bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the influence of tool rotational speeds/welding traverse speeds on the quality and surface formation of 6mm copper friction stir welding
Authors: An Tiancheng , Li Xitong , Xu Hongyong , Lan Changquan , Song Linlin , Hui Hui
Published: March 2024

This paper describes a study on the formation and process parameters of friction stir welding joints on 6mm thick copper plates. Numerous experiments were conducted at lower rotational speeds and moderate welding traverse speeds to obtain optimal process parameters for high-quality friction stir welding joints with good surface formation and no internal defects. Simultaneously, considering the thickness tolerance fluctuations in the large-scale engineering application of Copper FSW, tests were conducted with pin lengths and shoulder plunge depths less than the plate thickness. Additionally, a unique modular stirring tool was designed by ourselves to reduce costs in large-scale engineering applications. The experimental results demonstrate that under the parameters of a rotational speed of 275r/min and a traverse speed of 120mm/min, welding joints with both surface and internal integrity can be achieved, with the joint strength level exceeding 80% of the base material. The mechanical weak point of the joint is located in the TMAZ region just below the pin as revealed by SEM testing, which shows both plastic and brittle fractures. EDS results indicate no inclusions or second-phase precipitates at the surface and port locations.
Flexible humidity sensor based on PEDOT:PSS/Mxene nanocomposite
Authors: Chaloeipote Gun , Wongchoosuk Chatchawal
Published: March 2024

Flexible humidity sensor is essential in emerging applications including health care monitoring, soft robots, human-machine interfaces and noncontact measurements for important indicators. This study presents the development of a highly efficient flexible humidity sensor utilizing a nanocomposite of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and Mxene as the sensing material coated onto a flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate. The nanocomposite was thoroughly characterized using UV/Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscope and Fourier-transmission infrared spectroscopy to assess its quality, morphology, and chemical functional groups. The results show a good linkage of p-type PEDOT:PSS and p-type Mxene sensing nanocomposite. The PEDOT:PSS/Mxene humidity sensor exhibits high sensitivity of 3.27%ΔR/%ΔRH at room temperature. The PEDOT:PSS/MXene nanocomposite offers an enhanced humidity performance by synergies of direct charge transfer and swelling mechanism as well as hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction.
Climate change adaptation by smallholder farmers in Southern Africa: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review
Authors: Shoko Kori Dumisani , Kelso Clare , Musakwa Walter
Published: March 2024

Climate change adaptation research is currently a policy priority. For smallholder farmers, it provides opportunities for resilience building. The research area is growing rapidly and calls to synthesize existing data have been made. Existing work forms a basic picture of the trends in the research area. However, it is limited in scope and methodological approaches used. This work synthesizes climate change adaptation research on smallholder farmers in Southern Africa. It gives an overview of past and current directions of climate change adaptation research using a combination of bibliometric analysis techniques and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Results show a steady growth in research, a disproportionate distribution of research and weak research collaboration among Southern African countries. Diverse methodologies are in use but a combination of approaches is rare. Co-occurrence of keywords show recognizable strides in research ranging from adaptation to mitigation linkages to the influence of climate change impacts on adaptation and livelihood outcomes. Strengthened research collaboration between countries in Southern Africa should be advocated for. This would help develop viable, appropriate and localized adaptation solutions. Equitable allocation of funding is pertinent to ensure uniform research activity and adaptation action across the region. A combination of research approaches is needed to push forward adaptation research on smallholder farmers in Southern Africa.
Exploiting a derivative discontinuity estimate for accurate
G0W0
ionization potentials and electron affinities
Authors: Mejia-Rodriguez Daniel
Published: March 2024

The GW approximation has become an important tool for predicting charged excitations of isolated molecules and condensed systems. Its popularity can be attributed to many factors, including a favorable scaling and relatively good accuracy. In practical applications, the GW is often performed as a one-shot perturbation known as

G
0

W
0

. Unfortunately,

G
0

W
0

suffers from a strong starting point dependence and is often not as accurate as one would need. Self-consistent GW methodologies alleviate these problems but come with a marked increase in computational cost. In this manuscript, we propose the use of an estimate of the exchange-correlation derivative discontinuity to provide a remarkably good starting point for

G
0

W
0

calculations, yielding ionization potentials and electron affinities with eigenvalue self-consistent GW quality at no additional cost. We assess the quality of the resulting methodology with the GW100 benchmark set and compare its advantages over other similar methods.
Inverting the Kohn–Sham equations with physics-informed machine learning
Authors: Martinetto Vincent , Shah Karan , Cangi Attila , Pribram-Jones Aurora
Published: March 2024

Electronic structure theory calculations offer an understanding of matter at the quantum level, complementing experimental studies in materials science and chemistry. One of the most widely used methods, density functional theory, maps a set of real interacting electrons to a set of fictitious non-interacting electrons that share the same probability density. Ensuring that the density remains the same depends on the exchange-correlation (XC) energy and, by a derivative, the XC potential. Inversions provide a method to obtain exact XC potentials from target electronic densities, in hopes of gaining insights into accuracy-boosting approximations. Neural networks provide a new avenue to perform inversions by learning the mapping from density to potential. In this work, we learn this mapping using physics-informed machine learning methods, namely physics informed neural networks and Fourier neural operators. We demonstrate the capabilities of these two methods on a dataset of one-dimensional atomic and molecular models. The capabilities of each approach are discussed in conjunction with this proof-of-concept presentation. The primary finding of our investigation is that the combination of both approaches has the greatest potential for inverting the Kohn–Sham equations at scale.
Comparative modeling of cost-optimal energy system flexibility for Swedish and Austrian regions
Authors: Mata Érika , Garcia Nicolas Pardo , Suna Demet , Unluturk Burcu , Jacobson Anton , Lysenko Olga
Published: March 2024

This study develops a reproducible method for estimating the cost-efficient flexibility potential of a local or regional energy system. Future scenarios that achieve ambitious climate targets and estimate the cost-efficient flexibility potential of demonstration sites were defined. Flexible potentials for energy system assessment are upscaled from the demonstration sites in Eskilstuna (Sweden) and Lower Austria (Austria). As heat pumps (HPs) and district heating (DH) are critical for future heat demand, these sites are representative types of DH networks in terms of size and integration with the electricity grid. In both regions a TIMES model is used for energy system optimization, while for upscaling, Eskilstuna uses the building-stock model ECCABS, whereas Lower Austria uses a mixed integer linear programming optimization model, and the BALMOREL power system model. According to the modeling, HPs will dominate Eskilstuna’s heating sector by 2040. In Lower Austria, DH becomes more prevalent, in combination with wood biomass and HPs. These findings are explained by the postulated technological-economic parameters, energy prices, and CO2 prices. We conclude that future electricity prices will determine future heating systems: either a high share of centralized HPs (if electricity prices are low) or a high share of combined heat-and-power (if electricity prices are high). Large-scale energy storage and biomass can be essential solutions as may deliver increased cost-effectiveness, if available and under certain conditions.
Ancient Answers to Modern Questions
Authors: Robison Claire C
Published: March 2024

This chapter explores the curated educational processes that guide Indian devotees through the shifts in doctrine and ritual praxis they must make to adopt this modern, institutionalized form of Hinduism. Religious education sits at the helm of ISKCON’s engagement with Mumbai’s publics, particularly the Chowpatty temple’s repertoire of courses and exams. I argue that recommitment to religious heritage through ISKCON refigures that heritage as something gained through a discrete process of education and training, rather than family customs. This process parallels contemporary Indian educational culture and coaching practices, aiming to replace the uncertainties of modern urban life with the conviction of representing a lineage that can “answer all one’s questions” through imparting the “science of God” and the “systematic Gita.” Therein, ISKCON’s religious messages reflect an indigenization into local idioms of Hindu religiosity, including aspirations for religious organizations to display a “rational basis” in educational rigor and to impart skills for success in life.
Exogenous abscisic acid induces the formation of a suberized barrier to radial oxygen loss in adventitious roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare)
Authors: Shiono Katsuhiro , Matsuura Haruka
Published: March 2024

Background and Aims

Internal root aeration is essential for root growth in waterlogged conditions. Aerenchyma provides a path for oxygen to diffuse to the roots. In most wetland species, including rice, a barrier to radial oxygen loss (ROL) allows more of the oxygen to diffuse to the root tip, enabling root growth into anoxic soil. Most dryland crops, including barley, do not form a root ROL barrier. We previously found that abscisic acid (ABA) signalling is involved in the induction of ROL barrier formation in rice during waterlogging. Although rice typically does not form a tight ROL barrier in roots in aerated conditions, an ROL barrier with suberized exodermis was induced by application of exogenous ABA. Therefore, we hypothesized that ABA application could also trigger root ROL barrier formation with hypodermal suberization in barley.

Methods

Formation of an ROL barrier was examined in roots in different exogenous ABA concentrations and at different time points using cylindrical electrodes and Methylene Blue staining. Additionally, we evaluated root porosity and observed suberin and lignin modification. Suberin, lignin and Casparian strips in the cell walls were observed by histochemical staining. We also evaluated the permeability of the apoplast to a tracer.

Key Results

Application of ABA induced suberization and ROL barrier formation in the adventitious roots of barley. The hypodermis also formed lignin-containing Casparian strips and a barrier to the infiltration of an apoplastic tracer (periodic acid). However, ABA application did not affect root porosity.

Conclusions

Our results show that in artificial conditions, barley can induce the formation of ROL and apoplastic barriers in the outer part of roots if ABA is applied exogenously. The difference in ROL barrier inducibility between barley (an upland species) and rice (a wetland species) might be attributable to differences in ABA signalling in roots in response to waterlogging conditions.
EpiVar Browser: advanced exploration of epigenomics data under controlled access
Authors: Lougheed David R , Liu Hanshi , Aracena Katherine A , Grégoire Romain , Pacis Alain , Pastinen Tomi , Barreiro Luis B , Joly Yann , Bujold David , Bourque Guillaume
Published: March 2024

Motivation

Human epigenomic data has been generated by large consortia for thousands of cell types to be used as a reference map of normal and disease chromatin states. Since epigenetic data contains potentially identifiable information, similarly to genetic data, most raw files generated by these consortia are stored in controlled-access databases. It is important to protect identifiable information, but this should not hinder secure sharing of these valuable datasets.

Results

Guided by the Framework for responsible sharing of genomic and health-related data from the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH), we have developed an approach and a tool to facilitate the exploration of epigenomics datasets’ aggregate results, while filtering out identifiable information. Specifically, the EpiVar Browser allows a user to navigate an epigenetic dataset from a cohort of individuals and enables direct exploration of genotype–chromatin phenotype relationships. Because individual genotypes and epigenetic signal tracks are not directly accessible, and rather aggregated in the portal output, no identifiable data is released, yet the interface allows for dynamic genotype—epigenome interrogation. This approach has the potential to accelerate analyses that would otherwise require a lengthy multi-step approval process and provides a generalizable strategy to facilitate responsible access to sensitive epigenomics data.

Availability and implementation

Online portal: https://computationalgenomics.ca/tools/epivar; EpiVar Browser source code: https://github.com/c3g/epivar-browser; bw-merge-window tool source code: https://github.com/c3g/bw-merge-window.
The use of serum methotrexate level as an assessment of biochemical drug adherence in psoriasis
Authors: Ra Amelle G , Littlewood Zoe , Barton Anne , Keevil Brian , McTaggart Malcolm , Warren Richard B , Bluett James
Published: March 2024

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 2–3% of people worldwide. Methotrexate (MTX) is a cheap and effective drug that is often recommended as the first-choice systemic agent for psoriasis. Around 40–50% of patients achieve a good response; however, mechanisms of nonresponse are poorly understood. It is not known whether biochemical MTX adherence in patients with psoriasis is suboptimal and requires intervention. Our aim was to audit biochemical MTX adherence using a sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in patients prescribed oral MTX for the treatment of psoriasis at our tertiary dermatology centre. Ethical approval for this audit was not required as confirmed by the Health Research Authority.
Mammographic surveillance after breast cancer
Authors: Evans Andy , Dunn Janet , Donnelly Peter Kevin
Published: March 2024

Early detection of local recurrence has been shown to improve survival. What is unclear is how frequently mammography should be performed, how long surveillance should continue and how the answers to these questions vary with tumour pathology, patients age, and surgery type. Many of these questions are not directly answerable from the current literature. While some of these questions will be answered by the Mammo-50 study, evidence from local recurrence rates, tumour biology, and the lead time of mammography can be used to guide policy. Young age is the strongest predictor of local recurrence and given the short lead time of screening in women under 50, these women require annual mammography. Women over 50 with HER-2 positive and triple negative breast cancer have higher rates of local recurrence after breast conserving surgery than women with luminal cancers. Women with HER-2 positive and triple negative breast cancer also have a higher rate of recurrence in years 1-3 post surgery. Annual mammography in year 1-4 would appear justified. Women over 50 with luminal cancers have low rates of local recurrence and no early peak. Recurrence growth will be low due to tumour biology and hormone therapy. Biennial mammography after year 2 would seem appropriate. Women over 50 following mastectomy have no early peak in contralateral cancers so the frequency should be determined by the lead time of screening. This would suggest 2 yearly mammography for women aged 50-60 while 3 yearly mammography may suffice for women over 60.
Perforated Amyand hernia with an adenocarcinoma tumour presenting as a groin abscess
Authors: Gbegli Emmanuel , Miremadi Ahmad , Serrao Eva Mendes , Sadler Timothy J
Published: March 2024

An Amyand hernia is an incarcerated inguinal hernia containing the appendix with or without appendicitis. This is a rare form of inguinal hernia, making up approximately 0.4%-1% of all cases. As with any hernia, this may become strangulated at any time, leading to the loss of blood supply and further development of gangrene and complications. Clinically, this can present in a manner indistinguishable from other types of inguinal hernias. In addition, the appendix can be affected by its own set of pathological processes, such as infection, inflammation, and malignancy. Not uncommonly both hernial and appendiceal complications coexist. The clinical diagnosis of an Amyand hernia remains challenging due to its low incidence and indistinct clinical presentation. At present, surgery is usually diagnostic and therapeutic. However, there is a growing number of recent reports showing the invaluable role of imaging on the diagnosis of Amyand hernias and associated complications. The correct and timely recognition of their imaging features including complications can optimize and expedite patient care by guiding diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Here, we report for the first time the radiological and pathological findings of a patient with a unique complicated Amyand hernia, which posed a diagnostic challenge for the clinical and radiological teams.
Micro-RNA profiles of pathology and resilience in posterior cingulate cortex of cognitively intact elders
Authors: Kelley Christy M , Maloney Bryan , Beck John S , Ginsberg Stephen D , Liang Winnie , Lahiri Debomoy K , Mufson Elliott J , Counts Scott E
Published: March 2024

The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is a key hub of the default mode network underlying autobiographical memory retrieval, which falters early in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We recently performed RNA sequencing of post-mortem PCC tissue samples from 26 elderly Rush Religious Orders Study participants who came to autopsy with an ante-mortem diagnosis of no cognitive impairment but who collectively displayed a range of Braak I–IV neurofibrillary tangle stages. Notably, cognitively unimpaired subjects displaying high Braak stages may represent cognitive resilience to AD pathology. Transcriptomic data revealed elevated synaptic and ATP-related gene expression in Braak Stages III/IV compared with Stages I/II, suggesting these pathways may be related to PCC resilience. We also mined expression profiles for small non-coding micro-RNAs (miRNAs), which regulate mRNA stability and may represent an underexplored potential mechanism of resilience through the fine-tuning of gene expression within complex cellular networks. Twelve miRNAs were identified as differentially expressed between Braak Stages I/II and III/IV. However, the extent to which the levels of all identified miRNAs were associated with subject demographics, neuropsychological test performance and/or neuropathological diagnostic criteria within this cohort was not explored. Here, we report that a total of 667 miRNAs are significantly associated (rho > 0.38, P < 0.05) with subject variables. There were significant positive correlations between miRNA expression levels and age, perceptual orientation and perceptual speed. By contrast, higher miRNA levels correlated negatively with semantic and episodic memory. Higher expression of 15 miRNAs associated with lower Braak Stages I–II and 47 miRNAs were associated with higher Braak Stages III–IV, suggesting additional mechanistic influences of PCC miRNA expression with resilience. Pathway analysis showed enrichment for miRNAs operating in pathways related to lysine degradation and fatty acid synthesis and metabolism. Finally, we demonstrated that the 12 resilience-related miRNAs differentially expressed in Braak Stages I/II versus Braak Stages III/IV were predicted to regulate mRNAs related to amyloid processing, tau and inflammation. In summary, we demonstrate a dynamic state wherein differential PCC miRNA levels are associated with cognitive performance and post-mortem neuropathological AD diagnostic criteria in cognitively intact elders. We posit these relationships may inform miRNA transcriptional alterations within the PCC relevant to potential early protective (resilience) or pathogenic (pre-clinical or prodromal) responses to disease pathogenesis and thus may be therapeutic targets.
No increase in corticospinal excitability during motor simulation provides a platform to explore the neurophysiology of aphantasia
Authors: Esselaar Maaike , Holmes Paul S , Scott Matthew W , Wright David J
Published: March 2024

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Explicit and implicit motor simulations are impaired in individuals with aphantasia’, by Dupont  et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcae072) in Brain Communications
Contesting China’s Developing Country Status: Geoeconomics and the Public–Private Divide in Global Economic Governance
Authors: Weinhardt Clara , Petry Johannes
Published: March 2024

The geopolitical rise of emerging economies has led to contestations and renegotiations of the boundaries of the developing country status. Established powers put pressure on emerging economies to give up this status and the benefits it comes with in global regimes. In this article, we analyse the (re)negotiation of China’s developing country status within the context of US–China geoeconomic competition with respect to two core areas in the global economy—finance and trade. We show that whether private or public actors are responsible for status classification influences the outcomes of contestation over China’s status. When private sector actors are central, China is more likely able to defend its developing country status against US pressure. We also find that these processes are mitigated by how decision-making processes are institutionalised. Our two case studies thus illustrate that regulatory processes such as status classification influence the outcomes of geoeconomic competition in international politics. These findings also shed new light on the power of states versus non-state actors within global governance amidst the geoeconomic turn: the public–private divide can serve as an important context factor that influences the probability of the international economic order to cater more towards US or Chinese geoeconomic strategies.
Laboratory Testing for Endocrine Hypertension: Current and Future Perspectives
Authors: Courcelles Louisiane , Stoenoiu Maria , Haufroid Vincent , Lopez-Sublet Marilucy , Boland Lidvine , Wauthier Loris , Beauloye Christophe , Maiter Dominique , Januszewicz Andrzej , Kreutz Reinhold , Persu Alexandre , Gruson Damien
Published: March 2024

Background

Secondary hypertension (SH) is a form of high blood pressure caused by an identifiable underlying condition. Although, it accounts for a small fraction of the overall hypertensive population, detection and management of SH is of utmost importance, because SH phenotypes carry a high cardiovascular risk and can possibly be cured by timely treatment.

Content

This review focuses on the endocrine causes of SH, such as primary aldosteronism, Cushing syndrome, thyroid disease, pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, acromegaly, and rare monogenic forms. It discusses current biomarkers, analytical methods, and diagnostic strategies, highlighting advantages and limitations of each approach. It also explores the emerging -omics technologies that can provide a comprehensive and multidimensional assessment of SH and its underlying mechanisms.

Endocrine SH is a heterogeneous and complex condition that requires proper screening and confirmatory tests to avoid diagnostic delays and improve patient outcomes. Careful biomarker interpretation is essential due to potential interferences, variability, and method-dependent differences. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry is a superior method for measuring low-concentration hormones and metabolites involved in SH, but it requires expertise. Omics approaches have great potential to identify novel biomarkers, pathways, and targets for SH diagnosis and treatment, especially considering its multifactorial nature.
Evaluation of Nanopore Sequencing on Polar Bodies for Routine Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy
Authors: Oberle Anna , Hanzer Franziska , Kokocinski Felix , Ennemoser Anna , Carli Luca , Vaccari Enrico , Hengstschläger Markus , Feichtinger Michael
Published: March 2024

Background

Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) using polar body (PB) biopsy offers a clinical benefit by reducing the number of embryo transfers and miscarriage rates but is currently not cost-efficient. Nanopore sequencing technology opens possibilities by providing cost-efficient and fast sequencing results with uncomplicated sample preparation work flows.

Methods

In this comparative experimental study, 102 pooled PB samples (99 passing QC) from 20 patients were analyzed for aneuploidy using nanopore sequencing technology and compared with array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) results generated as part of the clinical routine. Samples were sequenced on a Nanopore MinION machine. Whole-chromosome copy-numbers were called by custom bioinformatic analysis software. Automatically called results were compared to aCGH results.

Results

Overall, 96/99 samples were consistently detected as euploid or aneuploid in both methods (concordance = 97.0%, sensitivity = 0.957, specificity = 1.0, positive predictive value = 1.0, negative predictive value = 0.906). On the chromosomal level, concordance reached 98.7%. Chromosomal aneuploidies analyzed in this trial covered all 23 chromosomes with 98 trisomies, and 97 monosomies in 70 aCGH samples.

The whole nanopore work flow is feasible in under 5 h (for one sample) with a maximum time of 16 h (for 12 samples), enabling fresh PB-euploid embryo transfer. A material cost of US$ 165 (EUR 150)/sample possibly enables cost-efficient aneuploidy screening.

Conclusions

This is the first study systematically comparing nanopore sequencing with standard methods for the detection of PB aneuploidy. High concordance rates confirmed the feasibility of nanopore technology for this application. Additionally, the fast and cost-efficient work flow reveals the clinical utility of this technology, making it clinically attractive for PB PGT-A.
Is the speed of adjusting to environmental change condition dependent? An experiment with house mice (Mus musculus)
Authors: Lopez-Hervas Karem , Porwal Neelam , Delacoux Mathilde , Vezyrakis Alexandros , Guenther Anja
Published: March 2024

Environmental conditions change constantly either by anthropogenic perturbation or naturally across space and time. Often, a change in behavior is the first response to changing conditions. Behavioral flexibility can potentially improve an organism’s chances to survive and reproduce. Currently, we lack an understanding on the time-scale such behavioral adjustments need, how they actually affect reproduction and survival and whether behavioral adjustments are sufficient in keeping up with changing conditions. We used house mice (Mus musculus) to test whether personality and life-history traits can adjust to an experimentally induced food-switch flexibly in adulthood or by intergenerational plasticity, that is, adjustments only becoming visible in the offspring generation. Mice lived in 6 experimental populations of semi-natural environments either on high or standard quality food for 4 generations. We showed previously that high-quality food induced better conditions and a less risk-prone personality. Here, we tested whether the speed and/ or magnitude of adjustment shows condition-dependency and whether adjustments incur fitness effects. Life-history but not personality traits reacted flexibly to a food-switch, primarily by a direct reduction of reproduction and slowed-down growth. Offspring whose parents received a food-switch developed a more active stress-coping personality and gained weight at a slower rate compared with their respective controls. Furthermore, the modulation of most traits was condition-dependent, with animals previously fed with high-quality food showing stronger responses. Our study highlights that life-history and personality traits adjust at different speed toward environmental change, thus, highlighting the importance of the environment and the mode of response for evolutionary models.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with anteriorly directed mitral regurgitation is a red flag for concomitant pathology: a case report
Authors: Somma Vincenzo , Raman Jaishankar , Fitzpatrick Leigh , Prior David , Paratz Elizabeth
Published: March 2024

Background

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is often linked to systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve, typically resulting in a posteriorly directed mitral regurgitation (MR) jet. An anteriorly directed MR jet suggests additional mitral valve pathology that may not be resolved by myectomy alone.

Case summary

A 58-year-old construction worker with no significant medical history experienced a syncopal event and was admitted to the emergency department with acute pulmonary oedema. A systolic murmur was investigated with a trans-thoracic echocardiogram that revealed severe MR with an unusual anteriorly directed MR jet and a possible flail segment of the posterior leaflet. This finding was further characterized with a trans-oesophageal echocardiogram that revealed severe asymmetric septal hypertrophy with SAM of the mitral valve, severe mitral regurgitation into a dilated left atrium with pulmonary vein flow reversal not caused by HCM-associated SAM, and a markedly abnormal mitral valve with flail and prolapse. The patient underwent successful cardiac surgery, including mitral valve repair and septal myectomy. The patient’s recovery was uneventful, allowing for a return to work within a month post-surgery.

Discussion

The anteriorly directed MR jet served as a red flag, leading to the discovery of an independent mitral valve pathology that required surgical intervention beyond the expected treatment for SAM-associated HCM. This case highlights the complexity of assessing MR in patients with HCM and underscores the importance of characterizing MR jet direction in diagnosing additional mitral valve diseases.
Parallel evolution in an island archipelago revealed by genomic sequencing of Hipposideros leaf-nosed bats
Authors: Lavery Tyrone H , DeRaad Devon A , Holland Piokera S , Olson Karen V , DeCicco Lucas H , Seddon Jennifer M , Leung Luke K-P , Moyle Robert G
Published: March 2024

Body size is a key morphological attribute, often used to delimit species boundaries among closely related taxa. But body size can evolve in parallel, reaching similar final states despite independent evolutionary and geographic origins, leading to faulty assumptions of evolutionary history. Here, we document parallel evolution in body size in the widely distributed leaf-nosed bat genus Hipposideros, which has misled both taxonomic and evolutionary inference. We sequenced reduced representation genomic loci and measured external morphological characters from three closely related species from the Solomon Islands archipelago, delimited by body size. Species tree reconstruction confirms the paraphyly of two morphologically designated species. The nonsister relationship between large-bodied H. dinops lineages found on different islands indicates that large-bodied ecomorphs have evolved independently at least twice in the history of this radiation. A lack of evidence for gene flow between sympatric, closely related taxa suggests the rapid evolution of strong reproductive isolating barriers between morphologically distinct populations. Our results position Solomon Islands Hipposideros as a novel vertebrate system for studying the repeatability of parallel evolution under natural conditions. We conclude by offering testable hypotheses for how geography and ecology could be mediating the repeated evolution of large-bodied Hipposideros lineages in the Solomon Islands.
Microbiological characterization of a rearing system for the common sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus: a support to technical production regulations redaction and system monitoring
Authors: Pani Sara Maria , Coroneo Valentina , Pasquini Viviana , Sanna Adriana , Addis Piero
Published: March 2024

Objective

The overexploitation of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus stock, as a consequence of the growing market demand for roe, has boosted the research for echinoderm rearing. The chemical, physical, and microbiological characteristics of land-based facilities are crucial for sea urchins’ health and human consumption of their products. In Italy, health–hygienic regulations for P. lividus rearing are still to be perfected by the authorities. In this context, we characterized the microbiological quality of a pilot land-based facility for sea urchin production at the University of Cagliari (Italy) to support the development of technical production regulations.

Materials and Methods

The accredited Hygiene Laboratory of Cagliari University collected and analyzed the samples in June 2023. Mesophilic bacteria, yeasts, and molds were searched for in air and on surfaces. Total coliforms and Escherichia coli, Enterococci, Pseudomonadaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, sulfite-reducing Clostridia, and Vibrio spp. were identified in water samples. We searched forVibrio spp. and Pseudomonas spp. in the gonads and coelomic fluid of sea urchins.

Results

Although air, surfaces, and water quality were satisfactory overall, some critical points should be monitored more strictly. Enterococci concentration was 250 CFU/100 mL in the water reserve, suggesting animal contamination (other than humans). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most resistant to filtration processes, with a residual concentration of 6 CFU/250 mL after the second filtration. No colonies of Vibrio spp. or Pseudomonas spp. were isolated in sea urchins’ gonads or coelomic fluid.

Conclusions

Starting from the results, we provided targeted advice for developing technical production regulations, system monitoring, and facility routine maintenance in accordance with the ‘best practice’ approach. This analysis could be considered a first step toward the elaboration of common regulations about the minimal standards for the breeding environment of P. lividus by national and regional authorities.
Shortest-path ray tracing on self-adapting random grids
Authors: Quiaro Alejandro , Sacchi Mauricio D
Published: March 2024

A new ray tracing algorithm based on the shortest path method was designed and optimized to model seismic rays. The workflow is based on Dijkstra’s algorithm to find the shortest path iteratively on self-adapting random grids. These random grids adapt from one iteration to the next, storing in memory those nodes that minimize the traveltime in each iteration, consequently automatically densifying the grid in areas with significant velocity variations. Different data structures and grid geometries were studied, and it was confirmed that using a combination of a binary heap and random grids prevents systematic errors generated by using regular grids while keeping the computational times low. Since the nodes that minimize the traveltime are stored in each iteration, the memory requirements increase logarithmically, with the initial iterations having the most significant impact on the error minimization but plateauing afterwards. It was found that, albeit this increase in memory requirements, by focusing the densification of nodes in areas close to the actual trajectory of the rays, the error minimization requires fewer iterations than other implementations based on multiple realizations of random grids (requiring less than a tenth of the number of iteration of other methods). A function to handle extreme topographic variations was also designed, which uses a boolean test to reject rays crossing the topography, making the algorithm suitable for first arrival modelling in complex topography areas, such as the required for tomographic inversion of first arrivals in thrust-belt land seismic.
The influence of an anticline structure on ambient noise spectral anomalies at an underground gas storage
Authors: El Khoury Christine , Kazantsev Alexandre , Kula Damian , Dartois Arthur , Chauris Hervé
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this study is to investigate the seismic ambient noise spectral anomalies that occur near gas reservoirs. These anomalies involve a significant spectral amplification of the vertical component for frequencies generally between 1.5 and 4 Hz and have been reported at various hydrocarbon sites worldwide. There are differing views on the mechanisms responsible for these anomalies. The guideline for this study is that many hydrocarbon reservoirs share a common geological feature: an anticline structure. It appears to cause site effects that influence the amplitude of the ambient noise wavefield. This research examines a dense real data set of ambient noise recorded at the Chémery underground gas storage site in France. The analysis identifies stable spectral anomalies between 1.2 and 2.4 Hz that are correlated to the position of the anticline structure, which also corresponds to the position of the gas bubble. We use a beamforming technique to study the composition and the origin of the ambient noise, and show that the variations of the spectral anomalies over time are correlated to changes in the source wavefield. Finally, we perform numerical simulations of Rayleigh wave propagation within a realistic 3-D velocity model of the Chémery site, while using source distributions directly extracted from real data analysis. The comparison of the simulated anomalies with real data yields a satisfactory qualitative fit. We conclude that the fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave site effect on the anticline is the main mechanism of the spectral anomaly.
Understanding earthquake location uncertainties using global sensitivity analysis framework
Authors: Laporte Marine , Letort Jean , Bertin Michaël , Bollinger Laurent
Published: March 2024

Earthquake hypocentres are routinely obtained by a common inversion problem of P- and S-phase arrivals observed on a seismological network. Improving our understanding of the uncertainties associated with the hypocentral parameters is crucial for reliable seismological analysis, understanding of tectonic processes and seismic hazard assessment. However, current methods often overlook uncertainties in velocity models and variable trade-offs during inversion. Here, we propose to unravel the effects of the main sources of uncertainty in the location process using techniques derived from the Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) framework. These techniques provide a quantification of the effects of selected variables on the variance of the earthquake location using an iterative model that challenges the inversion scheme. Specifically, we consider the main and combined effects of (1) variable network geometry, (2) the presence of errors in the analyst’s observations and (3) errors in velocity parameters from a 1-D velocity model. These multiple sources of uncertainty are described by a dozen of random variables in our model. Using a Monte Carlo sampling approach, we explore the model configurations and analyse the differences between the initial reference location and 100 000 resulting hypocentral locations. The GSA approach using Sobol's variance decomposition allows us to quantify the relative importance of our choice of variables. It highlights the critical importance of the velocity model approximation and provides a new objective and quantitative insight into understanding the sources of uncertainty in the inversion process.
Variable forage fish biomass and phenology influence marine predator diet, foraging behavior, and species interactions in coastal Newfoundland, Canada
Authors: Davoren Gail K
Published: March 2024

Forage fish species provide essential linkages for energy transfer within pelagic marine food webs. Capelin (Mallotus villosus), the focal forage fish in coastal Newfoundland, Canada, suffered a stock collapse in 1991 and has not recovered. Despite this collapse, capelin continue to provide locally abundant prey aggregations. Here, I synthesize the lessons learned from a long-term capelin-predator research program (2004–2022) on the northeast Newfoundland coast during the postcollapse period. I highlight the importance of simultaneously estimating forage fish biomass and predator responses in a multispecies and multiyear context. High interannual variation in capelin spawning timing and biomass was observed. Lower capelin biomass consistently resulted in predator species- and assemblage-level dietary shifts toward a higher diversity of lower trophic level, alternative prey. Energetic foraging costs of seabirds also increased under lower capelin biomass, but responses differed among species. Summer capelin consumption by dominant seabirds (9389 tonnes) and whales (778 tonnes) indicated predator energetic requirements and revealed higher natural mortality relative to fishery-based (1289 tonnes) mortality. Overall, this case study illustrated that, despite high observed behavioural plasticity, varying species-specific predator responses to changing capelin biomass integrated to increase potential competitive interactions under low capelin biomass, providing a basis for ecosystem-level change.
HIV Diagnostics and Vaccines: It Takes Two to Tango
Authors: Colón Will , Oriol-Mathieu Valérie , Hural John , Hattingh Lucy , Adungo Ferdinard , Lagatie Ole , Lavreys Ludo , Allen Mary , Anzala Omu , Espy Nicole , Fransen Katrien , Garcia Patricia J , Maciel Milton , Murtagh Maurine , Peel Sheila A , Peeling Rosanna W , Tan Litjen L J , Warren Mitchell , Pau Maria Grazia , D’Souza Patricia M
Published: March 2024

Current serologic tests for HIV screening and confirmation of infection present challenges to the adoption of HIV vaccines. The detection of vaccine-induced HIV-1 antibodies in the absence of HIV-1 infection, referred to as vaccine-induced seropositivity/seroreactivity, confounds the interpretation of test results, causing misclassification of HIV-1 status with potential affiliated stigmatization. For HIV vaccines to be widely adopted with high community confidence and uptake, tests are needed that are agnostic to the vaccination status of tested individuals (ie, positive only for true HIV-1 infection). Successful development and deployment of such tests will require HIV vaccine developers to work in concert with diagnostic developers. Such tests will need to match today's high-performance standards (accuracy, cost-effectiveness, simplicity) for use in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations, especially in low- and middle-income countries with high HIV burden. Herein, we discuss the challenges and strategies for developing modified serologic HIV tests for concurrent deployment with HIV vaccines.
Diversifying economic risks: Japan’s economic hedging toward China
Authors: Vidal López Lluc , Pelegrín Solé Àngels , Gonzalez-Pujol Ivan
Published: March 2024

International Relations has traditionally identified balancing and bandwagoning as the two predominant strategies adopted by states in response to a rising power that threatens the status quo. However, recent academic debates have highlighted the emergence of hedging as a middle-ground approach adopted by states facing a rising power with ambiguous intentions, particularly when the stakes are high. Economic hedging forms a critical element of this strategy, as it allows states to maximize economic benefits while minimizing the risks of dependency through trade and investment. We present an analytical framework based on Kuik’s model, which focuses on the concept of economic diversification in trade and investment. We test its validity through an analysis of the diversification initiatives of the Abe administration and our central argument is that Japan’s diversification efforts are aimed at reducing economic risks and avoiding excessive dependency in specific sectors through trade and investment with China.
Sentence Completion as a User Experience Research Method: Recommendations From an Experimental Study
Authors: Schmidt Denise , Nebe Karsten , Lallemand Carine
Published: March 2024

The aim of this study is to investigate the use of the sentence completion technique (SCT) as a user experience (UX) research method. We conducted an online experiment (N = 400) to test the effect of sentence stem variations on sentence completion outcomes. Using a between-subjects design, half of the participants were exposed to impersonal sentence stems that did not include pronouns while the other half were exposed to stems formulated using first-person pronouns (PR). Additional hypotheses around stem formats (use of redundant stems, imaginative stems, two blanks stems, generic stems, stems prompting others’ perception) were tested using a within-subject design. The results do not support hypothesized differences between the pronoun and no pronoun condition. Findings however show that varying the format of the stem influences response behavior, as measured by variety, quantity and novelty of ideas, as well as the length of response. This study contributes to consolidating the use of SCT as a user research method and proposes actionable recommendations on how to create optimal sentence completion surveys in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
Improved genome assembly of the whiteleg shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei using long- and short-read sequences from public databases
Authors: Perez-Enriquez Ricardo , Juárez Oscar E , Galindo-Torres Pavel , Vargas-Aguilar Ana Luisa , Llera-Herrera Raúl
Published: March 2024

The Pacific whiteleg shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei is a highly relevant species for the world’s aquaculture development, for which an incomplete genome is available in public databases. In this work, PacBio long-reads from 14 publicly available genomic libraries (131.2 Gb) were mined to improve the reference genome assembly. The libraries were assembled, polished using Illumina short-reads, and scaffolded with P. vannamei, Feneropenaeus chinensis, and Penaeus monodon genomes. The reference-guided assembly, organized into 44 pseudo-chromosomes and 15,682 scaffolds, showed an improvement from previous reference genomes with a genome size of 2.055 Gb, N50 of 40.14 Mb, L50 of 21, and the longest scaffold of 65.79 Mb. Most orthologous genes (92.6%) of the Arthropoda_odb10 database were detected as “complete,” and BRAKER predicted 21,816 gene models; from these, we detected 1,814 single-copy orthologues conserved across the genomic references for Marsupenaeus japonicus, F. chinensis, and P. monodon. Transcriptomic-assembly data aligned in more than 99% to the new reference-guided assembly. The collinearity analysis of the assembled pseudo-chromosomes against the P. vannamei and P. monodon reference genomes showed high conservation in different sets of pseudo-chromosomes. In addition, more than 21,000 publicly available genetic marker sequences were mapped to single-site positions. This new assembly represents a step forward to previously reported P. vannamei assemblies. It will be helpful as a reference genome for future studies on the evolutionary history of the species, the genetic architecture of physiological and sex-determination traits, and the analysis of the changes in genetic diversity and composition of cultivated stocks.