof of concept. Our approach utilizes a Homomorphic Encryption (HE) layer in an abstract fashion, which makes it implementable by many HE schemes compared to the state-of-the-art where the underlying HE scheme is a core part of the approach. This feature allowed the use of already-existing HE libraries that utilize parallelization techniques in GPUs for faster performance. We achieved a rule encryption time as low as 0.012% of the state of the art with only 0.047% of its encrypted rule size. Also, we achieved a rule-matching speed that is almost 20,000 times faster than the state of the art.
Dose and gender dependence of chlorine inhalation in a conscious ovine model
Authors: Baljinnyam Tuvshintugs , Niimi Yosuke , Salsbury John R. , Fukuda Satoshi , Ouellette Casey M. , Andersen Clark R. , Hirasawa Yasutaka , Prough Donald A. , Garner C. Edwin , Salzman Andrew L. , Enkhbaatar Perenlei
Published: December 2023

Characterization of the pathophysiology of ARDS following chlorine gas inhalation in clinically relevant translational large animal models is essential, as the opportunity for clinical trials in this type of trauma is extremely limited. To investigate Cl2 concentration and gender-dependent ARDS severity. Sheep (n = 54) were exposed to air or Cl2 premixed in air at a concentration of 50, 100, 200, and 300 ppm for 30 min under anesthesia/analgesia and monitored for an additional 48 h in a conscious state. Cardiopulmonary variables and survival endpoints were compared between male and female sheep. Overall there were no significant differences in the responses of female and male sheep except pulmonary oxygenation tended to be better in the male sheep (300 ppm group), and the pulmonary arterial pressure was lower (200 ppm group). The onset of mild ARDS (200 < PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300) was observed at 36 h post exposure in the 50 ppm group, whereas the 100 ppm group developed mild and moderate (100 ≤ PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 200) ARDS by 12 and 36 h after injury, respectively. The 200 ppm and 300 ppm groups developed moderate ARDS within 6 and 3 h after injury, respectively. The 300 ppm group progressed to severe (PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 100) ARDS at 18 h after injury. Increases in pPeak and pPlateau were noted in all injured animals. Compared to sham, inhalation of 200 ppm and 300 ppm Cl2 significantly increased lung extravascular water content. The thoracic cavity fluid accumulation dose-dependently increased with the severity of trauma as compared to sham. At necropsy, the lungs were red, heavy, solidified, and fluid filled; the injury severity grew with increasing Cl2 concentration. The severity of ARDS and mortality rate directly correlated to inhaled Cl2 concentrations. No significant sex-dependent differences were found in measured endpoint variables.