bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-radial oscillation modes in hybrid stars: consequences of a mixed phase
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Mishra Hiranmaya , Malik Tuhin
Published: February 2023

We study the possibility of the existence of a deconfined quark matter in the core of neutron star (NS)s and its relation to non-radial oscillation modes in NSs and hybrid star (HS)s. We use relativistic mean field (RMF) models to describe the nuclear matter at low densities and zero temperature. The Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model is used to describe the quark matter at high densities and zero temperature. A Gibbs construct is used to describe the hadron-quark phase transition (HQPT) at large densities. Within the model, as the density increases, a mixed phase (MP) appears at density about 2.5 times the nuclear matter saturation density (ρ
0) and ends at density about 5ρ
0 beyond which the pure quark matter phase appears. It turns out that a stable HS of maximum mass, M = 2.27 M
⊙ with radius R = 14 km (for NL3 parameterisation of nuclear RMF model), can exist with the quark matter in the core in a MP only. HQPT in the core of maximum mass HS occurs at radial distance, rc
= 0.27R where the equilibrium speed of sound shows a discontinuity. Existence of quark matter in the core enhances the non-radial oscillation frequencies in HSs compared to NSs of the same mass. This enhancement is significantly large for the g modes. Such an enhancement of the g modes is also seen for a density dependent Bayesian (DDB) parmeterisation of the nucleonic EOS. The non-radial oscillation frequencies depend on the vector coupling in the NJL model. The values of g and f mode frequencies decrease with increase the vector coupling in quark matter.
Six Newly Discovered Eclipsing Binary Systems in the TESS field
Authors: Ulaş Burak , Ayan Vildan
Published: February 2023

We present the first detailed investigation of six eclipsing binary systems in the TESS field. The TESS light curves of the targets are analyzed by determining the initial effective temperatures via SED fits. The absolute parameters are derived and the systems are compared to well-known binaries of the same type. Results show that CD-58791, CD-621257 and TYC 9356-355-1 are detached binary systems. CD-54942 and UCAC4 136-007295 are contact binaries while TYC 8508-1413-1 is a semidetached system.
Determination of absolute Np L x-ray emission intensities from 241Am decay using a metallic magnetic calorimeter
Authors: Rodrigues Matias , Loidl Martin , Pierre Sylvie
Published: February 2023

Photon emission intensities of radionuclides, i.e. the number of emitted photons per decay, are the single most important decay data when the photon spectrometry technique is employed in ionizing radiation metrology. However, their precise measurement is problematic because they are usually determined by photon spectrometry with spectrometers having a detection efficiency calibrated with x-ray and γ-ray emission intensities from other radionuclides. Therefore, these intensities are ultimately interdependent and correlated to some extent. A novel method was applied to determine the photon intensities of α-emitting radionuclides by measuring the ratio between the rate of photons in the full energy peaks and the rate of detected α-particles with the same detection set-up. Thus, there is no need to calibrate the detection efficiency and to standardize calibration sources by primary methods. The main condition to reach low uncertainties is to have a spectrometer with an intrinsic detection efficiency close to unity for the measured photons and α-particles. This condition was fulfilled by a metallic magnetic calorimeter (MMC) with an intrinsic efficiency of around 99% between 5 keV and 25 keV. In addition, the MMC provides an ultra-high energy resolution of 28 eV (full width at half maximum), facilitating the processing of the spectrum. The method was applied to determine L x-ray emission intensities from the decay of 241Am(α) → 237Np emitted between 11.9 keV and 22.4 keV. A total L x-ray emission intensity of 37.90 (12) per 100 disintegrations was obtained; the value agrees well with previous measurements and has a lower uncertainty. The uncertainties of the L x-ray groups Lα, Lηβ and Lγ were improved by a factor of two. Moreover, due to the high-energy resolution of 28 eV, a detailed set of 33 L x-ray emission intensities are provided.
Multivariate prediction intervals for bagged models
Authors: Folie Brendan , Hutchinson Maxwell
Published: February 2023

Accurate uncertainty estimates can significantly improve the performance of iterative design of experiments, as in sequential and reinforcement learning. For many such problems in engineering and the physical sciences, the design task depends on multiple correlated model outputs as objectives and/or constraints. To better solve these problems, we propose a recalibrated bootstrap method to generate multivariate prediction intervals for bagged models such as random forest and show that it is well-calibrated. We apply the recalibrated bootstrap to a simulated sequential learning problem with multiple objectives and show that it leads to a marked decrease in the number of iterations required to find a satisfactory candidate. This indicates that the recalibrated bootstrap could be a valuable tool for practitioners using machine learning to optimize systems with multiple competing targets.
Optimal gap-affine alignment in O(s) space
Authors: Marco-Sola Santiago , Eizenga Jordan M , Guarracino Andrea , Paten Benedict , Garrison Erik , Moreto Miquel
Published: February 2023

Motivation

Pairwise sequence alignment remains a fundamental problem in computational biology and bioinformatics. Recent advances in genomics and sequencing technologies demand faster and scalable algorithms that can cope with the ever-increasing sequence lengths. Classical pairwise alignment algorithms based on dynamic programming are strongly limited by quadratic requirements in time and memory. The recently proposed wavefront alignment algorithm (WFA) introduced an efficient algorithm to perform exact gap-affine alignment in O(ns) time, where s is the optimal score and n is the sequence length. Notwithstanding these bounds, WFA’s O(s2) memory requirements become computationally impractical for genome-scale alignments, leading to a need for further improvement.

Results

In this article, we present the bidirectional WFA algorithm, the first gap-affine algorithm capable of computing optimal alignments in O(s) memory while retaining WFA’s time complexity of O(ns). As a result, this work improves the lowest known memory bound O(n) to compute gap-affine alignments. In practice, our implementation never requires more than a few hundred MBs aligning noisy Oxford Nanopore Technologies reads up to 1 Mbp long while maintaining competitive execution times.

Availability and implementation

All code is publicly available at https://github.com/smarco/BiWFA-paper.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Beyond Broca: neural architecture and evolution of a dual motor speech coordination system
Authors: Hickok Gregory , Venezia Jonathan , Teghipco Alex
Published: February 2023

Classical neural architecture models of speech production propose a single system centred on Broca’s area coordinating all the vocal articulators from lips to larynx. Modern evidence has challenged both the idea that Broca’s area is involved in motor speech coordination and that there is only one coordination network. Drawing on a wide range of evidence, here we propose a dual speech coordination model in which laryngeal control of pitch-related aspects of prosody and song are coordinated by a hierarchically organized dorsolateral system while supralaryngeal articulation at the phonetic/syllabic level is coordinated by a more ventral system posterior to Broca’s area. We argue further that these two speech production subsystems have distinguishable evolutionary histories and discuss the implications for models of language evolution.
Disordered network structure and function in dystonia: pathological connectivity vs. adaptive responses
Authors: Vo An , Nguyen Nha , Fujita Koji , Schindlbeck Katharina A , Rommal Andrea , Bressman Susan B , Niethammer Martin , Eidelberg David
Published: February 2023

Primary dystonia is thought to emerge through abnormal functional relationships between basal ganglia and cerebellar motor circuits. These interactions may differ across disease subtypes and provide a novel biomarker for diagnosis and treatment. Using a network mapping algorithm based on resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), a method that is readily implemented on conventional MRI scanners, we identified similar disease topographies in hereditary dystonia associated with the DYT1 or DYT6 mutations and in sporadic patients lacking these mutations. Both networks were characterized by contributions from the basal ganglia, cerebellum, thalamus, sensorimotor areas, as well as cortical association regions. Expression levels for the two networks were elevated in hereditary and sporadic dystonia, and in non-manifesting carriers of dystonia mutations. Nonetheless, the distribution of abnormal functional connections differed across groups, as did metrics of network organization and efficiency in key modules. Despite these differences, network expression correlated with dystonia motor ratings, significantly improving the accuracy of predictions based on thalamocortical tract integrity obtained with diffusion tensor MRI (DTI). Thus, in addition to providing unique information regarding the anatomy of abnormal brain circuits, rs-fMRI functional networks may provide a widely accessible method to help in the objective evaluation of new treatments for this disorder.
Risk of insomnia during COVID-19: effects of depression and brain functional connectivity
Authors: Tian Yun , Vitiello Michael V , Wang Haien , Wang Yulin , Dong Debo , Xu Hongzhou , Yu Ping , Qiu Jiang , He Qinghua , Chen Hong , Feng Tingyong , Lei Xu
Published: February 2023

Normal sleepers may be at risk for insomnia during COVID-19. Identifying psychological factors and neural markers that predict their insomnia risk, as well as investigating possible courses of insomnia development, could lead to more precise targeted interventions for insomnia during similar public health emergencies. Insomnia severity index of 306 participants before and during COVID-19 were employed to determine the development of insomnia, while pre-COVID-19 psychometric and resting-state fMRI data were used to explore corresponding psychological and neural markers of insomnia development. Normal sleepers as a group reported a significant increase in insomnia symptoms after COVID-19 outbreak (F = 4.618, P = 0.0102, df = 2, 609.9). Depression was found to significantly contribute to worse insomnia (β = 0.066, P = 0.024). Subsequent analysis found that functional connectivity between the precentral gyrus and middle/inferior temporal gyrus mediated the association between pre-COVID-19 depression and insomnia symptoms during COVID-19. Cluster analysis identified that postoutbreak insomnia symptoms followed 3 courses (lessened, slightly worsened, and developed into mild insomnia), and pre-COVID-19 depression symptoms and functional connectivities predicted these courses. Timely identification and treatment of at-risk individuals may help avoid the development of insomnia in the face of future health-care emergencies, such as those arising from COVID-19 variants.
The neurophysiological aftereffects of brain stimulation in human primary motor cortex: a Sham-controlled comparison of three protocols
Authors: Therrien-Blanchet Jean-Marc , Ferland Marie Chantal , Badri Meriem , Rousseau Marie-Andrée , Merabtine Amira , Boucher Emelie , Hofmann Lydia Helena , Lepage Jean-François , Théoret Hugo
Published: February 2023

Paired associative stimulation (PAS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) are non-invasive brain stimulation methods that are used to modulate cortical excitability. Whether one technique is superior to the others in achieving this outcome and whether individuals that respond to one intervention are more likely to respond to another remains largely unknown. In the present study, the neurophysiological aftereffects of three excitatory neurostimulation protocols were measured with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Twenty minutes of PAS at an ISI of 25 ms, anodal tDCS, 20-Hz tACS, and Sham stimulation were administered to 31 healthy adults in a repeated measures design. Compared with Sham, none of the stimulation protocols significantly modulated corticospinal excitability (input/ouput curve and slope, TMS stimulator intensity required to elicit MEPs of 1-mV amplitude) or intracortical excitability (short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition, intracortical facilitation, cortical silent period). Sham-corrected responder analysis estimates showed that an average of 41 (PAS), 39 (tDCS), and 39% (tACS) of participants responded to the interventions with an increase in corticospinal excitability. The present data show that three stimulation protocols believed to increase cortical excitability are associated with highly heterogenous and variable aftereffects that may explain a lack of significant group effects.
The intracortical myelin content of impulsive choices: results from T1- and T2-weighted MRI myelin mapping
Authors: Guo Yiqun , Dong Debo , Wu Huimin , Xue Zhiyuan , Zhou Feng , Zhao Le , Li Zhangyong , Feng Tingyong
Published: February 2023

Delay discounting (DD) refers to a phenomenon that humans tend to choose small-sooner over large-later rewards during intertemporal choices. Steep discounting of delayed outcome is related to a variety of maladaptive behaviors and is considered as a transdiagnostic process across psychiatric disorders. Previous studies have investigated the association between brain structure (e.g. gray matter volume) and DD; however, it is unclear whether the intracortical myelin (ICM) influences DD. Here, based on a sample of 951 healthy young adults drawn from the Human Connectome Project, we examined the relationship between ICM, which was measured by the contrast of T1w and T2w images, and DD and further tested whether the identified associations were mediated by the regional homogeneity (ReHo) of brain spontaneous activity. Vertex-wise regression analyses revealed that steeper DD was significantly associated with lower ICM in the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and right middle-posterior cingulate cortex. Region-of-interest analysis revealed that the ReHo values in the left TPJ partially mediated the association of its myelin content with DD. Our findings provide the first evidence that cortical myelination is linked with individual differences in decision impulsivity and suggest that the myelin content affects cognitive performances partially through altered local brain synchrony.
General deficits of attentional inhibition in high trait anxiety: ERP evidence
Authors: Hu Liping , Tang Hongsi , Huang Yan
Published: February 2023

Behavioral evidence shows that individuals with high trait anxiety tend to be distracted by irrelevant stimulation not only for threat-related stimuli but also for non-emotional neutral stimuli. These findings suggest that there may be a general deficit of attentional control in trait anxiety. However, the neural mechanism underlying the anxiety-related deficit in attentional control, especially inhibition function, is still unclear. Here, we examined the attentional processing of the non-emotional neutral distractor on 66 young adults with different levels of trait anxiety, using the ERP indices of attentional selection (N2pc) and top–down inhibition (Pd) in a search task with geometric stimuli. We found that the distractor-evoked N2pc amplitude did not vary with anxiety levels, but increased anxiety was associated with smaller Pds (i.e. worse inhibition). Besides, delayed attentional selection of targets was associated with higher anxiety levels. These correlations of trait anxiety remained significant even after controlling for state anxiety, and state anxiety did not affect the attentional processing of distractors and targets, suggesting that trait anxiety, not current anxiety, affects attentional function. Our findings clarify the mechanism underlying the general attentional deficits in trait anxiety, e.g. reduced distractor inhibition and delayed target selection.
Thorstein Veblen on the cultural and economic significance of modern sports
Authors: Petach Luke , Raines J Patrick
Published: February 2023

This paper adopts an evolutionary institutionalist approach to explain the persistent popularity of sports in the USA. Veblen’s writing in Theory of the Leisure Class suggests two cultural and economic functions of modern sports: as a mode of preservation of leisure class values and as a means of conspicuous waste. Our analysis emphasises the role of sports as an institution for the preservation of leisure class values in general, and what Veblen terms ‘predatory prowess’ in particular. We identify several contemporary examples of Veblenian cultural traits that explain the affinity for sports in America and illustrate the continued applicability of Veblen’s analysis. Finally, we offer support for the Veblenian view by expanding the scope of our argument to the broader evolutionary institutionalist literature.
Twenty-One Flavors of Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells with PD-1 (Programmed Cell Death-1 Receptor) Sprinkles
Authors: Smith Katie J , Sciumè Giuseppe , Amarnath Shoba
Published: February 2023

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are tissue-resident immune cells that have been recently implicated in initiating and driving anti-tumor responses. ILCs are classified into three main groups, namely type 1 ILCs (ILC1), type 2 ILCs, and type 3 ILCs. All three groups have been implicated in either eliciting pro or anti-tumor immune responses in different cancer subtypes with the consensus that ILCs cannot be overlooked within the field of anti-tumor immune responses. In this review, we will specifically expand on the knowledge on ILC1, their characterization, function, and plasticity in anti-cancer immune responses. Within this premise, we will discuss caveats of ILC1 characterization, and expand on the expression and function of immune checkpoint receptors within ILC1 subsets, specifically focusing on the role of programmed cell death-1 receptor in controlling specific ILC1 responses. We summarize that ILC1s are a vital component in initiating anti-tumor responses and can be boosted by checkpoint receptors.
Accuracy of continuous photoplethysmography-based 1 min mean heart rate assessment during atrial fibrillation
Authors: Hermans Astrid N L , Isaksen* Jonas L , Gawalko Monika , Pluymaekers Nikki A H A , van der Velden Rachel M J , Snippe Hilco , Evens Stijn , De Witte Glenn , Luermans Justin G L M , Manninger Martin , Lumens Joost , Kanters Jørgen K , Linz Dominik
Published: February 2023

Aims

Although mobile health tools using photoplethysmography (PPG) technology have been validated for the detection of atrial fibrillation (AF), their utility for heart rate assessment during AF remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy of continuous PPG-based 1 min mean heart rate assessment during AF.

Methods and results

Persistent AF patients were provided with Holter electrocardiography (ECG) (for ≥24 h) simultaneously with a PPG-equipped smartwatch. Both the PPG-based smartwatch and Holter ECG automatically and continuously monitored patients’ heart rate/rhythm. ECG and PPG recordings were synchronized and divided into 1 min segments, from which a PPG-based and an ECG-based average heart rate estimation were extracted. In total, 47 661 simultaneous ECG and PPG 1 min heart rate segments were analysed in 50 patients (34% women, age 73 ± 8 years). The agreement between ECG-determined and PPG-determined 1 min mean heart rate was high [root mean squared error (RMSE): 4.7 bpm]. The 1 min mean heart rate estimated using PPG was accurate within ±10% in 93.7% of the corresponding ECG-derived 1 min mean heart rate segments. PPG-based 1 min mean heart rate estimation was more often accurate during night-time (97%) than day-time (91%, P < 0.001) and during low levels (96%) compared to high levels of motion (92%, P < 0.001). A neural network with a 10 min history of the recording did not further improve the PPG-based 1 min mean heart rate assessment [RMSE: 4.4 (95% confidence interval: 3.5–5.2 bpm)]. Only chronic heart failure was associated with a lower agreement between ECG-derived and PPG-derived 1 min mean heart rates (P = 0.040).

Conclusion

During persistent AF, continuous PPG-based 1 min mean heart rate assessment is feasible in 60% of the analysed period and shows high accuracy compared with Holter ECG for heart rates <110 bpm.
Mycobacterium tuberculosisinfection triggers epigenetic changes that are enriched in a type I IFN signature
Authors: Madden Katrina , El Hamra Rayan , Berton Stefania , Felker Jake , Alvarez Gonzalo G , Blais Alexandre , Sun Jim
Published: February 2023

Tuberculosis, a deadly infectious lung disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains the leading cause of bacterial disease-related deaths worldwide. Mtb reprograms and disables key antibacterial response pathways, many of which are regulated by epigenetic mechanisms that control the accessibility of chromatin to the transcriptional machinery. Recent reports suggest that host phosphatases, such as PPM1A, contribute to regulating chromatin accessibility during bacterial infections. However, changes in genome-wide chromatin accessibility during Mtb infection and whether PPM1A plays a role in this process remains unknown. Herein, we use combinatorial chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) and transcriptomic (RNA-seq) profiling of wild-type, PPM1A knockout and PPM1A overexpressing macrophages to demonstrate that Mtb infection induces global chromatin remodelling consistent with changes in gene expression. The strongest concordant changes to chromatin accessibility and gene expression triggered by Mtb infection were enriched for genes involved in type I interferon (IFN) signalling pathways. A panel of 15 genes with the strongest concordant changes in chromatin accessibility and gene expression were validated to be significantly upregulated in Mtb-infected human monocyte-derived macrophages. PPM1A expression affects chromatin accessibility profiles during Mtb infection that are reflected in the total number, chromosome location, and directionality of change. Transcription factor binding motif analysis revealed enrichment for transcription factors involved in the type I IFN pathway during Mtb infection, including members of the IRF, MEF2, and AP-1 families. Our study shows that altered type I IFN responses in Mtb-infected macrophages occur due to genome-wide changes in chromatin accessibility, and that PPM1A could influence a subset of these signatures.
Spatial heterogeneity for APRIL production by eosinophils in the small intestine
Authors: Sturm Nathalie , Roger-Margueritat Morgane , Pierrel Fabien , Lehours Philippe , Genevay Muriel , Huard Bertrand
Published: February 2023

Eosinophils may reside in the lower intestine to play several homeostatic functions. Regulation of IgA+ plasma-cell (PC) homeostasis is one of these functions. Here, we assessed regulation of expression for a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), a key factor from the TNF superfamily for PC homeostasis, in eosinophils from the lower intestine. We observed a strong heterogeneity, since duodenum eosinophils did not produce APRIL at all, whereas a large majority of eosinophils from the ileum and right colon produced it. This was evidenced both in the human and mouse adult systems. At these places, the human data showed that eosinophils were the only cellular sources of APRIL. The number of IgA+ PCs did not vary along the lower intestine, but ileum and right colon IgA+ PC steady-state numbers significantly diminished in APRIL-deficient mice. Use of blood cells from healthy donors demonstrated that APRIL expression in eosinophils is inducible by bacterial products. Use of germ-free and antibiotics-treated mice confirmed the dependency on bacteria for APRIL production by eosinophils from the lower intestine. Taken together, our study shows that APRIL expression by eosinophils is spatially regulated in the lower intestine with a consequence on the APRIL dependency for IgA+ PC homeostasis.
Pausanias as a literary case of autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Williams Andrew Nason
Published: February 2023

Reading Pausanias’, 2nd-century CE ancient Greek travelwriter, would he now be diagnosed autism spectrum disorder on the DSM V (2013) classification? In an increasingly neurodiverse world, where integration matters, autism spectrum disorder should not be seen as a problem. It has always been present in the history of humanity.
Arabidopsis translation factor eEF1Bγ impacts plant development and is associated with heat-induced cytoplasmic foci
Authors: Lohmann Julia , de Luxán-Hernández Cloe , Gao Yang , Zoschke Reimo , Weingartner Magdalena
Published: February 2023

The important role of translational control for maintenance of proteostasis is well documented in plants, but the exact mechanisms that coordinate translation rates during plant development and stress response are not well understood. In Arabidopsis, the translation elongation complex eEF1B consists of three subunits: eEF1Bα, eEF1Bβ, and eEF1Bγ. While eEF1Bα and eEF1Bβ have a conserved GDP/GTP exchange function, the function of eEF1Bγ is still unknown. By generating Arabidopsis mutants with strongly reduced eEF1Bγ levels, we revealed its essential role during plant growth and development and analysed its impact on translation. To explore the function of the eEF1B subunits under high temperature stress, we analysed their dynamic localization as green fluorescent protein fusions under control and heat stress conditions. Each of these fusion proteins accumulated in heat-induced cytoplasmic foci and co-localized with the stress granule marker poly(A)-binding protein 8–mCherry. Protein–protein interaction studies and co-expression analyses indicated that eEF1Bβ physically interacted with both of the other subunits and promoted their recruitment to cytoplasmic foci. These data provide new insights into the mechanisms allowing for rapid adaptation of translation rates during heat stress response.
Toxicity of the Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol on Early Cleavage of Mouse Embryos by Fluorescence Intensity Analysis
Authors: Liao Bi-Yun , Hu Lin-Lin , Li Hong-Ge , Xu Yi , Sun Shao-Chen , Wang Jun-Li
Published: February 2023

Deoxynivalenol is a mycotoxin, produced by Fusarium from contaminated corn, wheat, and other grains, that induces multiple effects in humans and animals, including cytotoxic, genotoxic, immunotoxic, and carcinogenic effects. Recent studies show that deoxynivalenol also affects the reproductive system of mammals, including oocyte quality. However, the effects of deoxynivalenol on early embryonic development have not been reported. In this study, fluorescence intensity analysis was used to show that deoxynivalenol disrupted the first cleavage of the zygote. The high deoxynivalenol dose disturbed the movement of the pronucleus after fertilization, while the low deoxynivalenol dose caused aberrant spindle morphology during the metaphase of the first cleavage. Further analysis showed that the reactive oxygen species level increased in the deoxynivalenol-exposed two-cell embryos, indicating oxidative stress. Moreover, deoxynivalenol caused DNA damage in the embryos, as positive γH2A.X signals were detected in the nucleus. These events led to the early apoptosis of mouse embryos, which was confirmed by autophagy. Taken together, our study provides evidence for the toxicity of deoxynivalenol during early embryonic development in the mouse model.
Survey for Distant Solar Twins (SDST) – III. Identification of new solar twin and solar analogue stars
Authors: Lehmann Christian , Murphy Michael T , Liu(刘凡) Fan , Flynn Chris , Smith Daniel , Berke Daniel A
Published: February 2023

The Survey for Distant Solar Twins aims to find stars very similar to the Sun at distances of 1–$4\, {\rm kpc}$, several times more distant than any currently known solar twins and analogues. The goal is to identify the best stars with which to test whether the fine-structure constant, α, varies with dark matter density in our Galaxy. Here, we use epic, our line-by-line differential technique, to measure the stellar parameters – effective temperature Teff, surface gravity log g, and metallicity [Fe/H] – from moderate-resolution (R ≲ 32 000) spectra of 877 solar twin and analogue candidates (547 at 1–$4\, {\rm kpc}$) observed with the High Efficiency and Resolution Multi-Element Spectrograph (HERMES) on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. These are consistent with expectations for Teff and log g from photometry, and for [Fe/H] from the Besançon stellar population model. epic provides small enough uncertainties ($\sim 90\, {\rm K}$, $0.08\, {\rm dex}$, and $0.05\, {\rm dex}$, respectively), even at the low signal-to-noise ratios available (${\rm S/N}\gtrsim$ 25 per pixel), to identify 299 new solar analogues ($\ge 90~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ confidence) and 20 solar twins (≥50 per cent confidence), 206 and 12 of which are at 1–$4\, {\rm kpc}$. By extending epic to measure line broadening and lithium abundance from HERMES spectra, and with ages derived from isochrone fitting with our stellar parameters, we identify 174 solar analogues at 1–$4\, {\rm kpc}$ that are relatively inactive, slowly rotating, and with no evidence of spectroscopic binarity. These are the preferred targets for follow-up spectroscopy to measure α.
On the edge: the relation between stellar and dark matter haloes of Milky Way-mass galaxies
Authors: Genina A , Deason A J , Frenk C S
Published: February 2023

We investigate the build-up of the accreted stellar and dark matter haloes of Milky Way-like galaxies in APOSTLE suite of cosmological hydrodynamics simulations. We show that the stellar halo is made up primarily of stars stripped from a small number of massive dwarfs, most of which are disrupted by the present day. The dark matter halo, on the other hand, is made up primarily of small unresolved subhaloes (≲106 M⊙) and a ‘smooth’ component consisting of particles which were never bound to a subhalo. Despite these differences, the massive dwarfs that make up the majority of the stellar halo also contribute a significant fraction of the dark matter. The stars and dark matter stripped from these dwarfs are related through their kinematics and this leaves imprints in the phase-space structure of the haloes. We examine the relation between the location of features, such as caustics, in the phase space of the stars and dark halo properties. We show that the ‘edge’ of the stellar halo is a probe of dark matter halo mass and assembly history. The edges of Milky Way-mass galaxies should be visible at a surface brightness of 31–36 mag arcsec−2.
A novel approach to detect line emission under high background in high-resolution X-ray spectra
Authors: Zhang Xiangyu , Algeri Sara , Kashyap Vinay , Karovska Margarita
Published: February 2023

We develop a novel statistical approach to identify emission features or set upper limits in high-resolution spectra in the presence of high background. The method relies on detecting differences from the background using smooth tests and using classical likelihood ratio tests to characterize known shapes like emission lines. We perform signal detection or place upper limits on line fluxes while accounting for the problem of multiple comparisons. We illustrate the method by applying it to a Chandra LETGS + HRC-S observation of symbiotic star RT Cru, successfully detecting previously known features like the Fe line emission in the 6–7 keV range and the Iridium-edge due to the mirror coating on Chandra. We search for thermal emission lines from Ne x, Fe xvii, O viii, and O vii, but do not detect them, and place upper limits on their intensities consistent with a ≈1 keV plasma. We serendipitously detect a line at 16.93 Å (0.732 keV) that we attribute to photoionization or a reflection component.
Swarm-intelligence-based extraction and manifold crawling along the Large-Scale Structure
Authors: Awad Petra , Peletier Reynier , Canducci Marco , Smith Rory , Taghribi Abolfazl , Mohammadi Mohammad , Shin Jihye , Tiňo Peter , Bunte Kerstin
Published: February 2023

The distribution of galaxies and clusters of galaxies on the mega-parsec scale of the Universe follows an intricate pattern now famously known as the Large-Scale Structure or the Cosmic Web. To study the environments of this network, several techniques have been developed that are able to describe its properties and the properties of groups of galaxies as a function of their environment. In this work, we analyse the previously introduced framework: 1-Dimensional Recovery, Extraction, and Analysis of Manifolds (1-dream) on N-body cosmological simulation data of the Cosmic Web. The 1-DREAM toolbox consists of five Machine Learning methods, whose aim is the extraction and modelling of one-dimensional structures in astronomical big data settings. We show that 1-DREAM can be used to extract structures of different density ranges within the Cosmic Web and to create probabilistic models of them. For demonstration, we construct a probabilistic model of an extracted filament and move through the structure to measure properties such as local density and velocity. We also compare our toolbox with a collection of methodologies which trace the Cosmic Web. We show that 1-DREAM is able to split the network into its various environments with results comparable to the state-of-the-art methodologies. A detailed comparison is then made with the public code disperse, in which we find that 1-DREAM is robust against changes in sample size making it suitable for analysing sparse observational data, and finding faint and diffuse manifolds in low-density regions.
A riboswitch separated from its ribosome-binding site still regulates translation
Authors: Schroeder Griffin M , Akinyemi Olayinka , Malik Jeffrey , Focht Caroline M , Pritchett Elizabeth M , Baker Cameron D , McSally James P , Jenkins Jermaine L , Mathews David H , Wedekind Joseph E
Published: February 2023

Riboswitches regulate downstream gene expression by binding cellular metabolites. Regulation of translation initiation by riboswitches is posited to occur by metabolite-mediated sequestration of the Shine-Dalgarno sequence (SDS), causing bypass by the ribosome. Recently, we solved a co-crystal structure of a prequeuosine1-sensing riboswitch from Carnobacterium antarcticum that binds two metabolites in a single pocket. The structure revealed that the second nucleotide within the gene-regulatory SDS, G34, engages in a crystal contact, obscuring the molecular basis of gene regulation. Here, we report a co-crystal structure wherein C10 pairs with G34. However, molecular dynamics simulations reveal quick dissolution of the pair, which fails to reform. Functional and chemical probing assays inside live bacterial cells corroborate the dispensability of the C10–G34 pair in gene regulation, leading to the hypothesis that the compact pseudoknot fold is sufficient for translation attenuation. Remarkably, the C. antarcticum aptamer retained significant gene-regulatory activity when uncoupled from the SDS using unstructured spacers up to 10 nucleotides away from the riboswitch—akin to steric-blocking employed by sRNAs. Accordingly, our work reveals that the RNA fold regulates translation without SDS sequestration, expanding known riboswitch-mediated gene-regulatory mechanisms. The results infer that riboswitches exist wherein the SDS is not embedded inside a stable fold.
The political economy of carbon border adjustment in the EU
Authors: Jakob Michael
Published: February 2023

The European Commission has proposed a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to enable ambitious climate policies in EU member states and to incentivize emission reductions in other countries. This paper adopts a dynamic, multilevel, polycentric perspective to discuss how domestic as well as foreign interest groups would be affected by the policy. Our analysis yields three central insights. First, diplomatic efforts should be focused on a small number of countries that would be most severely affected by the CBAM. Second, the CBAM should be implemented as an enabler of domestic mitigation efforts in an open climate alliance instead of an attempt to extend EU climate policy to other countries. Third, gradually phasing in the CBAM while phasing out free emission permits for EU producers and supporting the transformation of carbon-intensive sectors in third countries can ease political opposition from domestic as well as foreign industries.
Digital disruption: artificial intelligence and international trade policy
Authors: Jones Emily
Published: February 2023

Digitalization of the global economy is occurring apace and has spurred a new wave of trade negotiations, as governments and technology firms vie to establish international rules and standards for the digital era. This article examines the ways that trade policy-makers are responding to artificial intelligence (AI), arguably the most disruptive of the new digital technologies. In a digitalized global economy, trade rules have implications for AI innovation, uptake, and governance, yet existing trade rules have significant shortcomings and need updating in order to assist with effective AI governance. Updating is happening but, so far, the changes focus on promoting AI and disproportionately reflect the interests of large technology firms, the major innovators and owners of AI. New digital trade rules include stringent intellectual property protections for source code and algorithms, and strong commitments to enable the free flow of data across borders. However, much less progress has been made in addressing cross-border risks and harms associated with AI, in areas such as competition policy; ethical, transparent, and accountable use of AI; personal data protection; and protections against the exploitative use of algorithms in consumer and labour markets.
Emotionally Coping with Terrorism
Authors: Banks Antoine J , Hicks Heather M , Merolla Jennifer L
Published: February 2023

Individuals often experience anger after exposure to news about a terrorist attack. Are the coping strategies available to them effective in reducing anger, and with what consequences for policy attitudes? We argue that because terrorism is a complex problem, people should feel better distancing themselves from the threat than engaging in confrontive strategies against it, and this should lead to less extreme attitudes. Across three experimental studies, we induced anger about terrorism and then randomly assigned participants to different opportunities to cope with their anger. The findings show that an emotion-focused coping strategy of distancing oneself from the threat is more effective at reducing anger than a problem-focused coping strategy involving support for confrontational strategies to address it. Furthermore, only distancing strategies reduced extreme stances on terrorism policy. These findings help us understand why some people may disengage from politics, even when angered by it.
Perioperative Outcomes of Open Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering and Instrumented Posterior Spinal Fusion for Skeletally Immature Patients With Idiopathic Scoliosis
Authors: Siu Jeremy W. , Wu Hao-Hua , Saggi Satvir , Allahabadi Sachin , Katyal Toshali , Diab Mohammad
Published: February 2023

Background:

Correcting adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) without fusion can be achieved with anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT). However, little is known about the perioperative outcomes, pain control, and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing AVBT compared with instrumented posterior spinal fusion (IPSF).

Methods:

In this retrospective cohort study, we compared pediatric patients with AIS who underwent either AVBT or IPSF. Inclusion criteria were based on the AVBT group, which included primary thoracic idiopathic scoliosis, Risser ≤1, curve magnitude 40 to 70 degrees, age 9 to 15, no prior spine surgery, index surgery between 2014 and 2019, and minimum 2-year follow-up. Patient demographics, perioperative metrics, pain visual analog scale scores, opiate morphine equivalent usage, cost data, and radiographic outcomes were compared.

Results:

We identified 23 patients who underwent AVBT and 24 matched patients in the IPSF group based on inclusion criteria. Patients undergoing AVBT and PSF were similar in age (12±1 y vs. 13±1 y,P=0.132) and average follow-up time (3.8±1.6 y vs. 3.3±1.4 y,P=0.210). There were 23 female patients (87%) in the AVBT group and 24 female (92%) patients in the IPSF group. Intraoperatively, estimated blood loss (498±290 vs. 120±47 mL,P<0.001) and procedure duration (419±95 vs. 331±83 min,P=0.001) was significantly greater in the IPSF group compared with AVBT. Length of stay was lower in the AVBT group compared with PSF (4±1 vs. 5±2 d,P=0.04). PSF patients had significantly greater total postoperative opiate morphine equivalent use compared with AVBT (2.2±1.9 vs. 5.6±3.4 mg/kg,P<0.001). Overall direct costs following PSF and AVBT were similar ($47,655+$12,028 vs. $50,891±$24,531,P=0.58). Preoperative radiographic parameters were similar between both the groups, with a major thoracic curve at 51±10 degrees for AVBT and 54±9 degrees for IPSF (P=0.214). At the most recent follow-up, IPSF patients had greater curve reduction to a mean major thoracic curve of 11±7 degrees (79%) compared with 19±10 degrees (63%) in AVBT patients (P=0.002). Nine patients (39%) required revision surgery following AVBT compared with 4 patients(17%) following IPSF (P=0.09).

Conclusions:

In a select cohort of patients, AVBT offers decreased surgical time, blood loss, length of stay, and postoperative opiate usage compared with IPSF. Although IPSF resulted in greater deformity correction at 2-year follow-up, the majority of patients who underwent AVBT had ≤35 major curves and avoided fusion. There is optimism for AVBT as a treatment option for select AIS patients, but long-term complications are still being understood, and the risk for revision surgeries remains high.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Effects of Transitional Care Model–Based Interventions for Stroke Patients and Caregivers on Caregivers' Competence and Patient Outcomes
Authors: Demir Avci Yasemin , Gözüm Sebahat
Published: February 2023

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Transitional Care Model Stroke Turkey for stroke patients and caregivers as regards the competence of caregivers and patient outcomes. It is a parallel-group, assessor-blinded monocenter conducted with 126 participants in total (66 intervention included 33 stroke patients and 33 caregivers; 60 control groups included 30 stroke patients and 30 caregivers), between March and August 2018. The Transitional Care Model Stroke Turkey program lasts for 13 to 20 weeks. It includes a 12-week follow-up after discharge, a minimum of three hospital visits, one home visit, minimum 18 phone calls, and Web-based training. The intervention group exhibited better caregiver competence (13.48 ± 2.31), preparation for care (28.48 ± 4.74), and e-health literacy (34.42 ± 4.74) than the control group (respectively, 11.37 ± 2.48, 20.93 ± 7.10, 26.93 ± 8.53) (P < .001). Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization increased in the control group, but remained the same in the intervention group. Personal accomplishment decreased in the intervention group, unlike in the control group. Within 12 weeks of discharge, five patients from the intervention group and seven patients from the control group were rehospitalized. There was no statistical difference between stroke patients in either group in terms of having previously used home healthcare services. The Transitional Care Model Stroke Turkey is a practical model for stroke patients transitioning from hospital to home.
Associations between greenness and predicted COVID-19–like illness incidence in the United States and the United Kingdom
Authors: Chen Kelly , Klompmaker Jochem O. , Roscoe Charlotte J. , Nguyen Long H. , Drew David A. , James Peter , Laden Francine , Fecht Daniela , Wang Weiyi , Gulliver John , Wolf Jonathan , Steves Claire J. , Spector Tim D. , Chan Andy T. , Hart Jaime E.
Published: February 2023

Background:

Green spaces may be protective against COVID-19 incidence. They may provide outdoor, ventilated, settings for physical and social activities and therefore decrease transmission risk. We examined the association between neighborhood greenness and COVID-19–like illness incidence using individual-level data.

Methods:

The study population includes participants enrolled in the COVID Symptom Study smartphone application in the United Kingdom and the United States (March–November 2020). All participants were encouraged to report their current health condition and suspected risk factors for COVID-19. We used a validated symptom-based classifier that predicts COVID-19–like illness. We estimated the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), for each participant’s reported neighborhood of residence for each month, using images from Landsat 8 (30 m2). We used time-varying Cox proportional hazards models stratified by age, country, and calendar month at study entry and adjusted for the individual- and neighborhood-level risk factors.

Results:

We observed 143,340 cases of predicted COVID-19–like illness among 2,794,029 participants. Neighborhood NDVI was associated with a decreased risk of predicted COVID-19–like illness incidence in the fully adjusted model (hazard ratio = 0.965, 95% confidence interval = 0.960, 0.970, per 0.1 NDVI increase). Stratified analyses showed protective associations among U.K. participants but not among U.S. participants. Associations were slightly stronger for White individuals, for individuals living in rural neighborhoods, and for individuals living in high-income neighborhoods compared to individuals living in low-income neighborhoods.

Conclusions:

Higher levels of greenness may reduce the risk of predicted COVID-19–like illness incidence, but these associations were not observed in all populations.
Acute Fibrinous Anterior Uveitis in a Patient Treated With Topical Interferon-α2b for Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia With Uveitis Susceptibility
Authors: del-Piñal Miguel , Klein-Burgos Claudia , Martín-Ucero Ana M. , Larrañaga-Cores María , de la Hoz Adriana , López-Vázquez Ana , Fernández-Gutiérrez Eva
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

To report a case of fibrinous acute anterior uveitis associated with topical interferon-α2b (IFN-α2b) treatment for ocular surface squamous neoplasia in a patient with HLA-B27 uveitis predisposition.

Methods:

Case report.

Results:

We present the case of a 57-year-old man who received topical IFN-α2b as adjuvant therapy for a previously surgically removed ocular surface squamous neoplasia with affected surgical margins. Two weeks after topical IFN-α2b initiation, the patient was diagnosed with fibrinous acute anterior uveitis. Complementary tests to rule out other causes of uveitis resulted to be negative, except for HLA-B27, which tested positive. Response to treatment with topical corticosteroids and cyclopentolate was favorable. As IFN-α2b is considered an immune enhancer and has been widely associated with autoimmune side effects, topical therapy with IFN-α2b was temporally ceased until intraocular inflammation resolved. Topical IFN-α2b was resumed, and during follow-up, no signs of uveitis were detected. The main hypothesis is that IFN-α2b acts as a trigger for intraocular inflammation in individuals with uveitis predisposition.

Conclusions:

Topical IFN-α2b could trigger intraocular inflammation in patients with uveitis susceptibility. It may be reasonable to use IFN-α2b cautiously in patients with a known history of uveitis or uveitis predisposition.