bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The assessment of phosphorus recovery potential in sewage sludge incineration ashes — a case study
Authors: Kasina Monika
Published: September 2022

A sewage sludge incineration ash contains large amounts of phosphorus, which are considered as a novel anthropogenic waste–based substitute for phosphorus natural resources. Phosphorus is accumulated at most in phosphate minerals of whitlockite structure, that contain Fe, Ca, and Mg and in the matrix composed of Si, Al, Fe, Ca, P, Mg, K, Na in various proportions. The goal of this study was to estimate phosphorus recovery potential. A four-stage sequential extraction, following the modified Golterman procedure, was applied. Separation of four independent fractions enabled to understand better the manner of phosphorus occurrence in the studied ash. The results of the extraction indicated the greatest release of phosphorus combined with organic matter using sulfuric acid. The release was on average at the level of 64%. The chelating Na-EDTA compound indicated lower ability to extract phosphorus (at the level of 35%), and the highest ability to extract heavy metals and potentially toxic elements (As, Zn, Mo). The sequential extraction led to the total recovery of phosphorus of around 40–60%
Exploring the Impact of Tropical Cyclones on Oman’s Maritime Cultural Heritage Through the Lens of Al-Baleed, Salalah (Dhofar Governorate)
Authors: Andreou Georgia M. , Westley Kieran , Huigens Harmen O. , Blue Lucy
Published: September 2022

Tropical cyclones are among the most detrimental hazards to the environment, societies, and economies, each year affecting millions of people and resulting in substantial casualties and material destructions in coastal communities. In this context, maritime cultural heritage, encompassing material evidence for the engagement of people with the sea, both on land and under water, is particularly vulnerable. Despite the significant number of archaeological sites exposed to tropical cyclones and other extreme sea-level events, maritime cultural heritage in the MENA region is rarely included in coastal vulnerability indices or incorporated in mitigation strategies, disaster management, sustainability, and resilience policies. In this study we examine the impact of tropical cyclones on the maritime archaeology of Oman with emphasis on the Dhofar region. This paper builds on existing coastal research in the Dhofar region—an area identified as the most cyclone-prone administrative region in Oman, but also an area that contains substantial archaeological remains. Central among Dhofar’s maritime cultural heritage is Al-Baleed, a Medieval seaport with unparalleled evidence of engagement with international trade networks.
Documenting, Protecting and Managing Endangered Maritime Cultural Heritage in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region
Authors: Breen Colin , Blue Lucy , Andreou Georgia M. , El Safadi Crystal , Huigens Harmen O. , Nikolaus Julia , Ortiz-Vazquez Rodrigo , Ray Nick , Smith Ash , Tews Sophie , Westley Kieran
Published: September 2022

For millennia, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been a culturally dynamic zone, bounded by maritime societies dependent on the sea for communication, trade and livelihoods. The archaeological evidence of these past societies represents an extraordinary physical legacy of human endeavour and presence across this region, contributing to senses of place, identity and belonging amongst contemporary coastal communities. However, the coastal landscapes and marine environment of the MENA region are undergoing a period of profound change, associated with large-scale human development and climate change. In order to assess this change and the level of impact on the resource, the Maritime Endangered Archaeology project (MarEA) was established in 2019 to document cultural heritage sites and landscapes across the coastal and near-shore zones of the survey region. This paper introduces the work of the project and outlines a series of case studies presented in this volume that are representative of the variety and depth of work being undertaken within the project.
Lesion segmentation in lung CT scans using unsupervised adversarial learning
Authors: Sherwani Moiz Khan , Marzullo Aldo , De Momi Elena , Calimeri Francesco
Published: September 2022

Lesion segmentation in medical images is difficult yet crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment. Identifying lesions in medical images is costly and time-consuming and requires highly specialized knowledge. For this reason, supervised and semi-supervised learning techniques have been developed. Nevertheless, the lack of annotated data, which is common in medical imaging, is an issue; in this context, interesting approaches can use unsupervised learning to accurately distinguish between healthy tissues and lesions, training the network without using the annotations. In this work, an unsupervised learning technique is proposed to automatically segment coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lesions on 2D axial CT lung slices. The proposed approach uses the technique of image translation to generate healthy lung images based on the infected lung image without the need for lesion annotations. Attention masks are used to improve the quality of the segmentation further. Experiments showed the capability of the proposed approaches to segment the lesions, and it outperforms a range of unsupervised lesion detection approaches. The average reported results for the test dataset based on the metrics: Dice Score, Sensitivity, Specificity, Structure Measure, Enhanced-Alignment Measure, and Mean Absolute Error are 0.695, 0.694, 0.961, 0.791, 0.875, and 0.082 respectively. The achieved results are promising compared with the state-of-the-art and could constitute a valuable tool for future developments.

Graphical abstract
Directly Observed Care: Crossing the Chasm of Quality Measurement
Authors: Kelley A. Taylor , Weiner Saul J. , Francis Joseph
Published: September 2022

After more than two decades of national attention to quality improvement in US healthcare, significant gaps in quality remain. A fundamental problem is that current approaches to measure quality are indirect and therefore imprecise, focusing on clinical documentation of care rather than the actual delivery of care. The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has identified six domains of quality that are essential to address to improve quality: patient-centeredness, equity, timeliness, efficiency, effectiveness, and safety. In this perspective, we describe how directly observed care—a recorded audit of clinical care delivery—may address problems with current quality measurement, providing a more holistic assessment of healthcare delivery. We further show how directly observed care has the potential to improve each NAM domain of quality.
Dialectic narratives, hostile actors, and Earth’s resources in Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Hurlbert Margot A. , Akpan Jane
Published: September 2022

This paper uses networks of action situations (NAS) together with actor network theory (ANT) to identify the decisions that were made in Saskatchewan regarding power production and explore what future choices are available in the context of climate change. A theoretical and methodological contribution to NAS literature is made with focus on interconnected human and non-human objects (carbon, hydro, and uranium) or ‘actants’ and the development of discourses supporting or opposing their development. Actants provide the nodes of focus, while discourses explain the development of actants and their links. Identification and explanation of the emergence and recession of actants on the Saskatchewan landscape are analyzed with diagnostics of telecoupled systems, polycentric governance, and flows of faction situations. Focus group and survey data are used to identify future pathways and imaginaries of power production and the actants of carbon, hydro and uranium. Actants of carbon (coal) and hydro are possibly kept alive with carbon capture and storage and import of hydro-electricity from the distant action situation in a neighboring province (if the necessary infrastructure is built). While actants of renewables are strongly emerging, uranium currently mined on the Saskatchewan landscape is receiving strong support by government due to the possibility of small modular reactors (SMRs). This expanded theoretical conception of NAS illustrates distant action situations impact on local narratives and decision-making and dynamics of polycentric governance that are neither top down nor collaborative.
Combined EBSD and Computer-Assisted Quantitative Analysis of the Impact of Spark Plasma Sintering Parameters on the Structure of Porous Materials
Authors: Nosewicz Szymon , Jurczak Grzegorz , Chrominski Witold , Rojek Jerzy , Kaszyca Kamil , Chmielewski Marcin
Published: September 2022

The paper presents the experimental, numerical, and theoretical investigation of the microstructure of nickel aluminide samples manufactured by spark plasma sintering using electron backscatter diffraction and computer assisted software. The aim of the work was to reveal the evolution of the microscopic and macroscopic parameters related to the microstructure of the material and its dependence on the applied sintering parameters—temperature and pressure. The studied porous samples with different relative density were extracted from various planes and then tested by electron backscatter diffraction to evaluate the crystallographic orientation in every spot of the investigated area. On this foundation, the grain structure of the samples was determined and carefully described in terms of the grain size, shape and boundary contact features. Several parameters reflecting the grain morphology were introduced. The application of the electric current resulting in high temperature and the additional external loading leads to the significant changes in the structure of the porous sample, such as the occurrence of lattice reorientation resulting in grain growth, increase in the grain neighbours, or the evolution of grain ellipticity, circularity, grain boundary length, and fraction. Furthermore, the numerical simulation of heat conduction via a finite element framework was performed in order to analyse the connectivity of the structures. The numerical results related to the thermal properties at the micro- and macroscopic scale—local heat fluxes, deviation angles, and effective thermal conductivity—were evaluated and studied in the context of the microstructural porosity. Finally, the effective thermal conductivity of two-dimensional EBSD maps was compared with those obtained from finite element simulations of three-dimensional micro-CT structures. The relationship between the 2D and 3D results was derived by using the analytical Landauer model.
Open government data: A systematic literature review of empirical research
Authors: Wirtz Bernd W. , Weyerer Jan C. , Becker Marcel , Müller Wilhelm M.
Published: September 2022

Open government data (OGD) holds great potential for firms and the digital economy as a whole and has attracted increasing interest in research and practice in recent years. Governments and organizations worldwide are struggling in exploiting the full potential of OGD and require a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. Although scientific debates in OGD research are intense and heterogeneous, the field lacks theoretical integration of OGD topics and their systematic consideration in the context of the digital economy. In addition, OGD has been widely neglected by information systems (IS) research, which promises great potential for advancing our knowledge of the OGD concept and its role in the digital economy. To fill in this gap, this study conducts a systematic literature review of 169 empirical OGD studies. In doing so, we develop a theoretical review framework of Antecedents, Decisions, Outcomes (ADO) to unify and grasp the accumulating isolated evidence on OGD in context of the digital economy and provide a theory-informed research agenda to tap the potential of IS research for OGD. Our findings reveal six related key topic clusters of OGD research and substantial gaps, opening up prospective research avenues and particularly outlining how IS research can inform and advance OGD research.
Evaluate the hydro-geochemical characteristics of Selamko farm reservoir water quality and its potential for multipurpose uses in Debre Tabor, Ethiopia using GIS-based water quality indices
Authors: Tamirat Dawit Munye , Aragaw Tamru , Gnanachandrasamy Gopalakrishnan , Affessa Girum Metaferia
Published: September 2022

Surface water pollution is a global problem and has been evident for a long period of time. Hence, the aim of the study was to evaluate the hydro-geochemical characteristics of Selamko farm reservoir water quality and its suitability for multipurpose uses using GIS-based water quality indices. The water sampling sites and parameters were selected systematically based on the land use, land cover, and anthropogenic activities around Selamko reservoir watershed in Debre Tabor, Ethiopia. Water samples were collected from 11 sampling stations from July 2019 to March 2020 using the composite sampling method and examined using standard procedures. The suitability of the reservoir's water quality for multipurpose use was investigated using drinking and irrigation water quality indices, and other tools. The spatial distribution maps of water quality parameters were prepared using the kriging method in ArcGIS 10.5. The results of the geospatial analysis indicated that the reservoir water quality parameters had spatial variation, which was caused by industrial and household wastewater inflow across the reservoir's watershed. Based on WHO and ES standards, the computed drinking water quality index results revealed that 81.81% and 18.18% of the reservoir's water quality fall into the poor to very poor classes, which indicates that the water in the reservoir is not fit for drinking. However, a Wilcox diagram, irrigation indices, and USEPA regulations revealed that the reservoir water quality is found to be safe and suitable for irrigation, fishing, and livestock purposes. The study concluded that Selamko reservoir's water quality is suitable for irrigation, fishing, and livestock watering with proper management accordingly.
A combined theory-based explanatory model for predicting tourists’ travel intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of individual’s assessment of the compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions
Authors: Thao Vu Thi , Hüsser Andreas Philippe , Ohnmacht Timo
Published: September 2022

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and tourist’s assessments of non-pharmaceutical public-health interventions (NPIs) in relation to their travel intentions. It uses a combined theoretical model that incorporates the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT) in the recreational domain, the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). A large-scale population study that is representative of Switzerland has been carried out to validate the model (N = 1683; 39% response rate). We use a regression model based on mean indices for our explanatory model. Health beliefs, namely perceived susceptibility and severity, are important predictors of travel intentions. The perceived benefits of and barriers to compliance with NPIs when travelling also have a substantial influence on travel intentions. The results demonstrated that the factors of the HBM tend to have a stronger influence than other significant factors, such as the perceived behavioural control of the TPB. As a situational context, the ability to work from home increases the intention to travel. The achievement of the present research is a validated empirical theory-based model that is suitable for practical and managerial implications. It can be used to create and evaluate measures and interventions that address the social psychological influencing factors.
A site for deep ice coring at West Hercules Dome: results from ground-based geophysics and modeling
Authors: Fudge T. J. , Hills Benjamin H. , Horlings Annika N. , Holschuh Nicholas , Christian John Erich , Davidge Lindsey , Hoffman Andrew , O'Connor Gemma K. , Christianson Knut , Steig Eric J.
Published: September 2022

Hercules Dome, Antarctica, has long been identified as a prospective deep ice core site due to the undisturbed internal layering, climatic setting and potential to obtain proxy records from the Last Interglacial (LIG) period when the West Antarctic ice sheet may have collapsed. We performed a geophysical survey using multiple ice-penetrating radar systems to identify potential locations for a deep ice core at Hercules Dome. The surface topography, as revealed with recent satellite observations, is more complex than previously recognized. The most prominent dome, which we term ‘West Dome’, is the most promising region for a deep ice core for the following reasons: (1) bed-conformal radar reflections indicate minimal layer disturbance and extend to within tens of meters of the ice bottom; (2) the bed is likely frozen, as evidenced by both the shape of the measured vertical ice velocity profiles beneath the divide and modeled ice temperature using three remotely sensed estimates of geothermal flux and (3) models of layer thinning have 132 ka old ice at 45–90 m above the bed with an annual layer thickness of ~1 mm, satisfying the resolution and preservation needed for detailed analysis of the LIG period.
Same-sex Marriage Legalization and the Stigmas of LGBT Co-parenting in Taiwan
Authors: Friedman Sara L. , Chen Chao-ju
Published: September 2022

In 2019, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. Celebrated as a victory for global lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, Taiwan’s 2019 law privileges marriage and biological parent-child ties as the foundation for LGBT family rights and (co-)parental recognition. This article contributes to sociolegal debates about the benefits and limitations of marriage equality by asking how restrictive legal approaches to legitimating LGBT parenthood may harm LGBT families, with consequences both for families ostensibly protected under the new laws and for those denied newly bestowed rights and protections. Drawing from legal and ethnographic research on Taiwan’s same-sex marriage law and the family formation strategies of Taiwanese LGBT parents, we interrogate how marriage equality interacts with related legal domains and prevailing stigmas of illegitimacy, adoption, and homosexuality in Taiwan. Encoded in, and reproduced through, the substance and implementation of law, these stigmas narrow the scope of legal rights and foster potentially discriminatory forms of recognition. The article shows how progressive laws may reduce LGBT family stigma for some, while also creating new stigma interactions that devalue diverse forms of LGBT parenthood.
The effect of nursing care and follow-up for mothers of infants undergoing congenital heart surgery: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Ay Ayşe , Koç Gülten
Published: September 2022

Improvements in congenital heart surgery have resulted in an increasing number of infants surviving, but there remain concerns about home care and difficulties experienced by mothers. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of nursing care and follow-up for the mothers of infants undergoing congenital heart surgery on anxiety, care burden, and self-efficacy. The study was designed as a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test control group design. The study included 40 mothers whose infants had undergone congenital heart surgery. Nursing care was provided to the mothers of the infants included in the study group through a total of six home follow-ups until the third month after surgery, guided by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association and Nursing Diagnosis System and Nursing Interventions Classification. Data were collected through Care Needs Identification Form, Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Zarit Burden Interview, and Parental Self-efficacy Scale. The mean State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Zarit Burden Interview scores for the mothers in the intervention group decreased, while the mean Parental Self-efficacy Scale scores increased as the follow-up progressed and it was determined that by the third month, the difference between the mothers in the intervention group and those in the control group in terms of post-test State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Zarit Burden Interview, and Parental Self-efficacy Scale had become statistically significant. Providing appropriate nursing care practices to the mothers of the infants had undergone congenital heart surgery in home setting has the potential to decrease the problems experienced by the mothers.
Quizalofop-resistant rice response to quizalofop when exposed to low rates of glyphosate and imazethapyr
Authors: Godara Navdeep , Norsworthy Jason K. , Butts Thomas R. , Roberts Trenton L. , Gbur Edward E.
Published: September 2022

Injury to quizalofop-resistant rice was reported in some fields following postemergence applications of quizalofop. Glyphosate-resistant (GR) corn, cotton, and soybean, and imidazolinone-resistant rice are grown near quizalofop-resistant rice. Herbicide drift from glyphosate and imazethapyr and the resulting crop injury and potential yield loss is a cause of concern for producers. Field experiments conducted near Colt, and Keiser, AR, in 2021 evaluated whether low rates of glyphosate or imazethapyr interact with sequential quizalofop applications to exacerbate injury to quizalofop-resistant rice compared to quizalofop applications alone. Herbicide treatments consisted of a low rate of glyphosate (90 g ae ha−1) or imazethapyr (10.7 g ai ha−1) applied 10, 7, 4, and 0 d before the 2-leaf growth stage of rice, and glyphosate or imazethapyr, at the same rate and timings, followed by quizalofop at 120 g ai ha−1 applied to 2-leaf rice. All plots treated with quizalofop received a subsequent application of the same herbicide and rate at the 5-leaf rice stage. At 28 d after final treatment (DAFT), glyphosate followed by quizalofop the same day to 2-leaf rice caused 77% injury compared with 58% when glyphosate was applied alone, regardless of location. Glyphosate followed by quizalofop the same day reduced rough rice grain yield by 67% compared with 33% when glyphosate was applied alone to 2-leaf rice at the Colt location. Application of imazethapyr followed by quizalofop the same day to 2-leaf rice caused more injury (63% and 19% injury at the Colt and Keiser locations, respectively) than imazethapyr alone (42% and 7% injury at the Colt and Keiser locations, respectively) at 35 DAFT. Overall, glyphosate and imazethapyr followed by quizalofop applications worsened injury compared to glyphosate, imazethapyr, and quizalofop applications alone. As the interval between exposure to a low rate of glyphosate or imazethapyr and quizalofop decreases, the detrimental effect of herbicide on rice likewise increases.
Partisanship Unmasked? The Role of Politics and Social Norms in COVID-19 Mask-Wearing Behavior
Authors: Carey John , Nyhan Brendan , Phillips Joseph B. , Reifler Jason
Published: September 2022

Public health officials have faced resistance in their efforts to promote mask-wearing to counter the spread of COVID-19. One approach to promoting behavior change is to alert people to the fact that a behavior is common (a descriptive norm). However, partisan differences in pandemic mitigation behavior mean that Americans may be especially (in)sensitive to information about behavioral norms depending on the party affiliation of the group in question. In July–August 2020, we tested the effects of providing information to respondents about how many Americans, co-partisans, or out-partisans report wearing masks regularly on both mask-wearing intentions and on the perceived effectiveness of masks. Learning that a majority of Americans report wearing masks regularly increases mask-wearing intentions and perceived effectiveness, though the effects of this information are not distinguishable from other treatments.
Ningaloo Niño/Niña in CMIP6 Models: Characteristics, Mechanisms, and Climate Impacts
Authors: Xue Jiaqing , Yang Hongpei , Luo Jing‐Jia , Yuan Chaoxia , Wang Boni , Yamagata Toshio
Published: September 2022

As a dominant climate mode of the southeast Indian Ocean, Ningaloo Niño/Niña has paramount impacts on regional climate and marine ecosystems. Using outputs from the latest phase of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), we have systematically evaluated the simulation of Ningaloo Niño/Niña in the state‐of‐the‐art coupled models. Eighteen out of 28 CMIP6 models well reproduce the spatial pattern and seasonality of Ningaloo Niño/Niña, whereas the simulated amplitudes show large spread across the models. Main processes of the oceanic and atmospheric El Niño‐Southern Oscillation teleconnections and the coastal Bjerknes feedback are successfully captured by most of the CMIP6 models, but their uncertainties in the simulation are responsible for the inter‐model difference in amplitude. The CMIP6 models are also skillful in reproducing the regional climate impacts of Ningaloo Niño/Niña. Compared to Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5, a larger fraction of models in CMIP6 well reproduce the Ningaloo Niño/Niña, which provides a good hope for projecting its future changes.
The Influence of Transport Stage on Preserved Fluvial Cross Strata
Authors: Das Debsmita , Ganti Vamsi , Bradley Ryan , Venditti Jeremy , Reesink Arjan , Parsons Daniel R.
Published: September 2022

Fluvial cross strata are depositional products of bedform migration that record formative flow and sediment transport conditions on planetary bodies. Bedform evolution varies with transport stage even under constant flow depths, but our understanding of how prevailing sediment transport conditions affect preserved cross strata is limited. Here, we analyzed experimental bedform evolution and preserved set thickness spanning threshold‐of‐motion to suspension‐dominated transport conditions at multiple equilibrium flow depths. Results show that bedform trough depth and mean preserved set thickness have a parabolic dependence on transport stage, with maximum values observed at intermediate transport stages. Our results indicate that transport stage is a key control on the flow‐depth‐normalized set thickness but set thickness is a poor indicator of flow depth. Thus, the dependence of bedform dimensions on transport stage should be considered in paleohydraulic reconstruction, and the analysis of set thickness may aid in the estimation of ancient fluvial sediment flux.
Determining Latitudinal Extent of Energetic Electron Precipitation Using MEPED On‐Board NOAA/POES
Authors: Babu E. M. , Tyssøy H. Nesse , Smith‐Johnsen C. , Maliniemi V. , Salice J. A. , Millan R. M. , Richardson I. G.
Published: September 2022

Energetic Electron Precipitation (EEP) from the plasma sheet and the radiation belts ionizes the polar lower thermosphere and mesosphere. EEP increases the production of NOx and HOx, which will catalytically destroy ozone, an important element of atmospheric dynamics. Therefore, measurement of the latitudinal extent of the precipitation boundaries is important in quantifying the atmospheric effects of the Sun‐Earth interaction. This study uses measurements by the Medium Energy Proton Electron Detector (MEPED) of six NOAA/POES and EUMETSAT/METOP satellites from 2004 to 2014 to determine the latitudinal boundaries of EEP and their variability with geomagnetic activity and solar wind drivers. Variation of the boundaries for different electron energies and Magnetic Local Time (MLT) is studied. Regression analyses are applied to determine the best predictor variable based on solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indices. The highest correlation was found for the pressure‐corrected Dst index when applying a linear regression model. A model of the equatorward EEP boundary is developed separately for three different energy channels, >43, >114, and >292 keV, and for 3 hour MLT sectors. For >43 keV EEP, 80% of the equatorward boundaries predicted by the model are within ±2.2° cgmlat. The model exhibits a solar cycle bias where it systematically exaggerates the equatorward movement of the EEP region during solar minimum. The highest accuracy of the model is found in periods dominated by corotating interaction regions/high speed solar wind streams. The result will be a key element for constructing a model of EEP variability to be applied in atmosphere climate models.
Tracking the Subsolar Bow Shock and Magnetopause
Authors: Sibeck D. G. , Silveira M. V. D. , Collier M. R.
Published: September 2022

Global magnetohydrodynamic models predict that plasma velocities vary almost linearly from 0 km s−1 at the nose of the stationary magnetopause on the stagnation streamline to a limiting value of 0.25 VSW for high solar wind Alfvénic Mach numbers at the nose of the bow shock, where VSW is the solar wind velocity. This paper presents a proof‐of‐concept study showing how two‐point measurements of the plasma velocity in the subsolar magnetosheath can be used to determine gradients in the plasma velocity and consequently the steady‐state or slowly moving locations of both the nose of the magnetopause and the nose of the bow shock. The results may be of use to those binning magnetosheath observations to develop empirical models, those testing models for magnetopause erosion or deposition in response to magnetic reconnection, and those determining the stand‐off distance of the bow shock as a function of solar wind conditions.
Distinct Dynamical and Structural Properties of Marine Stratocumulus and Shallow Cumulus Clouds in the Eastern North Atlantic
Authors: Jeong Jong‐Hoon , Witte Mikael K. , Glenn Ian B. , Smalley Mark , Lebsock Matthew D. , Lamer Katia , Zhu Zeen
Published: September 2022

Low‐level clouds in a marine environment are examined using multiple ground‐based instruments. We used Doppler radar and Doppler lidar measurements (a) to examine cloud properties including cloud base and top height and thickness and (b) to investigate vertical velocity (w) statistics throughout the subcloud and in‐cloud layers. Marine stratocumulus (Sc) and shallow cumulus (Cu) clouds have distinct properties in their horizontal and vertical extent. We also find that the two cloud types have different thermodynamic (coupled and decoupled conditions) and dynamical characteristics for the first four moments of the w distributions (mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis). We identify a strong dependence of subcloud mean w on near‐surface horizontal wind direction, implying that topographic effects exert a substantial impact on boundary layer dynamics and cloud properties at Graciosa Island. Our findings strongly suggest that care must be taken when interpreting island‐based observations as representative of a generic marine dynamical environment. This information also can be useful for guiding and constraining the future global model development using an observational data set.
Martian Atmospheric Thermal Structure and Dust Distribution During the MY 34 Global Dust Storm From ACS TIRVIM Nadir Observations
Authors: Vlasov P. , Ignatiev N. , Guerlet S. , Grassi D. , Korablev O. , Grigoriev А. , Shakun A. , Patsaev D. , Maslov I. , Zasova L. , Luginin M. , Trokhimovskiy A. , Millour E. , Forget F. , Haus R. , Arnold G. , Montmessin F.
Published: September 2022

The Thermal InfraRed channel in honor of professor Vassili Ivanovich Moroz (TIRVIM) of the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite onboard ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has continuously monitored the Martian atmosphere from 13 March 2018 until 2 December 2019, covering almost a complete Martian Year (MY). In the nadir mode of observations, infrared spectra obtained by TIRVIM in the spectral range 600–1,300 cm−1 permit retrievals of vertical temperature profiles from the surface up to 60 km of altitude, surface temperatures and column aerosol optical depths. Here we report the retrieved atmospheric thermal structure and the column dust content during the global dust storm (GDS) of MY 34 monitored from Ls = 182.2° to Ls = 211.8° (Solar Longitude), capturing the evolution of the GDS and the response of the atmospheric thermal structure to the changing dust loading. The global storm caused asymmetric atmosphere heating, predominantly in the southern hemisphere, and changed diurnal contrast of atmospheric thermal structure. We also observe a reduced diurnal contrast of surface temperatures at the peak of the GDS.
Fbxo22 promotes cervical cancer progression via targeting p57Kip2 for ubiquitination and degradation
Authors: Lin Min , Zhang Jianan , Bouamar Hakim , Wang Zhiwei , Sun Lu-Zhe , Zhu Xueqiong
Published: September 2022

F-box only protein 22 (FBXO22) is a key subunit of the Skp1-Cullin 1-F-box protein (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Little is known regarding its biological function and underlying molecular mechanisms in regulating cervical cancer (CC) progression. In this study, we aim to explore the role and mechanism of FBXO22 in CC progression. The correlation between FBXO22 and clinicopathological characteristics of CC was analyzed by tissue microarray. MTT, colony formation, flow cytometry, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, protein half-life, co-immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination, and xenograft experiments were performed to assess the functions of FBXO22 and potential molecular mechanisms of FBXO22-mediated malignant progression in CC. The expression of FBXO22 protein in CC tissues was higher than that in adjacent non-tumor cervical tissues. Notably, high expression of FBXO22 was significantly associated with high histology grades, positive lymph node metastasis, and poor outcomes in CC patients. Functionally, ectopic expression of FBXO22 promoted cell viability in vitro and induced tumor growth in vivo, while knockdown of FBXO22 exhibited opposite effects. In addition, overexpression of FBXO22 promoted G1/S phase progression and inhibited apoptosis in CC cells. Mechanistically, FBXO22 physically interacted with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57Kip2and subsequently mediated its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation leading to tumor progression. FBXO22 protein level was found negatively associated with p57Kip2protein levels in patient CC samples. FBXO22 promotes CC progression partly through regulating the ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of p57Kip2. Our study indicates that FBXO22 might be a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for CC.
Silencing circFTO inhibits malignant phenotype through modulating DUSP4 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Yang Chen , Zang Yiwen , Wu Siqi , Zhou Quan , Ou Yuxi , Ding Qiang , Wang Hao , Xiong Zuquan
Published: September 2022

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most diagnosed malignancy in kidney. Studies on the role of circular RNAs in kidney cancer are increasing. In this study, we employed high throughput sequencing and tissue micro array to detect and verify one of the key circular RNAs, circFTO, in ccRCC. The effect of circFTO on the proliferation and invasiveness of ccRCC cells and the corresponding mechanism were studied both in vitro and in vivo via multiple methods. We confirmed that circFTO was up regulated in ccRCC and correlated with a more aggressive phenotype. The up regulated circFTO could sponge and block the function of miR-514b-3p, a reported tumor suppressor, and caused overexpression of DUSP4. DUSP4 was found to lead to KRAS/ERK pathway activation, increased epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibition of autophagy in ccRCC cells, which in the end boosted the proliferation and invasiveness of ccRCC. We thus concluded that circFTO/miR-514b-3p/DUSP4 axis may play an important role in ccRCC development and could be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target.
A new K+channel-independent mechanism is involved in the antioxidant effect of XE-991 in an in vitro model of glucose metabolism impairment: implications for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Piccirillo Silvia , Preziuso Alessandra , Amoroso Salvatore , Serfilippi Tiziano , Miceli Francesco , Magi Simona , Lariccia Vincenzo
Published: September 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that represents the first cause of dementia. Although there has been significant progress in AD research, the actual mechanisms underlying this pathology remain largely unknown. There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress, metabolic alterations, and mitochondrial dysfunction are key players in the development and worsening of AD. As a result, in the past few years, remarkable attempts have been made to develop neuroprotective strategies against the impairment of mitochondrial dynamics and cell redox status. In the present study, we reveal a novel antioxidant K+ channel-independent effect of the M-current inhibitor XE-991 in SH-SY5Y cells differentiated with retinoic acid (RA) and primary rat cortical neurons exposed to the glycolysis inhibitor glyceraldehyde (GA). This experimental approach aimed to create a condition of hypometabolism accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and redox imbalance, as frequently observed in the beginning stage of the disease. We found that XE-991 exerted a neuroprotective action most likely through the resumption of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, which was significantly compromised during GA challenge. We also observed that the enhancement of SOD activity was accompanied by a sequence of positive effects; these included the reduction in basal Ca2+ levels within cytoplasmic and mitochondrial compartments, the decrease in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the modulation of AMPK/mTOR pathway, the recovery of ΔΨm collapse, the increase in the intracellular ATP content and the decrease in amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated form of tau protein (pTau) levels. Collectively, our study reveals an off-target antioxidant effect of XE-991 and paves the way toward the further evaluation of new therapeutic uses of already existing molecules to accelerate the process of developing an effective therapy to counteract AD.
How location and cellular signaling combine to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome
Authors: Akbal Anil , Dernst Alesja , Lovotti Marta , Mangan Matthew S. J. , McManus Róisín M. , Latz Eicke
Published: September 2022

NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) is a cytosolic innate immune sensor of cellular stress signals, triggered by infection and sterile inflammation. Upon detection of an activating stimulus, NLRP3 transitions from an inactive homo-oligomeric multimer into an active multimeric inflammasome, which promotes the helical oligomeric assembly of the adaptor molecule ASC. ASC oligomers provide a platform for caspase-1 activation, leading to the proteolytic cleavage and activation of proinflammatory cytokines in the IL-1 family and gasdermin D, which can induce a lytic form of cell death. Recent studies investigating both the cellular requirement for NLRP3 activation and the structure of NLRP3 have revealed the complex regulation of NLRP3 and the multiple steps involved in its activation. This review presents a perspective on the biochemical and cellular processes controlling the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome with particular emphasis on structural regulation and the role of organelles. We also highlight the latest research on metabolic control of this inflammatory pathway and discuss promising clinical targets for intervention.
Enhanced oxygen evolution over dual corner-shared cobalt tetrahedra
Authors: Chen Yubo , Seo Joon Kyo , Sun Yuanmiao , Wynn Thomas A. , Olguin Marco , Zhang Minghao , Wang Jingxian , Xi Shibo , Du Yonghua , Yuan Kaidi , Chen Wei , Fisher Adrian C. , Wang Maoyu , Feng Zhenxing , Gracia Jose , Huang Li , Du Shixuan , Gao Hong-Jun , Meng Ying Shirley , Xu Zhichuan J.
Published: September 2022

Developing efficient catalysts is of paramount importance to oxygen evolution, a sluggish anodic reaction that provides essential electrons and protons for various electrochemical processes, such as hydrogen generation. Here, we report that the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) can be efficiently catalyzed by cobalt tetrahedra, which are stabilized over the surface of a Swedenborgite-type YBCo4O7 material. We reveal that the surface of YBaCo4O7 possesses strong resilience towards structural amorphization during OER, which originates from its distinctive structural evolution toward electrochemical oxidation. The bulk of YBaCo4O7 composes of corner-sharing only CoO4 tetrahedra, which can flexibly alter their positions to accommodate the insertion of interstitial oxygen ions and mediate the stress during the electrochemical oxidation. The density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the OER is efficiently catalyzed by a binuclear active site of dual corner-shared cobalt tetrahedra, which have a coordination number switching between 3 and 4 during the reaction. We expect that the reported active structural motif of dual corner-shared cobalt tetrahedra in this study could enable further development of compounds for catalyzing the OER.
An anti-inflammatory activation sequence governs macrophage transcriptional dynamics during tissue injury in zebrafish
Authors: Denans Nicolas , Tran Nhung T. T. , Swall Madeleine E. , Diaz Daniel C. , Blanck Jillian , Piotrowski Tatjana
Published: September 2022

Macrophages are essential for tissue repair and regeneration. Yet, the molecular programs, as well as the timing of their activation during and after tissue injury are poorly defined. Using a high spatio-temporal resolution single cell analysis of macrophages coupled with live imaging after sensory hair cell death in zebrafish, we find that the same population of macrophages transitions through a sequence of three major anti-inflammatory activation states. Macrophages first show a signature of glucocorticoid activation, then IL-10 signaling and finally the induction of oxidative phosphorylation by IL-4/Polyamine signaling. Importantly, loss-of-function of glucocorticoid and IL-10 signaling shows that each step of the sequence is independently activated. Lastly, we show that IL-10 and IL-4 signaling act synergistically to promote synaptogenesis between hair cells and efferent neurons during regeneration. Our results show that macrophages, in addition to a switch from M1 to M2, sequentially and independently transition though three anti-inflammatory pathways in vivo during tissue injury in a regenerating organ.
OH spectator at IrMo intermetallic narrowing activity gap between alkaline and acidic hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Zhang Jiaxi , Zhang Longhai , Liu Jiamin , Zhong Chengzhi , Tu Yuanhua , Li Peng , Du Li , Chen Shengli , Cui Zhiming
Published: September 2022

The sluggish kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction in base has resulted in large activity gap between acidic and alkaline electrolytes. Here, we present an intermetallic IrMo electrocatalyst supported on carbon nanotubes that exhibits a specific activity of 0.95 mA cm−2 at the overpotential of 15 mV, which is 14.4 and 9.5 times of those for Ir/C and Pt/C, respectively. More importantly, its activities in base are fairly close to that in acidic electrolyte and the activity gap between acidic and alkaline media is only one fourth of that for Ir/C. DFT calculations reveal that the stably-adsorbed OH spectator at Mo site of IrMo can stabilize the water dissociation product, resulting in a thermodynamically favorable water dissociation process. Beyond offering an advanced electrocatalyst, this work provides a guidance to rationally design the desirable HER electrocatalysts for alkaline water splitting by the stably-adsorbed OH spectator.
Photoinduced loading of electron-rich Cu single atoms by moderate coordination for hydrogen evolution
Authors: Fu Weiwei , Wan Jin , Zhang Huijuan , Li Jian , Chen Weigen , Li Yuke , Guo Zaiping , Wang Yu
Published: September 2022

Single-atom catalysts offer maximal atom utilization efficiencies and high-electronegativity heteroatoms play a crucial role in coordinating reactive single metal atoms to prevent agglomeration. However, these strong coordination bonds withdraw electron density for coordinated metal atoms and consequently affect their catalytic activity. Herein we reveal the high loading (11.3 wt%) and stabilization of moderately coordinated Cu-P3 structure on black phosphorus support by a photochemical strategy with auxiliary hydrogen. Single-atom Cu sites with an exceptional electron-rich feature show the $$\triangle {G}_{{{{{{\rm{H}}}}}}*}$$
△

G

H
*

close to zero to favor catalysis. Neighboring Cu atoms work in synergy to lower the energy of key water adsorption and dissociation intermediates. The reported catalyst shows a low overpotential of only 41 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and Tafel slope of 53.4 mV dec−1 for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction, surpassing both isolated Cu single atoms and Cu nanoclusters. The promising materials design strategy sheds light on the design and fabrication of high-loading single metal atoms and the role of neighboring single atoms for enhanced reaction kinetics.
Collaborative variable neighborhood search for multi-objective distributed scheduling in two-stage hybrid flow shop with sequence-dependent setup times
Authors: Cai Jingcao , Lu Shejie , Cheng Jun , Wang Lei , Gao Yin , Tan Tielong
Published: September 2022

Distributed scheduling is seldom investigated in hybrid flow shops. In this study, distributed two-stage hybrid flow shop scheduling problem (DTHFSP) with sequence-dependent setup times is considered. A collaborative variable neighborhood search (CVNS) is proposed to simultaneously minimize total tardiness and makespan. DTHFSP is simplified by incorporating factory assignment into machine assignment of a prefixed stage, and its solution is newly represented with a machine assignment string and a scheduling string. CVNS consists of two cooperated variable neighborhood search (VNS) algorithms, and neighborhood structures and global search have collaborated in each VNS. Eight neighborhood structures and two global search operators are defined to produce new solutions. The current solution is periodically replaced with a member of the archive farthest from it. Experiments are conducted , and the computational results validate that CVNS has good advantages over the considered DTHFSP.
A computational study of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as potential nanostructures to combat SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Dahri Mohammad , Sadeghi Mohammad Moein , Abolmaali Samira Sadat
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has a critical surface protein called spike protein (S protein), which is the target of many vaccines and drugs developments. Among non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2, main protease (Mpro) has drawn much attention to itself for designing antiviral drugs since it is very crucial for the virus replication in host cells. In the first part of the present study, the application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), one of the developing nanomaterials in the deformation and consequently inhibition of S protein binding to the receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2), is investigated. In this line, various S protein inhibitors were designed virtually, including ZIF, UIO, and IRMOF that their interactions with S protein and were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The results revealed that ZIF is the best candidate among the investigated MOFs with the least amount of energy interference with S protein. In the second part, the interaction of three-dimensional (3D) MOFs (such as ZIF, IRMOF, and HKUST) with SARS-CoV-2 Mprowas investigated. HKUST had the most potent interaction with Mproand showed more promise in deforming this protein's secondary structure among all materials tested. Furthermore, we investigated the interaction of HKUST-OH with Mproto determine the effect of functionalization. The findings of this study could be used in future studies to introduce bioconjugates of MOFs and biological molecules (e.g., antibody or nanobody) or to use MOFs as carriers for antiviral drug delivery.