bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility and usefulness of postoperative mobilization goals in the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) clinical pathway for elective colorectal surgery
Authors: Wiesenberger Rico , Müller Julian , Kaufmann Mario , Weiß Christel , Ghezel-Ahmadi David , Hardt Julia , Reissfelder Christoph , Herrle Florian
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Despite mobilization is highly recommended in the ERAS® colorectal guideline, studies suggest that more than half of patients don’t reach the daily goal of 360 min out of bed. However, data used to quantify mobilization are predominantly based on self-assessments, for which the accuracy is uncertain. This study aims to accurately measure postoperative mobilization in ERAS®-patients by validated motion data from body sensors.

Methods

ERAS®-patients with elective bowel resections were eligible. Self-assessments and motion sensors (movisens: ECG-Move 4 and Move 4; Garmin: Vivosmart4) were used to record mobilization parameter from surgery to postoperative day 3 (POD3): Time out of bed, time on feet and step count.

Results

97 patients were screened and 60 included for study participation. Self-assessment showed a median out of bed duration of 215 min/day (POD1: 135 min, POD2: 225 min, POD3: 225 min). The goal of 360 min was achieved by 16.67% at POD1, 21.28% at POD2 and 20.45% at POD3. Median time on feet objectively measured by Move 4 was 109 min/day. During self-assessment, patients significantly underestimated their “time on feet”-duration with 85 min/day (p = 0.008). Median number of steps was 933/day (Move 4).

Conclusion

This study confirmed with objectively supported data, that most patients don’t reach the daily mobilization goal of 360 min despite being treated by an ERAS®-pathway with ERAS®-nurse. Even considering an empirically approximated underestimation, the ERAS®-target isn’t achieved by more than 75% of patients. Therefore, we propose an adjustment of the general ERAS®-goals into more patient-centered, individualized and achievable goals.

Registration

This study is part of the MINT-ERAS-project and was registered prospectively in the German Clinical Trials Register on 25.02.2022. Trial registration number is “DRKS00027863”.
The Neurofunctional Correlates of Morphosyntactic and Thematic Impairments in Aphasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Beber Sabrina , Bontempi Giorgia , Miceli Gabriele , Tettamanti Marco
Published: August 2024

Lesion-symptom studies in persons with aphasia showed that left temporoparietal damage, but surprisingly not prefrontal damage, correlates with impaired ability to process thematic roles in the comprehension of semantically reversible sentences (The child is hugged by the mother). This result has led to challenge the time-honored view that left prefrontal regions are critical for sentence comprehension. However, most studies focused on thematic role assignment and failed to consider morphosyntactic processes that are also critical for sentence processing. We reviewed and meta-analyzed lesion-symptom studies on the neurofunctional correlates of thematic role assignment and morphosyntactic processing in comprehension and production in persons with aphasia. Following the PRISMA checklist, we selected 43 papers for the review and 27 for the meta-analysis, identifying a set of potential bias risks. Both the review and the meta-analysis confirmed the correlation between thematic role processing and temporoparietal regions but also clearly showed the involvement of prefrontal regions in sentence processing. Exploratory meta-analyses suggested that both thematic role and morphosyntactic processing correlate with left prefrontal and temporoparietal regions, that morphosyntactic processing correlates with prefrontal structures more than with temporoparietal regions, and that thematic role assignment displays the opposite trend. We discuss current limitations in the literature and propose a set of recommendations for clarifying unresolved issues.
The Coase Conjecture When the Monopolist and Customers have Different Discount Rates
Authors: Groseclose Tim
Published: August 2024

One of the most famous and outstanding formalizations of the Coase Conjecture is by Gul et al. (J Econ Theory 39(1):155–190, 1986. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0531(86)90024-4) peculiarity of their model—as well as nearly all other examinations of the Coase Conjecture, including that by Coase himself—is that it assumes that the monopolist and customers have the same discount rate. I re-examine their model, while relaxing this restriction. Gul et. al. show that, if the (common) discount rate of the monopolist and customers approaches one, then the Coase Conjecture follows. I show that one only needs the discount rate of the customers to approach one for this to be true. I also show a second result: If the customers’ discount rate is fixed at a value less than one, while the monopolist’s discount rate approaches one, then the Coase Conjecture is guaranteed not to follow.
Randomization advice and ambiguity aversion
Authors: Kuzmics Christoph , Rogers Brian W. , Zhang Xiannong
Published: August 2024

We design and implement lab experiments to evaluate the normative appeal of behavior arising from models of ambiguity-averse preferences. We report two main empirical findings. First, we demonstrate that behavior reflects an incomplete understanding of the problem, providing evidence that subjects do not act on the basis of preferences alone. Second, additional clarification of the decision making environment pushes subjects’ choices in the direction of ambiguity aversion models, regardless of whether or not the choices are also consistent with subjective expected utility, supporting the position that subjects find such behavior normatively appealing.
Modelling landscape-scale occurrences of common grassland species in a topographically complex mountainous environment
Authors: Sieben E. J. J. , Steenhuisen S. , Vidal J. D. , Martin G. , le Roux P. C.
Published: August 2024

Mountainous regions typically harbour high plant diversity but are also characterised by low sampling intensity. Coarse-scale species distribution models can provide insights into the distribution of poorly sampled species, but the required bioclimatic data are often limited in these landscapes. In comparison, several environmental factors that vary over relatively fine scales in mountain environments (e.g. measures of topography) can be quantified from remotely-sensed data, and can potentially provide direct and indirect measures of biologically-relevant habitat characteristics in mountains. Therefore, in this study, we combine field-sampled floristic data with environmental predictors derived from remotely-sensed data, to model the ecological niches of 19 montane plant species in the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains, South Africa. The resulting models varied considerably in their performance, and species showed generally inconsistent responses to environmental predictors, with altitude and distance to watershed being most frequently included in models. These results highlight the species-specificity of the forb species’ environmental tolerances and requirements, suggesting that environmental change may result in re-shuffling of community composition, instead of intact communities shifting along gradients. Furthermore, while the relatively high importance of altitude (a proxy for temperature) and topographic wetness index (a proxy for soil moisture) suggest that the flora of this region will be sensitive to shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns, several non-climatic environmental variables were also influential. Our findings indicate that local response to climate change in mountains might be especially constrained by soil type and topographic variables, supporting the important influence of non-climatic factors in microclimatic refugia dynamics.
Differences in wayfinding inclinations among women and men: a matter of personality and affect, not just gender
Authors: Muffato Veronica , Miola Laura , Pazzaglia Francesca , Meneghetti Chiara
Published: August 2024

Women report different levels of wayfinding inclinations than men. This study is an exploration of whether individual factors such as personality traits and affect can provide insights into the gender differences observed in wayfinding inclinations, such as in the attitudes toward exploring and spatial anxiety. The study involved 454 adults (271 women) who completed questionnaires on personality traits, affective state, attitudes toward exploring and spatial anxiety. Women reported lower positive attitudes toward exploring and higher spatial anxiety than men. Openness and positive affect were associated with positive attitudes toward exploring places in both genders whereas extraversion was associated with attitudes toward exploring places among men. Higher levels of extraversion were linked to lower spatial anxiety in both genders, higher levels of negative affect were associated with greater spatial anxiety among men, and lower levels of emotional stability were associated with greater spatial anxiety among women. Therefore, gender does not play a singular role in explaining differences in self-reported wayfinding inclinations. Instead, negative affect (at least for men) and low emotional stability (at least among women) tend to hinder such inclinations whereas openness and positive affect contribute to their promotion. These results provide insights into how the patterns of relationships among wayfinding inclinations, personality traits, and affect vary between men and women, with possible implications for assessment and intervention.
Transforming higher education: a decade of integrating wikipedia and wikidata for literacy enhancement and social impact
Authors: Evenstein Sigalov Shani , Cohen Anat , Nachmias Rafi
Published: August 2024

This study examines a decade-long implementation of a course model leveraging Wikipedia and Wikidata as primary educational platforms in higher education. In alignment with the UNs’ SDG 4, this initiative emphasized inclusive, equitable education and lifelong learning opportunities. The study scrutinizes the formulation and deployment of three elective courses, rooted in this model, which were designed to augment students’ academic, digital, collaborative, and communication skills through the creation of Open Educational Resources (OERs), achieving significant social impact—evidenced by over 2000 new and 7000 edited articles, accruing 75 million public views. The research addresses three principal areas: the development and application of the model; course outcomes, including OERs produced, academic achievements, and students’ learning experiences; perceived challenges and benefits from the perspective of both students and faculty. A mixed-methods approach was employed to examine data from 17 iterations, involving 616 participants. Students’ learning experience was extracted from post-course questionnaires completed by 70% (n = 429). Findings demonstrate the role of Wikipedia and Wikidata in fostering knowledge creation, digital and data literacies and critical thinking, with the research contributing to the conversation surrounding Open Educational Practices. Findings include details on incorporating issues of diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and knowledge gaps into the curriculum design, and map challenges and benefit for students and faculty. This extensive study offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of embedding OERs in higher education, spotlighting the pedagogical implications and social impact of this approach. It discusses the relevance of this educational strategy in the context of Generative AI technologies.
Local means-based fuzzy k-nearest neighbor classifier with Minkowski distance and relevance-complementarity feature weighting
Authors: Mailagaha Kumbure Mahinda , Luukka Pasi
Published: August 2024

This paper introduces an enhanced fuzzy k-nearest neighbor (FKNN) approach called the feature-weighted Minkowski distance and local means-based fuzzy k-nearest neighbor (FWM-LMFKNN). This method improves classification accuracy by incorporating feature weights, Minkowski distance, and class representative local mean vectors. The feature weighting process is developed based on feature relevance and complementarity. We improve the distance calculations between instances by utilizing feature information-based weighting and Minkowski distance, resulting in a more precise set of nearest neighbors. Furthermore, the FWM-LMFKNN classifier considers the local structure of class subsets by using local mean vectors instead of individual neighbors, which improves its classification performance. Empirical results using twenty different real-world data sets demonstrate that the proposed method achieves statistically significantly higher classification performance than traditional KNN, FKNN, and six other related state-of-the-art methods.
Sustainable Construction Exploration: A Review of Multi-Recycling of Concrete Waste
Authors: Kim Jeonghyun
Published: August 2024

This paper provides an overview of literature on the multiple-time recycling of concrete waste and meticulously analyzes the research findings. The paper begins by reviewing the characteristics of recycled materials such as recycled coarse aggregate, recycled fine aggregate, and recycled powder obtained from concrete waste in relation to the recycling cycle. The influence of each of these materials on the mechanical properties and durability of next-generation concrete is analyzed. Moreover, this paper introduces strategies reported in the literature that aim to enhance the performance of multi-recycled concrete. Lastly, this paper identifies and highlights limitations and research gaps, while providing insightful recommendations to drive future exploration of multi-recycling of concrete.

Graphical Abstract
An Assessment of Explosive and Fire Risks from Fighter Jet Collision with Aircraft Carrier
Authors: Choi Yeeryung , Kim Seongik , Kwon Seung Lee , Baeg Daeyu , Seo Jungkwan , Kim Jeonghwan , Yun Gun Jin
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a framework for evaluating the risk of fire and explosion resulting from potential collisions between fighter jets and aircraft carriers. An event tree is a chronological order of risk issues that may arise from an initial event. This study creates an initial crash scenario based on actual accident cases and risk issues, which are event tree items. Using these scenarios, collision analysis is conducted utilizing finite element analysis to investigate the structural response. It allows us to identify potential fuel leakage and assess whether the collision impact is potent enough to activate the fuze of any onboard weaponry. Consequently, a series of fire analyses pertinent to the respective situations is executed. These analyses aim to discern whether hazardous conditions such as secondary fires or explosions will likely ensue post-collision. By simulating a possible collision scenario between a fighter jet and a flight deck, the proposed method systematically explores and understands the probability and consequences of fire and explosion events following such collisions.
International Counterterrorism Law
Authors: Casey-Maslen Stuart
Published: August 2024

International Counterterrorism Law is the first book to consider national terrorism legislation in every one of the 197 States worldwide. It explains how international counterterrorism law has become a distinct branch of international law, and what the different components are in both peacetime and armed conflict. The relevance and contribution of international humanitarian law, international criminal law, national criminal law, and international human rights law are examined in combination with global sectoral terrorism treaties and regional instruments to provide a thorough yet manageable account of the law's application. Real-life examples are used to inform the material, from Ukraine to Syria, to Iran and the unlawful actions of the Global War on Terror, so that the reader can understand how domestic and international terrorism has historically been treated by prosecutors and the courts.
The Peace Formula
Authors: Rohner Dominic
Published: August 2024

Economic forces play a major role in the outbreak and perpetuation of violence, but they also hold the key for positive change. Using a non-technical and accessible style, The Peace Formula attacks a series of misconceptions about how economics has been used to foster peace. In place of these misconceptions, this book draws on rich historical anecdotes and cutting-edge academic evidence to outline the 'peace formula' – a set of key policies that are crucial ingredients for curbing armed conflict and achieving transition to lasting peace and prosperity. These policies include providing jobs (work), democratic participation (voice), and guaranteeing the security and basic functions of the state (warranties). Investigating specific political institutions and economic policies, this book provides the first easily accessible synthesis of this work and explains how 'smart idealism' can help us get the incentives of our leaders right. The stakes could hardly be higher.
MEMPSEP‐III. A Machine Learning‐Oriented Multivariate Data Set for Forecasting the Occurrence and Properties of Solar Energetic Particle Events Using a Multivariate Ensemble Approach
Authors: Moreland Kimberly , Dayeh Maher A. , Bain Hazel M. , Chatterjee Subhamoy , Muñoz‐Jaramillo Andrés , Hart Samuel T.
Published: August 2024

We introduce a new multivariate data set that utilizes multiple spacecraft collecting in‐situ and remote sensing heliospheric measurements shown to be linked to physical processes responsible for generating solar energetic particles (SEPs). Using the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) flare event list from Solar Cycle (SC) 23 and part of SC 24 (1998–2013), we identify 252 solar events (>C‐class flares) that produce SEPs and 17,542 events that do not. For each identified event, we acquire the local plasma properties at 1 au, such as energetic proton and electron data, upstream solar wind conditions, and the interplanetary magnetic field vector quantities using various instruments onboard GOES and the Advanced Composition Explorer spacecraft. We also collect remote sensing data from instruments onboard the Solar Dynamic Observatory, Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, and the Wind solar radio instrument WAVES. The data set is designed to allow for variations of the inputs and feature sets for machine learning (ML) in heliophysics and has a specific purpose for forecasting the occurrence of SEP events and their subsequent properties. This paper describes a data set created from multiple publicly available observation sources that is validated, cleaned, and carefully curated for our ML pipeline. The data set has been used to drive the newly‐developed Multivariate Ensemble of Models for Probabilistic Forecast of SEPs (MEMPSEP; see MEMPSEP‐I (Chatterjee et al., 2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003568) and MEMPSEP‐II (Dayeh et al., 2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003697) for accompanying papers).
Detachment and Transfer Fault Systems in the Northern South China Sea, Insights Into 3D Tectonic Segmentation of Rifted Margins
Authors: Hao Shihao , Mei Lianfu , Zheng Jinyun , Ranero César R.
Published: August 2024

The 2D rifting modes interpreted in traditional “magma‐poor” and “magma‐rich” margins cannot explain the crustal structure and inferred rifting processes in the northern South China Sea (SCS) rifted margin. The “intermediate‐type” terminology has been therefore applied to the mid‐northern SCS, where a “wide‐rift” model has been widely accepted. However, the tectono‐magmatic processes of the SCS are still debated and at least five contrasting models exist. We present a compilation of 3‐D seismic volumes and regional 2‐D seismic surveys covering the entire Baiyun and Liwan Sub‐basins to investigate their tectonic structure and faulting style in this “wide‐rift” region. We interpret two segments with contrasting tectonic styles separated by a volcanic lineament and steep transfer faults. The Baiyun Sub‐basin was controlled by a landward‐dipping detachment system. The Liwan Sub‐basin, however, was formed by a ∼100 km‐long oceanward‐dipping, concave‐up detachment fault working at a low angle of <10°. The lateral boundaries of the detachment system were mechanically decoupled from surrounding tectonics by a volcanic lineament/transfer zone to the west and a > 190 km‐long N‐S‐trending left‐lateral strike‐slip fault to the east. The planar low‐angle detachment does not resemble classical metamorphic core complex domes interpreted previously. Our results indicate a 60‐80 km‐wavelength segmentation within a single “wide‐rift” system, indicating complex 3D rifting during crustal extension. This study supports that the intermediate SCS margin had a kinematically complex deformation style locally dominated by the interaction between detachment and transfer fault systems that might be yet unrecognized in other margins.
Enhanced Freeze‐Thaw Cycle Altered the Simulations of Groundwater Dynamics in a Heavily Irrigated Basin in the Temperate Region of China
Authors: Li Baogui , Tan Lili , Zhang Xueliang , Qi Junyu , Marek Gary W. , Feng Puyu , Liu De Li , Luo Xi , Srinivasan Raghavan , Chen Yong
Published: August 2024

With intensified global warming, accurate quantification of hydrological processes in seasonally frozen regions, particularly with irrigated overwinter crops, is necessary to develop management strategies that promote groundwater conservation. By incorporating a physically based freeze‐thaw cycle module into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT‐FT) model, variations of surface hydrology and groundwater dynamics were systematically assessed in North China Plain under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways during 2041–2070 and 2071–2100 periods between the conventional and improved SWAT models. Compared to the conventional SWAT model, the SWAT‐FT model predicted an increase in soil water content, decrease in irrigation, and an increase in percolation during the growing season of winter wheat. These discrepancies resulted in a 5% higher decline rates of shallow groundwater levels simulated by the SWAT model compared to the SWAT‐FT. Additionally, the SWAT‐FT model projected that the average decline rates of shallow groundwater levels were approximately 0.90 ± 0.16 m yr−1 (SSP1‐2.6), 0.60 ± 0.46 m yr−1 (SSP2‐4.5), and −0.17 ± 0.53 m yr−1 (SSP5‐8.5), respectively, during 2071–2100 compared to the historical period. The SWAT‐FT simulations indicated that the decline rates in shallow groundwater levels were projected to either decrease slowly or potentially increase by the end of the 21st century under the SSP5‐8.5 scenario, potentially achieving equilibrium between shallow groundwater extraction and replenishment. Our study emphasized the importance of considering the freeze‐thaw processes to evaluate groundwater variations more accurately in response to climate change effects in temperate regions with an overwinter crop.
Multi‐Instrument and SAMI3‐TIDAS Data Assimilation Analysis of Three‐Dimensional Ionospheric Electron Density Variations During the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Authors: Aa Ercha , Huba Joseph , Zhang Shun‐Rong , Coster Anthea J. , Erickson Philip J. , Goncharenko Larisa P. , Vierinen Juha , Rideout William
Published: August 2024

This paper conducts a multi‐instrument and data assimilation analysis of the three‐dimensional ionospheric electron density responses to the total solar eclipse on 08 April 2024. The altitude‐resolved electron density variations over the continental US and adjacent regions are analyzed using the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar data, ionosonde observations, Swarm in situ measurements, and a novel TEC‐based ionospheric data assimilation system (TIDAS) with SAMI3 model as the background. The principal findings are summarized as follows: (a) The ionospheric hmF2 exhibited a slight enhancement in the initial phase of the eclipse, followed by a distinct reduction of 20–30 km in the recovery phase of the eclipse. The hmF2 in the umbra region showed a post‐eclipse fluctuation, characterized by wavelike perturbations of 10–25 km in magnitude and a period of 30 min. (b) There was a substantial reduction in ionospheric electron density of 20%–50% during the eclipse, with the maximum depletion observed in the F‐region around 200–250 km. The ionospheric electron density variation exhibited a significant altitude‐dependent feature, wherein the response time gradually delayed with increasing altitude. (c) The bottomside ionospheric electron density displayed an immediate reduction after local eclipse began, reaching maximum depletion 5–10 min after the maximum obscuration. In contrast, the topside ionospheric electron density showed a significantly delayed response, with maximum depletion occurring 1–2.5 hr after the peak obscuration.
Spontaneous Imbibition in Dual Permeable Media Using Dynamic Pore Network Model
Authors: Gong Wenbo , Chen Zhiqiang , Lei Wenhai , Zheng Jiangtao , Ju Yang , Wang Moran
Published: August 2024

Understanding preferential flow in porous media holds substantial theoretical significance on the design and optimization of hydrocarbon exploitation in shale reservoir. Previous researches discussed the competition of imbibition front in layered porous media while the underlining mechanism for interfacial dynamics and induced displacement efficiency of multiphase flow remains ambiguous. In this paper, we investigate the spontaneous imbibition in dual permeable media and analyze the flux exchange between the neighboring porous zones with permeability contrast using dynamic pore network model. The impact of fluid viscosity ratio and permeability contrast on the spontaneous imbibition preference have been addressed, and finally a phase diagram for displacement efficiency has been obtained. The results reveal that the dual permeable structure enhances the invasion rate of wetting fluid in the low‐permeable zone and induces unstable displacement patterns, leading to reduction of the long‐term displacement efficiency. The interfacial pattern transition from stable displacement to unstable pattern in dual permeable media could be ascribed into the flux exchange between dual permeable zones, which shows a contrary impact on the fluid flow within the low‐permeable zone under favorable and unfavorable viscosity ratios. The permeability contrast in dual permeable media intensifies this impact during spontaneous imbibition. These results help us to understand the occurrence and mutual interaction of multiphase flow in layered porous media, and provide a theoretical guidance for the hydrocarbon exploitation in shale reservoir.
Thermal Emissions of Active Craters at Stromboli Volcano: Spatio‐Temporal Insights From 10 Years of Satellite Observations
Authors: Massimetti F. , Laiolo M. , Aiuppa A. , Aveni S. , Bitetto M. , Campus A. , Coltelli M. , Cristaldi A. , Delle Donne D. , Innocenti L. , Lacanna G. , Pistolesi M. , Privitera E. , Ripepe M. , Salerno G. , Coppola D.
Published: August 2024

Open‐vent volcanoes continuously emit magmatic products and frequently feature multiple adjacent craters. Temporal shifts of thermal emissions between craters are especially detectable by InfraRed satellites. Here, SENTINEL‐2 and LANDSAT‐8/9 Short Wave InfraRed (SWIR) high‐spatial resolution satellite data, are combined to investigate 10 years (2013–2023) of thermal activity at Stromboli volcano (Italy). The correlation between Volcanic Radiative Power (VRP, in Watts) and Volcanic Radiative Energy (VRE, in Joules), retrieved by moderate MODIS and VIIRS Middle InfraRed (MIR) data, with the Thermal Index SWIR (TISWIR) data, allows us to quantify long‐term series of heat fluxes (VRPSWIR) and energy (VRESWIR). Combining moderate and higher spatial resolution data and fitting cumulative trends of TISWIR with VREMIR allows to measure thermal activity sourced by single craters during Strombolian activity. Long‐term results highlight that thermal emissions are clustered in the northern and southern parts of the crater terrace, with total energy emitted (∼12 × 1014 J) equally distributed. The thermal increase since April 2017 marked a reactivation of shallow magma transportation and an intensification of the activity after the 2014 eruption. Distinct thermal behaviors are shown by the NE, C, and SW craters, related to mechanisms of explosions. We found that short‐term thermal variations match well those resolved by ground‐based signals, and the NE crater as the most sensitive to the transition to higher‐intensity activity. Our multispatial/multisensory investigation allows, for the first time, the long‐term quantification of heat flux from Stromboli's craters, with an improved understanding of open‐vent dynamics and a new approach to monitor multiple active craters.
A New Climatology of Depth of Nitracline in the Bay of Bengal for Improving Model Simulations
Authors: Sridevi B. , Ashitha M. K. , Sarma V. V. S. S. , Udaya Bhaskar T. V. S. , Chakraborty Kunal , Bhavani I. V. G. , Valsala V.
Published: August 2024

The dissolved nitrate is one of the major essential nutrients for primary production in the tropical ocean and it is brought to the surface though mixing. The depth of nitracline determines how much of nitrate enters to the upper ocean through mixing. The depth of nitracline is traditionally estimated using nitrate concentrations measured at standard depths that introduces significant error due to interpolation of data. Based nitrate profiles measured at 5 m interval using nitrate sensors onboard Argo, the exact depth of nitracline was derived in the Bay of Bengal that displayed a significant linear relationship with depth of 26°C isotherm (D26). Based on climatological D26, the temporal and spatial variations in the depth of nitracline was estimated for the entire Bay of Bengal. The depth of nitracline varied between 5 and 80 m with large spatial and temporal variability in the Bay of Bengal and it is 5–20 m deeper than simulations of numerical models. The relationship between the depth of nitracline and photic zone integrated primary production indicates that 7.5 ± 3 mgC m−2 d−1 of primary production increases due to shallowing of 1 m of depth of nitracline. Therefore, models seem to be over estimating the photic zone integrated primary production by 5%–25% in the Bay of Bengal. The numerical models may improve the simulation of primary production and carbon cycling by accounting the accurate estimation of depth of nitracline in the model initialization.
Impact of clonal TP53 mutations with loss of heterozygosity on adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy in gastric cancer
Authors: Gu Yun , Sun Mengyao , Fang Hanji , Shao Fei , Lin Chao , Liu Hao , Li He , He Hongyong , Li Ruochen , Wang Jieti , Zhang Heng , Xu Jiejie
Published: August 2024

Background

This study aimed to reveal the effect of TP53 status on clinical outcomes and underlying mechanism in gastric cancer (GC) patients.

Methods

TP53 status was divided into three groups according to genome sequencing, namely clonal mutations with LOH (C-LOH), clonal diploid or subclonal mutations (CD-SC), and wild type (WT). The p53 protein activity was divided into over-expression (OE), Null and WT according to immunohistochemical staining. Four cohorts, including the TCGA, SMC, ZSHS and FUSCC cohort, were analyzed for association between TP53 mutation status and clinical outcomes and the underlying mechanism.

Results

In TCGA cohort, TP53 CD-SC were associated with superior overall survival compared to TP53 C-LOH cases. GC patients could benefit from ACT only in TP53 CD-SC/ p53 OE and TP53/ p53 WT subgroups, and TP53 C-LOH subgroup demonstrated the worst response to pembrolizumab among three subgroups. Genomic and immunophenotypic deconvolution revealed that TP53 C-LOH, CD-SC and WT differed for genomic and immune-related features.

Conclusions

TP53 C-LOH GCs with genomic instability and immune evasion phenotype have poor clinical outcomes in patients treated with ACT or immunotherapy.
A common druggable signature of oncogenic c-Myc, mutant KRAS and mutant p53 reveals functional redundancy and competition among oncogenes in cancer
Authors: Grześ Maria , Jaiswar Akanksha , Grochowski Marcin , Wojtyś Weronika , Kaźmierczak Wojciech , Olesiński Tomasz , Lenarcik Małgorzata , Nowak-Niezgoda Magdalena , Kołos Małgorzata , Canarutto Giulia , Piazza Silvano , Wiśniewski Jacek R. , Walerych Dawid
Published: August 2024

The major driver oncogenes MYC, mutant KRAS, and mutant TP53 often coexist and cooperate to promote human neoplasia, which results in anticancer therapeutic opportunities within their downstream molecular programs. However, little research has been conducted on whether redundancy and competition among oncogenes affect their programs and ability to drive neoplasia. By CRISPR‒Cas9-mediated downregulation we evaluated the downstream proteomics and transcriptomics programs of MYC, mutant KRAS, and mutant TP53 in a panel of cell lines with either one or three of these oncogenes activated, in cancers of the lung, colon and pancreas. Using RNAi screening of the commonly activated molecular programs, we found a signature of three proteins - RUVBL1, HSPA9, and XPO1, which could be efficiently targeted by novel drug combinations in the studied cancer types. Interestingly, the signature was controlled by the oncoproteins in a redundant or competitive manner rather than by cooperation. Each oncoprotein individually upregulated the target genes, while upon oncogene co-expression each target was controlled preferably by a dominant oncoprotein which reduced the influence of the others. This interplay was mediated by redundant routes of target gene activation - as in the case of mutant KRAS signaling to c-Jun/GLI2 transcription factors bypassing c-Myc activation, and by competition - as in the case of mutant p53 and c-Myc competing for binding to target promoters. The global transcriptomics data from the cell lines and patient samples indicate that the redundancy and competition of oncogenic programs are broad phenomena, that may constitute even a majority of the genes dependent on oncoproteins, as shown for mutant p53 in colon and lung cancer cell lines. Nevertheless, we demonstrated that redundant oncogene programs harbor targets for efficient anticancer drug combinations, bypassing the limitations for direct oncoprotein inhibition.
Temperature and volumetric effects on structural and dielectric properties of hybrid perovskites
Authors: Nowok Andrzej , Sobczak Szymon , Roszak Kinga , Szeremeta Anna Z. , Mączka Mirosław , Katrusiak Andrzej , Pawlus Sebastian , Formalik Filip , Barros dos Santos Antonio José , Paraguassu Waldeci , Sieradzki Adam
Published: August 2024

Three-dimensional organic-inorganic perovskites are rapidly evolving materials with diverse applications. This study focuses on their two representatives - acetamidinium manganese(II) formate (AceMn) and formamidinium manganese(II) formate (FMDMn) – subjected to varying temperature and pressure. We show that AceMn undergoes atypical pressure-induced structural transformations at room temperature, increasing the symmetry from ambient-pressure P21/n phase II to the high-pressure Pbca phase III. In turn, FMDMn in its C2/c phase II displays temperature- and pressure-induced ordering of cage cations that proceeds without changing the phase symmetry or energy barriers. The FMD+ cations do not order under constant volume across the pressure-temperature plane, despite similar pressure and temperature evolution of the unit-cell parameters. Temperature and pressure affect the cage cations differently, which is particularly pronounced in their relaxation dynamics seen by dielectric spectroscopy. Their motion require a rearrangement of the metal-formate framework, resulting in the energy and volumetric barriers defined by temperature-independent activation energy and activation volume parameters. As this process is phonon-assisted, the relaxation time is strongly temperature-dependent. Consequently, relaxation times do not scale with unit-cell volume nor H-bond lengths in formates, offering the possibility of tuning their electronic properties by external stimuli (like temperature or pressure) even without any structural changes.
A framework for the emergence and analysis of language in social learning agents
Authors: Wieczorek Tobias J. , Tchumatchenko Tatjana , Wert-Carvajal Carlos , Eggl Maximilian F.
Published: August 2024

Neural systems have evolved not only to solve environmental challenges through internal representations but also, under social constraints, to communicate these to conspecifics. In this work, we aim to understand the structure of these internal representations and how they may be optimized to transmit pertinent information from one individual to another. Thus, we build on previous teacher-student communication protocols to analyze the formation of individual and shared abstractions and their impact on task performance. We use reinforcement learning in grid-world mazes where a teacher network passes a message to a student to improve task performance. This framework allows us to relate environmental variables with individual and shared representations. We compress high-dimensional task information within a low-dimensional representational space to mimic natural language features. In coherence with previous results, we find that providing teacher information to the student leads to a higher task completion rate and an ability to generalize tasks it has not seen before. Further, optimizing message content to maximize student reward improves information encoding, suggesting that an accurate representation in the space of messages requires bi-directional input. These results highlight the role of language as a common representation among agents and its implications on generalization capabilities.
Towards higher frequencies in a compact prebunched waveguide THz-FEL
Authors: Fisher Andrew , Lenz Maximilian , Ody Alex , Yang Yining , Pennington Chad , Maxson Jared , Hodgetts Tara , Agustsson Ronald , Murokh Alex , Musumeci Pietro
Published: August 2024

Free-electron-lasers fill a critical gap in the space of THz-sources as they can reach high average and peak powers with spectral tunability. Using a waveguide in a THz FEL significantly increases the coupling between the relativistic electrons and electromagnetic field enabling large amounts of radiation to be generated in a single passage of electrons through the undulator. In addition to transversely confining the radiation, the dispersive properties of the waveguide critically affect the velocity and slippage of the radiation pulse which determine the central frequency and bandwidth of the generated radiation. In this paper, we characterize the spectral properties of a compact waveguide THz FEL including simultaneous lasing at two different frequencies and demonstrating tuning of the radiation wavelength in the high frequency branch by varying the beam energy and ensuring that the electrons injected into the undulator are prebunched on the scale of the resonant radiation wavelength.
Competitive processes shape multi-synapse plasticity along dendritic segments
Authors: Chater Thomas E. , Eggl Maximilian F. , Goda Yukiko , Tchumatchenko Tatjana
Published: August 2024

Neurons receive thousands of inputs onto their dendritic arbour, where individual synapses undergo activity-dependent plasticity. Long-lasting changes in postsynaptic strengths correlate with changes in spine head volume. The magnitude and direction of such structural plasticity - potentiation (sLTP) and depression (sLTD) - depend upon the number and spatial distribution of stimulated synapses. However, how neurons allocate resources to implement synaptic strength changes across space and time amongst neighbouring synapses remains unclear. Here we combined experimental and modelling approaches to explore the elementary processes underlying multi-spine plasticity. We used glutamate uncaging to induce sLTP at varying number of synapses sharing the same dendritic branch, and we built a model incorporating a dual role Ca2+-dependent component that induces spine growth or shrinkage. Our results suggest that competition among spines for molecular resources is a key driver of multi-spine plasticity and that spatial distance between simultaneously stimulated spines impacts the resulting spine dynamics.
The heart is a resident tissue for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in zebrafish
Authors: Bornhorst Dorothee , Hejjaji Amulya V. , Steuter Lena , Woodhead Nicole M. , Maier Paul , Gentile Alessandra , Alhajkadour Alice , Santis Larrain Octavia , Weber Michael , Kikhi Khrievono , Guenther Stefan , Huisken Jan , Tamplin Owen J. , Stainier Didier Y. R. , Gunawan Felix
Published: August 2024

The contribution of endocardial cells (EdCs) to the hematopoietic lineages has been strongly debated. Here, we provide evidence that in zebrafish, the endocardium gives rise to and maintains a stable population of hematopoietic cells. Using single-cell sequencing, we identify an endocardial subpopulation expressing enriched levels of hematopoietic-promoting genes. High-resolution microscopy and photoconversion tracing experiments uncover hematopoietic cells, mainly hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs)/megakaryocyte-erythroid precursors (MEPs), derived from EdCs as well as the dorsal aorta stably attached to the endocardium. Emergence of HSPCs/MEPs in hearts cultured ex vivo without external hematopoietic sources, as well as longitudinal imaging of the beating heart using light sheet microscopy, support endocardial contribution to hematopoiesis. Maintenance of these hematopoietic cells depends on the adhesion factors Integrin α4 and Vcam1 but is at least partly independent of cardiac trabeculation or shear stress. Finally, blocking primitive erythropoiesis increases cardiac-residing hematopoietic cells, suggesting that the endocardium is a hematopoietic reservoir. Altogether, these studies uncover the endocardium as a resident tissue for HSPCs/MEPs and a de novo source of hematopoietic cells.
Direct coupling of light to valley current
Authors: Sharma S. , Gill D. , Krishna J. , Dewhurst J. K. , Shallcross S.
Published: August 2024

The coupling of circularly polarized light to local band structure extrema ("valleys”) in two dimensional semiconductors promises a new electronics based on the valley degree of freedom. Such pulses, however, couple only to valley charge and not to the valley current, precluding lightwave manipulation of this second vital element of valleytronic devices. Contradicting this established wisdom, we show that the few cycle limit of circularly polarized light is imbued with an emergent vectorial character that allows direct coupling to the valley current. The underlying physical mechanism involves the emergence of a momentum space valley dipole, the orientation and magnitude of which allows complete control over the direction and magnitude of the valley current. We demonstrate this effect via minimal tight-binding models both for the visible spectrum gaps of the transition metal dichalcogenides (generation time  ~ 1 fs) as well as the infrared gaps of biased bilayer graphene ( ~ 14 fs); we further verify our findings with state-of-the-art time-dependent density functional theory incorporating transient excitonic effects. Our findings both mark a striking example of emergent physics in the ultrafast limit of light-matter coupling, as well as allowing the creation of valley currents on time scales that challenge quantum decoherence in matter.
Targeted isolation of Methanobrevibacter strains from fecal samples expands the cultivated human archaeome
Authors: Duller Stefanie , Vrbancic Simone , Szydłowski Łukasz , Mahnert Alexander , Blohs Marcus , Predl Michael , Kumpitsch Christina , Zrim Verena , Högenauer Christoph , Kosciolek Tomasz , Schmitz Ruth A. , Eberhard Anna , Dragovan Melanie , Schmidberger Laura , Zurabischvili Tamara , Weinberger Viktoria , Moser Adrian Mathias , Kolb Dagmar , Pernitsch Dominique , Mohammadzadeh Rokhsareh , Kühnast Torben , Rattei Thomas , Moissl-Eichinger Christine
Published: August 2024

Archaea are vital components of the human microbiome, yet their study within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is limited by the scarcity of cultured representatives. Our study presents a method for the targeted enrichment and isolation of methanogenic archaea from human fecal samples. The procedure combines methane breath testing, in silico metabolic modeling, media optimization, FACS, dilution series, and genomic sequencing through Nanopore technology. Additional analyzes include the co-cultured bacteriome, comparative genomics of archaeal genomes, functional comparisons, and structure-based protein function prediction of unknown differential traits. Successful establishment of stable archaeal cultures from 14 out of 16 fecal samples yielded nine previously uncultivated strains, eight of which are absent from a recent archaeome genome catalog. Comparative genomic and functional assessments of Methanobrevibacter smithii and Candidatus Methanobrevibacter intestini strains from individual donors revealed features potentially associated with gastrointestinal diseases. Our work broadens available archaeal representatives for GIT studies, and offers insights into Candidatus Methanobrevibacter intestini genomes’ adaptability in critical microbiome contexts.
Membrane filter removal in FTIR spectra through dictionary learning for exploring explainable environmental microplastic analysis
Authors: Buaruk Suphachok , Somnuake Pattara , Gulyanon Sarun , Deepaisarn Somrudee , Laitrakun Seksan , Opaprakasit Pakorn
Published: August 2024

Microplastic analysis is a crucial step for locating the environmental contamination sources and controlling plastic contamination. A popular tool like Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is capable of identifying plastic types and can be carried out through a variety of containers. Unfortunately, sample collection from water sources like rivers usually involves filtration so the measurements inevitably include the membrane filter that also has its own FTIR characteristic bands. Furthermore, when plastic particles are small, the membrane filter’s spectrum may overwhelm the desired plastics’ spectrum. In this study, we proposed a novel preprocessing method based on the dictionary learning technique for decomposing the variations within the acquired FTIR spectra and capturing the membrane filter’s characteristic bands for the effective removal of these unwanted signals. We break down the plastic analysis task into two subtasks — membrane filter removal and plastic classification — to increase the explainability of the method. In the experiments, our method demonstrates a 1.5-fold improvement compared with baseline, and yields comparable results compared to other state-of-the-art methods such as UNet when applied to noisy spectra with low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), but offers explainability, a crucial quality that is missing in other state-of-the-art methods. The limitations of the method are studied by testing against generated spectra with different levels of noise, with SNR ranging from 0 to – 30dB, as well as samples collected from the lab. The components/atoms learned from the dictionary learning technique are also scrutinized to describe the explainability and demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method in practical applications.