bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of ARIMA, ES, GRNN and ARIMA–GRNN hybrid models to forecast the second wave of COVID-19 in India and the United States
Authors: Wang Gang , Wu Tiantian , Wei Wudi , Jiang Junjun , An Sanqi , Liang Bingyu , Ye Li , Liang Hao
Published: November 2021

As acute infectious pneumonia, the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has created unique challenges for each nation and region. Both India and the United States (US) have experienced a second outbreak, resulting in a severe disease burden. The study aimed to develop optimal models to predict the daily new cases, in order to help to develop public health strategies. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, generalised regression neural network (GRNN) models, ARIMA–GRNN hybrid model and exponential smoothing (ES) model were used to fit the daily new cases. The performances were evaluated by minimum mean absolute per cent error (MAPE). The predictive value with ARIMA (3, 1, 3) (1, 1, 1)14 model was closest to the actual value in India, while the ARIMA–GRNN presented a better performance in the US. According to the models, the number of daily new COVID-19 cases in India continued to decrease after 27 May 2021. In conclusion, the ARIMA model presented to be the best-fit model in forecasting daily COVID-19 new cases in India, and the ARIMA–GRNN hybrid model had the best prediction performance in the US. The appropriate model should be selected for different regions in predicting daily new cases. The results can shed light on understanding the trends of the outbreak and giving ideas of the epidemiological stage of these regions.
Changes in dietary patterns from preconception to during pregnancy and its association with socio-demographic and lifestyle factors
Authors: Gete Dereje G , Waller Michael , Mishra Gita D
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To examine dietary patterns changes from preconception to during pregnancy and their associations with socio-demographic and lifestyle factors.

Design:

This study used data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH), a population-based prospective cohort study. Women’s dietary patterns were assessed using Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) score and the four patterns were obtained from the factor analysis (Western diets, vegetable and grains, traditional vegetable and fruit patterns). Multi-variable linear regression and repeated measures mixed-effect models were used.

Setting:

A national representative survey which covers all Australian citizens and permanent residents in Australia.

Participants:

621 women were included from the ALSWH.

Results:

Women’s scores increased on the ‘HEI-2015’, ‘traditional vegetable’ and ‘fruit’ patterns while the ‘vegetable and grains’ decreased from preconception to during pregnancy. Women with higher education were more likely to increase their HEI-2015 score and fruit consumption from preconception to during pregnancy, respectively (β = 2·31, (95 % CI 0·02, 4·60)) and (β = 23·78, (95 % CI 4·58, 42·97)), than those with lower educational status. Single women were more likely to increase the consumption of vegetables and grains compared to married women (β = 76·08, (95 % CI 20·83, 131·32)). Women with higher income had a greater increase in the HEI-2015 score than those with lower income (β = 3·02, (95 % CI 0·21, 5·83)).

Conclusion:

The findings indicate that there have been marked dietary changes from preconception to during pregnancy. Changes in healthy dietary patterns were influenced by education, marital status and income.
Qualified Immunity: State Power, Vigilantism and the History of Racial Violence
Authors: Jacobs Aaron
Published: November 2021

Since the historic uprisings sparked by the murder of George Floyd, growing calls to defund the police have upended mainstream political discourse in the United States. Outrage at appalling evidence of rampant police brutality and an entrenched culture of impunity have moved to the very center of public debate what were until recently dismissed as radical demands. This dramatic shift has, among other things, opened up space for discussion of the history of policing and the prison-industrial complex more broadly. In particular, abolitionists have urged examination of the deep roots of our contemporary situation. As the organizer and educator Mariame Kaba argued in an editorial published in The New York Times, “There is not a single era in United States history in which the police were not a force of violence against black people.”1 That a statement like this would appear in the paper of record reflects a paradigm shift in popular understandings of the history of the criminal legal system.
Exploring CBT therapists’ experience of feeling of safety within self-practice/self-reflection: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
Authors: Mackenzie Murray , O’Mahony James
Published: November 2021

Self-practice/self-reflection (SP/SR) is an experiential training strategy implemented to develop the skills of CBT therapists through the self-application of CBT techniques and subsequent reflection on the experience in relation to clinical practice. Outcome studies report significant personal and professional benefits from SP/SR but engagement studies suggest that CBT therapists’ experience is mixed. In order to inform the design and implementation of SP/SR within CBT, this study aims to explore CBT therapists’ experience of feeling of safety (FOS) within SP/SR. FOS has been identified as an important engagement factor. Three CBT therapists were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The data, which took the form of verbatim transcripts, were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes relating to participants’ experience of FOS within SP/SR emerged: FOS and its absence as embodied and non-verbal, role of the instructor, awareness of others and venturing beyond safety. Ensuing recommendations for instructors include proactive use of interventions within SP/SR which directly impact embodied FOS, monitoring the wellbeing and engagement of participants through awareness of physical cues and employment of measures designed to promote a sense of equality among group members. Areas of future research include exploration of factors which influence FOS, investigation of the effect on FOS of pre-existing relationships within the SP/SR group and review of interventions which are currently used by SP/SR instructors to promote FOS.

Key learning aims

(1)

To explore the lived experience of FOS within SP/SR as experienced by CBT therapists.

(2)

To identify factors which influence CBT therapists’ experience of FOS within SP/SR.

(3)

To identify practical recommendations for use in SP/SR instruction which will promote participants’ FOS.
Trawling the Ocean of Grass: Soil Nitrogen in Saskatchewan Agriculture, 1916–2001
Authors: Larsen Laura
Published: November 2021

Using a socioecological metabolism approach to analyze data from the Census of Agriculture, this article examines the underlying soil fertility of two case study areas in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan through the calculation of soil nitrogen balances. The Rural Municipalities of Wise Creek and Livingston are 300 miles apart and therefore have different topography, soil types, and rainfall levels, even though both are within the northern Great Plains. Over 85 years, from first settlement in the 1910s until the beginning of the twenty-first century, Wise Creek agriculture focused increasingly on livestock production while in Livingston farmers began to grow a greater variety of crops, most notably incorporating canola into rotations. Despite the differences between the two case studies, the pattern of soil nitrogen losses was remarkably similar, with biomass yields declining along with soil nitrogen. The addition of chemical nitrogen fertilizers since the 1960s did not produce yields matching historic highs, nor did a renewed focus on livestock. Wise Creek and Livingston showed two different responses to declining yields, but neither one ultimately provided a long-term solution to the problem of soil nutrient depletion and consequent productivity declines.
THE BISHOPS’ BOOKS OF CITTÀ DI CASTELLO IN CONTEXT
Authors: MILLER MAUREEN C.
Published: November 2021

Revisiting Robert Brentano's 1960 article inTraditioon “The Bishops’ Books of Città di Castello,” this contribution challenges a reigning narrative of the “documentary revolution” in medieval Italy as primarily the achievement of the thirteenth-century communal governments of the north. While these urban ruling regimes did produce prodigious numbers of documents and new documentary forms, they were not the earliest innovators. By broadening the scope of analysis to include all the early administrative codices surviving in Città di Castello — those of the city's communal government, cathedral chapter, and bishopric — the author demonstrates that the initial leap from administrative reliance on single sheet parchments to registers occurred earliest in the cathedral chapter (by 1192), then in the bishop's court (1207), and finally more than a decade later in the commune (1221). At least in this one small Umbrian town, ecclesiastical institutions were the earliest innovators. The evidence of Città di Castello also indicates that political instability and its related economic effects drove innovation, not the reform initiatives of Innocent III and the Fourth Lateran Council. Local ecclesiastical leaders, not popes, were the innovators.
LEST THE KEYS BE SCORNED: THE IMPLICATIONS OF INDULGENCES FOR THE CHURCH HIERARCHY AND THIRTEENTH-CENTURY CANONISTS’ RESISTANCE TO THE TREASURY OF MERIT
Authors: YEE ETHAN LEONG
Published: November 2021

Recent scholarship on indulgences has focused on the shared concepts theologians and canonists drew on to explain these remissions and advantageous effects of indulgences on popular piety, the mendicant orders, and the papacy. A closer examination of the work of thirteenth-century canonists reveals an uncertainty about the mechanism by which indulgences worked and concerns that diverged from those of theologians. While the treasury of merit was a popular theological explanation, it was generally ignored by most canonists, who preferred explanations based on jurisdiction, the power of the keys, and suffrages. A key distinction between suffrages, good works done with the intent of spiritually benefitting others, and the treasury of merit is that the former burdens the living while the latter does not, since it draws on merit stored from already completed actions. Since it makes granting indulgences burdensome, the suffrage theory offers a disincentive to granting indiscrete or excessive remissions. Abuse of indulgences underlined the tensions between the authority of God and the church, the penitential and public forums, and the overlapping jurisdictions of prelates. Unlike the suffrage theory of indulgences, the treasury of merit theory offers little incentive for restraint. This may explain its relative absence in the writings of thirteenth-century canonists.
STEPHEN OF BESANÇON'SPRINCIPIUM IN AULA(1286): AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL APPROACH TO THE RELATION BETWEEN PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY
Authors: FIDORA ALEXANDER
Published: November 2021

The inception speeches delivered by graduating masters of theology during the thirteenth century are of paramount interest for the study of the history of theology. Much like the introductions to philosophy written within the Faculty of Arts at Paris during the same period, the so-calledprincipiaarticulated the image that theology entertained of itself at that time. Interestingly enough, some graduating masters took the opportunity to present a detailed discussion of the relation between philosophy and theology in an attempt to demonstrate the preeminence of the latter. Thus, they reflected not only upon the epistemological status of theology, but also — and sometimes in considerable detail — upon that of the secular sciences. One very eloquent example of such a comparative inception speech is theprincipiumby Stephen of Bensançon (1286), who later became Master General of the Dominican Order. In this article, I focus on Stephen's discussion of the relationship between philosophy and theology, and show that the epistemological criteria he applied to both were drawn directly from one of the most important introductions to philosophy of the thirteenth century, that is, Robert Kilwardby'sDe ortu scientiarum. Stephen's case yields further evidence, therefore, of the interconnectedness of both genres, that is, philosophical introductions and theological inception speeches, and confirms the productive intellectual exchanges between philosophical and theological discourse at the University of Paris during the thirteenth century.
Mining Can Exacerbate Global Degradation of Dryland
Authors: Shen Zexi , Zhang Qiang , Piao Shilong , Peñuelas Josep , Stenseth Nils Chr. , Chen Deliang , Xu Chong‐Yu , Singh Vijay P. , Liu Tingxi
Published: November 2021

Groundwater storage (GS) is the major water resource for vegetation in drylands. Thus, positive relationships between vegetative growth condition (VGC) and GS are expected in drylands. Since mining‐induced dewatering tends to deplete GS surrounding mine sites, VGC should become less favorable due to a shortage of accessible water. However, quantitative analysis repealed the opposite. We found that global annual mineral production in drylands increased by 24%, while GS decreased by 22% but the VGC improved by 37% (2002–2010). And negative relationships between VGC and GS were detected in 84.7% of global dryland mine sites. We concluded that irrigation supported by mining‐induced dewatering promoted the vegetation growth surrounding mine sites. However, since the GS is limited, irrigation‐supported vegetation growth is unsustainable. This study elucidates the reason behind these abnormal negative relationships and highlights the potential risk of vegetation degradation induced by unsustainable groundwater depletion in global dryland mine sites.
Characterizing Hydration of the Ocean Crust Using Shortwave Infrared Microimaging Spectroscopy of ICDP Oman Drilling Project Cores
Authors: Crotteau Molly A. , Greenberger Rebecca N. , Ehlmann Bethany L. , Rossman George R. , Harris Michelle , Kelemen Peter B. , Teagle Damon A. H. ,   the Oman Drilling Project Phase 1 Science Party
Published: November 2021

Although ocean crust covers over 60% of Earth's surface, the processes that form, cool, and alter the ocean crust are not completely understood. We utilize shortwave infrared micro‐imaging spectroscopy of ∼1.2 km of rock cored by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program's Oman Drilling Project to quantify hydration of basaltic dikes and gabbros from the Samail ophiolite as a function of depth, mineralogy and deformation. We develop a regression (R2 = 0.66) between area of the ∼1,350–1,650 nm OH/H2O absorption and measurements of loss on ignition of samples and apply this relationship to generate quantitative ∼250 μm/pixel hydration maps for all cores. The lowest mean hydration is observed in the most pervasively altered dike‐gabbro boundary (GT3A, H2Omean = 2.1 ± 1.6 wt%), consistent with the low H2O content of the dominant alteration minerals, amphibole and epidote. The highest H2O content occurs in deeper foliated and layered gabbros (GT2A, H2Omean = 3.2 ± 3.0 wt%) and layered gabbros (GT1A, H2Omean = 2.8 ± 3.1 wt%). The greater prevalence with depth of zeolite alteration as opposed to lower wt% H2O amphibole at shallow stratigraphic depths, as well as the occurrence of zones of intensive hydration associated with fault zones (H2Omean = 5.7 ± 4.0 wt%) lead to greater hydration of the lower ocean crust. This new approach provides an objective quantification of hydration in these cores, enabling an improved understanding of quantities and characteristics of ocean crust hydration. It highlights the importance of specific phases and faulting in controlling hydration, which has implications for ocean crust cooling, rheological properties, and the role of alteration in global biogeochemical cycling.
Stimulated or Inhibited Response of Methane Flux to Nitrogen Addition Depends on Nitrogen Levels
Authors: Chang Ruiying , Liu Xinyu , Wang Tao , Li Na , Bing Haijian
Published: November 2021

Upland forest soil is significant atmospheric methane (CH4) sink that is suggested to be affected by increased nitrogen (N) availability, likely from N deposition or addition. However, the effect of N addition on upland soil CH4 uptake and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, in a montane forest, frequent in situ sampling over three years revealed that this forest soil was a sink of atmospheric CH4 with an uptake rate of 304.9 ± 26.9 mg CH4/m2/yr under ambient treatment. High N addition suppressed CH4 uptake by 23.2% compared to ambient conditions, whereas low N addition stimulated CH4 uptake by 35.6%. N addition did not change the monthly pattern of CH4 flux, which was quite similar to the pattern of leachate dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations from the organic layer. The linear relationship between the CH4 flux and DOC concentration indicated increased CH4 uptake with an increase in DOC. The induced decrease in CH4 uptake under high N addition was partly related to the high soil N availability and partly contributed to a decrease in DOC due to high N addition. In contrast, the increased CH4 uptake under temporarily low N addition was most likely correlated with a release in N limitation to CH4‐oxidizing bacteria. These results indicated that the effect of N addition on CH4 uptake was dependent on the level of N, and DOC could regulate CH4 uptake in upland soil, which should be investigated in depth when understanding the responses of dynamic CH4 fluxes to N additions.
Genome-wide association study of problematic opioid prescription use in 132,113 23andMe research participants of European ancestry
Authors: Sanchez-Roige Sandra , Fontanillas Pierre , Jennings Mariela V. , Bianchi Sevim B. , Huang Yuye , Hatoum Alexander S. , Sealock Julia , Davis Lea K. , Elson Sarah L. ,   23andMe Research Team, Agee Michelle , Alipanahi Babak , Auton Adam , Bell Robert K. , Bryc Katarzyna , Furlotte Nicholas A. , Hinds David A. , Huber Karen E. , Kleinman Aaron , Litterman Nadia K. , McCreight Jennifer C. , McIntyre Matthew H. , Mountain Joanna L. , Noblin Elizabeth S. , Northover Carrie A. M. , Pitts Steven J. , Sathirapongsasuti J. Fah , Sazonova Olga V. , Shelton Janie F. , Shringarpure Suyash , Tian Chao , Tung Joyce Y. , Vacic Vladimir , Wilson Catherine H. , Palmer Abraham A.
Published: November 2021

The growing prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) constitutes an urgent health crisis. Ample evidence indicates that risk for OUD is heritable. As a surrogate (or proxy) for OUD, we explored the genetic basis of using prescription opioids ‘not as prescribed’. We hypothesized that misuse of opiates might be a heritable risk factor for OUD. To test this hypothesis, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of problematic opioid use (POU) in 23andMe research participants of European ancestry (N = 132,113; 21% cases). We identified two genome-wide significant loci (rs3791033, an intronic variant of KDM4A; rs640561, an intergenic variant near LRRIQ3). POU showed positive genetic correlations with the two largest available GWAS of OUD and opioid dependence (rg = 0.64, 0.80, respectively). We also identified numerous additional genetic correlations with POU, including alcohol dependence (rg = 0.74), smoking initiation (rg = 0.63), pain relief medication intake (rg = 0.49), major depressive disorder (rg = 0.44), chronic pain (rg = 0.42), insomnia (rg = 0.39), and loneliness (rg = 0.28). Although POU was positively genetically correlated with risk-taking (rg = 0.38), conditioning POU on risk-taking did not substantially alter the magnitude or direction of these genetic correlations, suggesting that POU does not simply reflect a genetic tendency towards risky behavior. Lastly, we performed phenome- and lab-wide association analyses, which uncovered additional phenotypes that were associated with POU, including respiratory failure, insomnia, ischemic heart disease, and metabolic and blood-related biomarkers. We conclude that opioid misuse can be measured in population-based cohorts and provides a cost-effective complementary strategy for understanding the genetic basis of OUD.
Interplay between ADP-ribosyltransferases and essential cell signaling pathways controls cellular responses
Authors: Boehi Flurina , Manetsch Patrick , Hottiger Michael O.
Published: November 2021

Signaling cascades provide integrative and interactive frameworks that allow the cell to respond to signals from its environment and/or from within the cell itself. The dynamic regulation of mammalian cell signaling pathways is often modulated by cascades of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs). ADP-ribosylation is a PTM that is catalyzed by ADP-ribosyltransferases and manifests as mono- (MARylation) or poly- (PARylation) ADP-ribosylation depending on the addition of one or multiple ADP-ribose units to protein substrates. ADP-ribosylation has recently emerged as an important cell regulator that impacts a plethora of cellular processes, including many intracellular signaling events. Here, we provide an overview of the interplay between the intracellular diphtheria toxin-like ADP-ribosyltransferase (ARTD) family members and five selected signaling pathways (including NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Wnt-β-catenin, MAPK, PI3K/AKT), which are frequently described to control or to be controlled by ADP-ribosyltransferases and how these interactions impact the cellular responses.
Molecular characterization of metabolic subtypes of gastric cancer based on metabolism-related lncRNA
Authors: Li Lingdi , Ma Jianfei
Published: November 2021

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that lncRNAs are critical regulators in diverse biological processes, but the function of lncRNA in metabolic regulation remains largely unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the association between lncRNA and metabolic pathways and identified metabolism-related lncRNAs. Gastric cancer can be mainly subdivided into 2 clusters based on these metabolism-related lncRNA regulators. Comparative analysis shows that these subtypes are found to be highly consistent with previously identified subtypes based on other omics data. Functional enrichment analysis shows that they are enriched in distinct biological processes. Mutation analysis shows that ABCA13 is a protective factor in subtype C1 but a risk factor in C2. Analysis of chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic sensitivity shows that these subtypes tend to display distinct sensitivity to the same chemical drugs. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated the significance of lncRNA in metabolic regulation. These metabolism-related lncRNA regulators can improve our understanding of the underlying mechanism of lncRNAs and advance the research of immunotherapies in the clinical management of gastric cancer.
Hospitalizations and emergency department visits trends among elderly individuals in proximity to death: a retrospective population-based study
Authors: Barbiellini Amidei Claudio , Macciò Silvia , Cantarutti Anna , Gessoni Francesca , Bardin Andrea , Zanier Loris , Canova Cristina , Simonato Lorenzo
Published: November 2021

Acute healthcare services are extremely important, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as healthcare demand has rapidly intensified, and resources have become insufficient. Studies on specific prepandemic hospitalization and emergency department visit (EDV) trends in proximity to death are limited. We examined time-trend specificities based on sex, age, and cause of death in the last 2 years of life. Datasets containing all hospitalizations and EDVs of elderly residents in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy (N = 411,812), who died between 2002 and 2014 at ≥ 65 years, have been collected. We performed subgroup change-point analysis of monthly trends in the 2 years preceding death according to sex, age at death (65–74, 75–84, 85–94, and ≥ 95 years), and main cause of death (cancer, cardiovascular, or respiratory disease). The proportion of decedents (N = 142,834) accessing acute healthcare services increased exponentially in proximity to death (hospitalizations = 4.7, EDVs = 3.9 months before death). This was inversely related to age, with changes among the youngest and eldest decedents at 6.6 and 3.5 months for hospitalizations and at 4.6 and 3.3 months for EDVs, respectively. Healthcare use among cancer patients intensified earlier in life (hospitalizations = 6.8, EDVs = 5.8 months before death). Decedents from respiratory diseases were most likely to access hospital-based services during the last month of life. No sex-based differences were found. The greater use of acute healthcare services among younger decedents and cancer patients suggests that policies potentiating primary care support targeting these at-risk groups may reduce pressure on hospital-based services.
Flexible emotion regulatory selection when coping with COVID-19-related threats during quarantine
Authors: Shabat Maya , Shafir Roni , Sheppes Gal
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic poses significant emotional challenges that individuals need to select how to regulate. The present study directly examined how during the pandemic, healthy individuals select between regulatory strategies to cope with varying COVID-19-related threats, and whether an adaptive flexible regulatory selection pattern will emerge in this unique threatening global context. Accordingly, this two-study investigation tested how healthy individuals during a strict state issued quarantine, behaviorally select to regulate COVID-19-related threats varying in their intensity. Study 1 created and validated an ecologically relevant set of low and high intensity sentences covering major COVID-19 facets that include experiencing physical symptoms, infection threats, and social and economic consequences. Study 2 examined the influence of the intensity of these COVID-19-related threats, on behavioral regulatory selection choices between disengagement via attentional distraction and engagement via reappraisal. Confirming a flexible regulatory selection conception, healthy individuals showed strong choice preference for engagement reappraisal when regulating low intensity COVID-19-related threats, but showed strong choice preference for disengagement distraction when regulating high intensity COVID-19-related threats. These findings support the importance of regulatory selection flexibility for psychological resilience during a major global crisis.
Volunteer contributions to Wikipedia increased during COVID-19 mobility restrictions
Authors: Ruprechter Thorsten , Horta Ribeiro Manoel , Santos Tiago , Lemmerich Florian , Strohmaier Markus , West Robert , Helic Denis
Published: November 2021

Wikipedia, the largest encyclopedia ever created, is a global initiative driven by volunteer contributions. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and mobility restrictions ensued across the globe, it was unclear whether contributions to Wikipedia would decrease in the face of the pandemic, or whether volunteers would withstand the added stress and increase their contributions to accommodate the growing readership uncovered in recent studies. We analyze $$\mathbf {223}$$
223
million edits contributed from 2018 to 2020 across twelve Wikipedia language editions and find that Wikipedia’s global volunteer community responded resiliently to the pandemic, substantially increasing both productivity and the number of newcomers who joined the community. For example, contributions to the English Wikipedia increased by over $$\mathbf {20\%}$$

20
%

compared to the expectation derived from pre-pandemic data. Our work sheds light on the response of a global volunteer population to the COVID-19 crisis, providing valuable insights into the behavior of critical online communities under stress.
Depletion of the upper mantle by convergent tectonics in the Early Earth
Authors: Perchuk A. L. , Gerya T. V. , Zakharov V. S. , Griffin W. L.
Published: November 2021

Partial melting of mantle peridotites at spreading ridges is a continuous global process that forms the oceanic crust and refractory, positively buoyant residues (melt-depleted mantle peridotites). In the modern Earth, these rocks enter subduction zones as part of the oceanic lithosphere. However, in the early Earth, the melt-depleted peridotites were 2–3 times more voluminous and their role in controlling subduction regimes and the composition of the upper mantle remains poorly constrained. Here, we investigate styles of lithospheric tectonics, and related dynamics of the depleted mantle, using 2-D geodynamic models of converging oceanic plates over the range of mantle potential temperatures (Tp = 1300–1550 °C, ∆T = T − Tmodern = 0–250 °C) from the Archean to the present. Numerical modeling using prescribed plate convergence rates reveals that oceanic subduction can operate over this whole range of temperatures but changes from a two-sided regime at ∆T = 250 °C to one-sided at lower mantle temperatures. Two-sided subduction creates V-shaped accretionary terrains up to 180 km thick, composed mainly of highly hydrated metabasic rocks of the subducted oceanic crust, decoupled from the mantle. Partial melting of the metabasic rocks and related formation of sodic granitoids (Tonalite–Trondhjemite–Granodiorite suites, TTGs) does not occur until subduction ceases. In contrast, one sided-subduction leads to volcanic arcs with or without back-arc basins. Both subduction regimes produce over-thickened depleted upper mantle that cannot subduct and thus delaminates from the slab and accumulates under the oceanic lithosphere. The higher the mantle temperature, the larger the volume of depleted peridotites stored in the upper mantle. Extrapolation of the modeling results reveals that oceanic plate convergence at ∆T = 200–250 °C might create depleted peridotites (melt extraction of > 20%) constituting more than half of the upper mantle over relatively short geological times (~ 100–200 million years). This contrasts with the modeling results at modern mantle temperatures, where the amount of depleted peridotites in the upper mantle does not increase significantly with time. We therefore suggest that the bulk chemical composition of upper mantle in the Archean was much more depleted than the present mantle, which is consistent with the composition of the most ancient lithospheric mantle preserved in cratonic keels.
Co-delivery of doxorubicin and conferone by novel pH-responsive β-cyclodextrin grafted micelles triggers apoptosis of metastatic human breast cancer cells
Authors: Rahmani Akram , Rahimi Fariborz , Iranshahi Mehrdad , Kahroba Houman , Zarebkohan Amir , Talebi Mehdi , Salehi Roya , Mousavi Hassan Zavvar
Published: November 2021

Adjuvant-aided combination chemotherapy is one of the most effective ways of cancer treatment by overcoming the multidrug resistance (MDR) and reducing the side-effects of anticancer drugs. In this study, Conferone (Conf) was used as an adjuvant in combination with Doxorubicin (Dox) for inducing apoptosis to MDA-MB-231 cells. Herein, the novel biodegradable amphiphilic β-cyclodextrin grafted poly maleate-co-PLGA was synthesized by thiol-ene addition and ring-opening process. Micelles obtained from the novel copolymer showed exceptional properties such as small size of around 34.5 nm, CMC of 0.1 μg/mL, and cell internalization of around 100% at 30 min. These novel engineered micelles were used for combination delivery of doxorubicin-conferone with high encapsulation efficiency of near 100% for both drugs. Our results show that combination delivery of Dox and Conf to MDA-MB-231 cells had synergistic effects (CI < 1). According to cell cycle and Annexin-V apoptosis analysis, Dox-Conf loaded micelle significantly induce tumor cell apoptosis (more than 98% of cells population showed apoptosis at IC50 = 0.259 μg/mL). RT-PCR and western-blot tests show that Dox-Conf loaded βCD-g-PMA-co-PLGA micelle induced apoptosis via intrinsic pathway. Therefore, the unique design of multi-functional pH-sensitive micelles open a new perspective for the development of nanomedicine for combination chemo-adjuvant therapy against malignant cancer.
Side effects and Immunogenicity following administration of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in health care workers in Iran
Authors: Babamahmoodi Farhang , Saeedi Majid , Alizadeh-Navaei Reza , Hedayatizadeh-Omran Akbar , Mousavi Seyed Abbas , Ovaise Gasem , Kordi Shirafkan , Akbari Zahra , Azordeh Mazaher , Ahangarkani Fatemeh , Alikhani Ahmad
Published: November 2021

The Sputnik V is a COVID- 19 vaccine developed by the Gamalia institute of epidemiology and microbiology and released on August 11, 2020. We provided independent evidence on side effects and immunogenicity following the administration of the Sputnik V COVID-19 in Iran. In this observational study, the healthcare workers who were vaccinated with the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine within February and April 2021 were evaluated. Among a total of 13,435 vaccinated healthcare workers, we received 3236 self-declaration reports of Sputnik V associated adverse events with the mean age 39.32 ± 10.19 years old which 38.8% were men and 61.2% were women. Totally 68.8% of females versus 66.2% of males reported side effects after receiving the first dose and 31.2% of females versus 33.8% of males reported side effects after the second dose of vaccine. The most common side effect was a pain in the injection site (56.9%), fatigue (50.9%), body pain (43.9%), headache (35.7%), fever (32.9%), joint pain (30.3%), chilling (29.8%) and drowsiness (20.3%). Side effects of the vaccine were significantly more frequent in females and younger individuals. Among a total of 238 participants, more than 90% after the first and second dose of vaccine had a detectable level of SARS-CoV-2 RBD antibody and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody. Although the overall rate of adverse effects was higher than the interim results from randomized controlled trials, our findings support the manufacturer’s reports about the high humoral immunogenicity of vaccine against COVID-19.
Evaluation of solid tumor response to sequential treatment cycles via a new computational hybrid approach
Authors: Moradi Kashkooli Farshad , Soltani M.
Published: November 2021

The development of an in silico approach that evaluates and identifies appropriate treatment protocols for individuals could help grow personalized treatment and increase cancer patient lifespans. With this motivation, the present study introduces a novel approach for sequential treatment cycles based on simultaneously examining drug delivery, tumor growth, and chemotherapy efficacy. This model incorporates the physical conditions of tumor geometry, including tumor, capillary network, and normal tissue assuming real circumstances, as well as the intravascular and interstitial fluid flow, drug concentration, chemotherapy efficacy, and tumor recurrence. Three treatment approaches—maximum tolerated dose (MTD), metronomic chemotherapy (MC), and chemo-switching (CS)—as well as different chemotherapy schedules are investigated on a real tumor geometry extracted from image. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis of effective parameters of drug is carried out to evaluate the potential of using different other drugs in cancer treatment. The main findings are: (i) CS, MC, and MTD have the best performance in reducing tumor cells, respectively; (ii) multiple doses raise the efficacy of drugs that have slower clearance, higher diffusivity, and lower to medium binding affinities; (iii) the suggested approach to eradicating tumors is to reduce their cells to a predetermined rate through chemotherapy and then apply adjunct therapy.
Mechanism and isotherm modeling of effective adsorption of malachite green as endocrine disruptive dye using Acid Functionalized Maize Cob (AFMC)
Authors: Ojediran John O , Dada Adewumi Oluwasogo , Aniyi Stephen O , David Robinson O. , Adewumi Adejoke D
Published: November 2021

Cationic Malachite green has been identified as a candidate for the endocrine disruptive compound found in the environment. In this study, the mechanism and isotherm modeling of effective adsorption of cationic malachite green dye onto acid-functionalized maize cob (AFMC) was investigated by batch technique. The operational parameters such as initial concentration (100–600 mg/L); contact time (10–120 min) and pH (3–10) influenced the removal efficiency and quantity adsorbed. A maximum of 99.3% removal efficiency was obtained at optimum conditions. AFMC physicochemical properties (surface area 1329 m2/g and particle size 300 μm < Ф < 250 μm) enhanced its efficiency. Based on R2 > 0.97 and consistently low values of adsorption statistical error functions (ASEF), equilibrium data were best fitted to Freundlich isotherm. Kinetic data were best described by a pseudo-second-order model with consistent R2 > 0.98 and validated by ASEF. The mechanism of the process was better described by intraparticle diffusion. Evidence of the adsorption process was confirmed by the change in morphology via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and surface chemistry by Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR). The performance of AFMC enlisted it as a sustainable and promising low-cost adsorbent from agro-residue for treatment of endocrine disruptive dye polluted water.
A 400-Gb/s WDM-PAM4 OWC system through the free-space transmission with a water–air–water link
Authors: Lu Hai-Han , Li Chung-Yi , Huang Xu-Hong , Chang Poh-Suan , Chen Yu-Ting , Lin Yan-Yu , Liu Chen-Xuan , Ko Ting
Published: November 2021

A 400-Gb/s wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) optical wireless communication (OWC) system through a 200-m free-space transmission with either an 8.8-m piped water–air–piped water link or a 6.5-m turbid water–air–turbid water link is successfully constructed. Incorporating PAM4 modulation with an 8-wavelength WDM scheme greatly increases the total transmission rate of the WDM-PAM4 OWC system to 400 Gb/s (50 Gb/s/λ × 8 λs). By adopting doublet lenses in free-space transmission, a laser beam reducer/expander and a reflective spatial light modulator (SLM) with an angle expander through the water–air–water link, good bit error rate performance and acceptable PAM4 eye diagrams are obtained. Using a reflective SLM with an angle expander not only adaptively adjusts the laser beam, but also effectively solves the oceanic engineering problems. This demonstrates WDM-PAM4 OWC system outperforms existing OWC systems through the free-space transmission with an air–water–air link because it can solve the practical engineering problems in actual oceanic environments.
The pursuit of further miniaturization of screen printed micro paper-based analytical devices utilizing controlled penetration towards optimized channel patterning
Authors: Tseng Hsiu-Yang , Lizama Jose H. , Shen Yi-Wei , Chen Chiu-Jen
Published: November 2021

One of the main objectives of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices is to present solutions particularly, for applications in low-resource settings. Therefore, screen-printing appears to be an attractive fabrication technique in the field, due to its overall simplicity, affordability, and high-scalability potential. Conversely, the minimum feature size attained using screen-printing is still rather low, especially compared to other fabrication methods, mainly attributed to the over-penetration of hydrophobic agents, underneath defined patterns on masks, into the fiber matrix of paper substrates. In this work, we propose the use of the over-penetration to our advantage, whereby an appropriate combination of hydrophobic agent temperature and substrate thickness, allows for the proper control of channel patterning, rendering considerably higher resolutions than prior arts. The implementation of Xuan paper and nail oil as novel substrate and hydrophobic agent, respectively, is proposed in this work. Under optimum conditions of temperature and substrate thickness, the resolution of the screen-printing method was pushed up to 97.83 ± 16.34 μm of channel width with acceptable repeatability. It was also found that a trade-off exists between achieving considerably high channel resolutions and maintaining high levels of repeatability of the process. Lastly, miniaturized microfluidic channels were successfully patterned on pH strips for colorimetric pH measurement, demonstrating its advantage on negligible sample-volume consumption in nano-liter range during chemical measurement and minimal interference on manipulation of precious samples, which for the first time, is realized on screen-printed microfluidic paper-based analytical devices.
Charting differentially methylated regions in cancer with Rocker-meth
Authors: Benelli Matteo , Franceschini Gian Marco , Magi Alberto , Romagnoli Dario , Biagioni Chiara , Migliaccio Ilenia , Malorni Luca , Demichelis Francesca
Published: November 2021

Differentially DNA methylated regions (DMRs) inform on the role of epigenetic changes in cancer. We present Rocker-meth, a new computational method exploiting a heterogeneous hidden Markov model to detect DMRs across multiple experimental platforms. Through an extensive comparative study, we first demonstrate Rocker-meth excellent performance on synthetic data. Its application to more than 6,000 methylation profiles across 14 tumor types provides a comprehensive catalog of tumor type-specific and shared DMRs, and agnostically identifies cancer-related partially methylated domains (PMD). In depth integrative analysis including orthogonal omics shows the enhanced ability of Rocker-meth in recapitulating known associations, further uncovering the pan-cancer relationship between DNA hypermethylation and transcription factor deregulation depending on the baseline chromatin state. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of the catalog for the study of colorectal cancer single-cell DNA-methylation data.
Oxidative coupling of methane over Mo–Sn catalysts
Authors: Yan Lina , Zhang Junfeng , Gao Xiujuan , Song Faen , Wang Xiaoxing , Zhang Tao , Liu Xiaoyan , Meng Xianghai , Zhang Qingde , Han Yizhuo , Tan Yisheng
Published: November 2021

The selectivity of C2 hydrocarbons reached 98.1%, along with the methane conversion of 8.6% over Mo1Sn3 catalyst. The deep oxidation of methane to CO2 was significantly inhibited due to the moderately strong basic sites and reactive oxygen species.
An environmentally friendly fluorine-free sandwich coating based on a nonwoven fabric for efficient unidirectional water transport
Authors: Zhang Songnan , Li Shuhua , Zhang Zhibin , Huang Jianying , Lai Yuekun , Feng Yan , Qian Xiaoming
Published: November 2021

A hydrophilic–hydrophobic sandwich PDMS-ormosil-PDMS@nonwoven fabric showed efficient unidirectional water transport performance and maintained excellent hydrophobic stability even after abrasion.
The effect of explicit polarity on the conformational behavior of a single polyelectrolyte chain
Authors: Gordievskaya Yulia D. , Kramarenko Elena Yu. , Gavrilov Alexey A.
Published: November 2021

Dissipative particle dynamics simulations with explicit treatment of polar species reveals that the molecular nature of dielectric media has a significant impact on the swelling and collapse of a polyelectrolyte chain in a dilute solution.
Towards tuning the modality of hierarchical macro-nanoporous metals by controlling the dealloying kinetics of close-to-eutectic alloys
Authors: Aziz Alex , Carrasco Javier , Grosu Yaroslav
Published: November 2021

Tuning the modality of hierarchical macro-nanoporous metals by varying the dealloying time of close-to-eutectic alloys.
Synthesis of pH-responsive cyclometalated iridium(iii) complex and its application in the selective killing of cancerous cells
Authors: Yang Peng , Zhang Shaoqing , Wang Ke , Qi Honglan
Published: November 2021

The pH-responsive cyclometalated iridium(iii) complex [(3-pba)2Ir(1-Py-βC)]PF6 was synthesized as an effective photosensitizer for the selective killing of cancerous cells.
MOF-derived porous carbon inlaid with MnO2 nanoparticles as stable aqueous Zn-ion battery cathodes
Authors: Li Cong , Chen Yufang , Zhang Jun , jiang Haolong , Zhu Yuhao , Jia Jinhao , Bai Shuxin , Fang Guozhao , Zheng Chunman
Published: November 2021

This work opens a window for designing a new generation of structurally stable and highly reversible aqueous zinc ion batteries.
A counterion study of a series of [Cu(P^P)(N^N)][A] compounds with bis(phosphane) and 6-methyl and 6,6′-dimethyl-substituted 2,2′-bipyridine ligands for light-emitting electrochemical cells
Authors: Meyer Marco , Mardegan Lorenzo , Tordera Daniel , Prescimone Alessandro , Sessolo Michele , Bolink Henk J. , Constable Edwin C. , Housecroft Catherine E.
Published: November 2021

The choice of counterion in heteroleptic copper(i) luminophores for LECs has a critical effect on the photoluminescence quantum yields of the solid materials, and on the device figures-of-merit.
Adaptive aromaticity in 16-valence-electron metallazapentalenes
Authors: Qiu Rulin , Zhu Jun
Published: November 2021

Theoretical studies reveal that metallazapentalenes display rare adaptive aromaticity (being aromatic in both the S0 and T1 states) whereas metalloxapentalenes exhibit nonaromaticity in these two states, expanding the family of adaptive aromatics.
Mechanochemistry for the synthesis of non-classical N-metalated palladium(ii) pincer complexes
Authors: Aleksanyan Diana V. , Churusova Svetlana G. , Brunova Valentina V. , Peregudov Alexander S. , Shakhov Aleksander M. , Rybalkina Ekaterina Yu. , Klemenkova Zinaida S. , Kononova Elena G. , Denisov Gleb L. , Kozlov Vladimir A.
Published: November 2021

Mechanochemical techniques are shown to serve as a powerful green alternative to conventional solution-based synthesis of complex metal–organic systems.
Potential for colloid removal from petrochemical secondary effluent by coagulation–flocculation coupled with persulfate process
Authors: Li Min , Fu Liya , Zhao Meng , Liu Lujie , Zhou Yuexi , Yu Yin , Wu Changyong
Published: November 2021

The selective removal and characterization of colloids from petrochemical secondary effluent by treatment with coagulation–flocculation (CF) coupled with the persulfate (PS) process was investigated.
Production of chemicals from marine biomass catalysed by acidic ionic liquids
Authors: Liu Li
Published: November 2021

Conversions of chitosan, chitin, and crustacean shells to high value-added chemicals using acidic ionic liquids (ILs) as catalysts have been reviewed, demonstrating the structural effect of marine biomass on their conversion.
Cancer drug screening with an on-chip multi-drug dispenser in digital microfluidics
Authors: Zhai Jiao , Li Caiwei , Li Haoran , Yi Shuhong , Yang Ning , Miao Kai , Deng Chuxia , Jia Yanwei , Mak Pui-In , Martins Rui P.
Published: November 2021

A digital microfluidic system with an innovative control structure and chip design to generate concentrations that span three to four orders of magnitude for single or multi-drug dispensing was developed.
Surface engineering of biodegradable implants: emerging trends in bioactive ceramic coatings and mechanical treatments
Authors: Nilawar Sagar , Uddin Mohammad , Chatterjee Kaushik
Published: November 2021

Surface of an implant plays a key role in determining the performance as several events are associated with the surface. Modifying the surface with a bioactive coating or/and mechanical treatment can profoundly affect the success of the implant.
Superchiral hot-spots in “real” chiral plasmonic structures
Authors: Gilroy C. , Koyroytsaltis-McQuire D. J. P. , Gadegaard N. , Karimullah A. S. , Kadodwala M.
Published: November 2021

Light scattering from chiral plasmonic structures can create near fields with an asymmetry greater than the equivalent circularly polarised light, a property sometimes referred to as superchirality.
ZnCl2 regulated flax-based porous carbon fibers for supercapacitors with good cycling stability
Authors: Duan Gaigai , Zhao Luying , Chen Lian , Wang Feng , He Shuijian , Jiang Shaohua , Zhang Qian
Published: November 2021

We systemically control the specific surface area and pore structure of flax-based carbon fibers by impregnating with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) solution. The results show that ZnCl2 affects the microstructure and the specific capacitance.