bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Binge eating, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in obese candidates for bariatric surgery
Authors: Aguiar Priscilla Vasconcelos , Dionisio Weslley Álex da Silva , Souza Ester Alana da Costa , Vantini Davi , Campanholi Raphael , Pinto Tiago Coimbra Costa , Ximenes Rosana Christine Cavalcanti
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to determine possible associations between binge eating, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in obese candidates for bariatric surgery.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 254 obese patients recruited from the general surgery service for bariatric procedures at the hospital affiliated with the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Evaluations were performed using the Binge Eating Scale (BES), Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI) and a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Most patients were women (82%), 48% had a moderate binge eating disorder, 42% a severe binge eating disorder, 32% had symptoms suggestive of mild, moderate or severe depression and 6% had suicidal ideation. Severe binge eating was positively associated with depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (p < 0.05). Cases of severe binge eating were more frequent in young adults, but not necessarily associated with symptoms of depression or suicidal ideation in this portion of the sample.

Conclusions

The present findings underscore the need for psychological and psychiatric follow-up of obese candidates for bariatric surgery using appropriate assessment scales to guide therapeutic approaches.

Level III

Evidence obtained from cross-sectional study.
Contamination and human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in topsoil and groundwater around mining and dressing factories in Chifeng, North China
Authors: Zhao Di , Wu Qiang , Zeng Yifan , Zhang Juan , Mei Aoshuang , Zhang Xiaohui , Gao Shuai , Wang Hanyuan , Liu Honglei , Zhang Yong , Qi Shuai , Jia Xu
Published: February 2023

Chifeng is a concentrated mining area for non-ferrous metal minerals, as well as a key prevention and control area for heavy-duty enterprises. This situation necessitates an effective ecological and human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s driven by the wide distribution of metal ore processing, mining, and smelting factories in Hexigten Banner and Bairin Left Banner. We conducted surveys to assess the levels of heavy metal(loid)s (Cr, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg) in the topsoil and groundwater of the areas. The results indicated that the concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb in partial soil samples exceeded the environmental quality standards of Grade II. Based on contamination assessments, such as geoaccumulation indices and pollution indices, we inferred that Cd, Pb, and As were primary pollutants in topsoil. Potential ecological risks when considered as part of the average risk indices (RI) are up to 1626.40 and 2818.76, respectively, in the two areas. Comparative analysis revealed that Cd posed a very high potential ecological risk, followed by As. Moreover, the evaluation showed that the three exposure pathways of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk followed a descending order: inhalation > ingestion > dermal contact, except for Pb. Arsenic in topsoil posed a potential non-carcinogenic risk to human health, while there were no adverse effects of As in groundwater. In addition, the average total carcinogenic risk for As in the two areas, as well as the risk of Pb in the topsoil of Bairin Left Banner and all the five heavy metal(loid)s in groundwater, exceeded human tolerance. Pb–Zn mines caused higher human health risks. In addition, the tandem contamination of heavy metal(loid)s in soil and groundwater was not obvious. This research study provides a basis for pollution remediation to control heavy industry-induced ecological and health risks of heavy metal(loid)s.
Network embedding aided vaccine skepticism detection
Authors: Béres Ferenc , Michaletzky Tamás Vilmos , Csoma Rita , Benczúr András A.
Published: February 2023

We investigate automatic methods to assess COVID vaccination views in Twitter content. Vaccine skepticism has been a controversial topic of long history that has become more important than ever with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our main goal is to demonstrate the importance of network effects in detecting vaccination skeptic content. Towards this end, we collected and manually labeled vaccination-related Twitter content in the first half of 2021. Our experiments confirm that the network carries information that can be exploited to improve the accuracy of classifying attitudes towards vaccination over content classification as baseline. We evaluate a variety of network embedding algorithms, which we combine with text embedding to obtain classifiers for vaccination skeptic content. In our experiments, by using Walklets, we improve the AUC of the best classifier with no network information by. We publicly release our labels, Tweet IDs and source codes on GitHub.
Eggshell Pavilion: a reinforced concrete structure fabricated using robotically 3D printed formwork
Authors: Burger Joris , Aejmelaeus-Lindström Petrus , Gürel Seyma , Niketić Filip , Lloret-Fritschi Ena , Flatt Robert J. , Gramazio Fabio , Kohler Matthias
Published: February 2023

This paper discusses the design, fabrication, and assembly of the ‘Eggshell Pavilion’, a reinforced concrete structure fabricated using 3D printed thin shell formwork. Formworks for columns and slabs were printed from recycled plastic using a pellet extruder mounted to a robotic arm. The formworks were cast and demoulded, and the finished elements were assembled into a pavilion, showcasing the architectural potential of 3D printed formwork. The Eggshell Pavilion was designed and fabricated within the scope of a design studio at ETH Zurich. The structure was designed using a fully parametric design workflow that allowed for incorporating changes into the design until the fabrication. The pavilion consists of four columns and floor slabs. Each column and floor slab is reinforced with conventional reinforcing bars. Two different methods are used for casting the columns and floor slabs. The columns are cast using ‘Digital casting systems’, a method for the digitally controlled casting of fast-hardening concrete. Digital casting reduces the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the formwork to a minimum, thereby enabling the casting of tall structures with thin formwork. The floor slabs are cast with a commercially available concrete mix, as the pressure exerted on the formwork walls is lower than for the columns. In this research, 3D printed formwork is combined with traditional reinforcing, casting, and assembly methods, bringing the technology closer to an industrial application.
Mapping and Tracing the Postdigital: Approaches and Parameters of Postdigital Research
Authors: Fawns Tim , Ross Jen , Carbonel Henrietta , Noteboom Joe , Finnegan-Dehn Sam , Raver McKenzie
Published: February 2023

The launch of Postdigital Science and Education helped generate a burst of new scholarship about this emerging turn in educational research and theory. Yet, what it means to do postdigital research remains obscure to many. Ongoing debates around definitions, combined with the complexity of analysing digital activity within rich contexts that are also social, material, political, economic, and so on, make it challenging to understand what constitutes postdigital research. Meanings of the postdigital emerge from within the processes of postdigital research. Furthermore, while some individual contributions to postdigital research may be grounded in particular disciplines, we argue that postdigital research, in general, benefits from transdisciplinary knowledge. All of this points to a need for flexibility, and principled, rather than prescriptive, research and scholarship practices. It situates postdigital research in the tradition of compositional and inventive research approaches, and this paper traces that relationship.
Effect of chromium doping on the structure and mechanical properties of anti-wear TiB2 coatings
Authors: Cieniek Łukasz , Chudzik-Poliszak Edyta , Moskalewicz Tomasz , Kopia Agnieszka , Smolik Jerzy
Published: February 2023

TiB2-based coatings have been intensively developed due to their physical and mechanical properties, including excellent thermal stability and high hardness with good abrasion and corrosion resistance, which appear to be the most beneficial in industrial application. Previous investigations have shown that doping TiB2 with W, Ni and C can significantly reduce residual stresses and improve adhesion, making these coatings ideal on tools to machining aluminum alloys. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of an Cr interlayer on the durability (adhesion) of the fabricated Ti1−x
Cr
x
B2 (x = 0; 0.03; 0.06; 0.10) films and determine the influence of Cr on their microstructure and mechanical properties. The structural characterization of Ti1−x
Cr
x
B2 coatings was carried out using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. To investigate the mechanical properties, nano-scratch and—hardness tests (NST, NHT) were performed, and fracture toughness of the substrate layer systems was determined. The use of an adhesive layer of pure Cr increased the adhesion of the coatings to the substrate. It is shown that the changes in Cr content not only affect the microstructure, mainly by decreasing the crystallite size (column width), but also the texture (preferred film orientation) and phase composition. The addition of chromium also has an effect on the mechanical properties of TiB2 films by reducing their hardness and Young’s modulus and increasing their fracture toughness (K
IC).
Thermal annealing effects on the physical properties of GaAsBi/GaAs/GaAs:Si structure
Authors: Alazmi B. O. , Althebyani H. H. H. , Zaied I. , Fitouri H. , Rebey A.
Published: February 2023

GaAsBi is a new material called a highly mismatched alloy that has drawn attention regarding its special physical properties. The alloying of the GaAs matrix by Bi atom gives rise to a huge restructuring of the band structure. A rapid shrinkage in the bandgap energy and a splitting of the spin–orbit interaction band are noted. But the synthesis of this material requires unusual growth conditions in order to avoid the appearance of droplets on the surface and a native defects due to the non-stoichiometry. Consequently, an improvement of the physical properties is required to be used in device applications. In this perspective, we report an investigation of the effect of thermal annealing on the GaAsBi/GaAs/GaAs:Si structure. Photoreflectance, Spectroscopic ellipsometry are used to study the optical characteristics of this structure. High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction and Atomic Force Microscopy are employed as structural techniques for investigation.
COVID-19 Breakthrough Infection Among Vaccinated Population in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Dash Nihar Ranjan , Barqawi Hiba Jawdat , Obaideen Anas A. , Al Chame Hanae Qousae , Samara Kamel A. , Qadri Rama , Eldesouki Salma
Published: February 2023

Background

Despite significant efforts to contain the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic through mass vaccination, numerous nations throughout the world have recorded breakout infections. The incidence and severity of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remain unknown despite extensive COVID-19 vaccine coverage. The goal of this research is to establish the characteristics of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in the UAE’s vaccinated population.

Methods

Between February and March 2022, we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in the UAE with 1533 participants to examine the characteristics of COVID-19 breakthrough infection among the vaccinated population.

Results

The vaccination coverage was 97.97%, and the COVID-19 breakthrough infection rate was 32.1%, requiring hospitalization in 7.7% of cases. The bulk of the 492 COVID-19 breakthrough infections reported was among young adults (67%), with the majority experiencing mild to moderate symptoms (70.7%) or remaining asymptomatic (21.5%).

Conclusions

COVID-19 breakthrough infection were reported in younger age, male sex, non-healthcare professions, vaccination with inactivated whole virus vaccine (Sinopharm), and not receiving a booster dose. Information on breakthrough infection in the UAE might influence public health decisions and motivate measures such as providing additional booster doses of the vaccines to the people.
Childhood in the Works of Silvina Ocampo and Alejandra Pizarnik
Authors: Mackintosh Fiona J.
Published: February 2023

This volume explores the theme of childhood in the cuentista and poet Silvina Ocampo (1903-1993) and the poet Alejandra Pizarnik (1936-1972). It draws revealing comparisons between these key Argentine writers through their shared obsession with childhood, arguing that an understanding of their attitudes to childhood is fundamental to an appreciation of their work. Close reading of various Ocampo texts, including some for children, allows an exploration of her vision of childhood through nostalgia, adult-child power relationships, ageing and rejuvenation, and moments of initiation or imitation. Pizarnik is considered in relation to the myth of the child-poet, and her child personae are analysed through Breton's Surrealism, Cocteau and Paz; through her borrowings from Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Breton's Nadja; and through her obsession with madness, death, orphanhood, violation and transgression. In the final analysis, Ocampo's works achieve equilibrium between childhood and age, whereas Pizarnik's poetic crisis of exile from language parallels her deep sense of anxiety at being exiled from the world of childhood.

 FIONA MACKINTOSH lectures in Hispanic Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Click here for a Spanish translation
Women in the Prose of María de Zayas
Authors: O'Brien Eavan
Published: February 2023

Zayas's prose through a gynocentric lens.
Machine Learning–Based Identification of Lithic Microdebitage
Authors: Eberl Markus , Bell Charreau S. , Spencer-Smith Jesse , Raj Mark , Sarubbi Amanda , Johnson Phyllis S. , Rieth Amy E. , Chaudhry Umang , Estrada Aguila Rebecca , McBride Michael
Published: February 2023

Archaeologists tend to produce slow data that is contextually rich but often difficult to generalize. An example is the analysis of lithic microdebitage, or knapping debris, that is smaller than 6.3 mm (0.25 in.). So far, scholars have relied on manual approaches that are prone to intra- and interobserver errors. In the following, we present a machine learning–based alternative together with experimental archaeology and dynamic image analysis. We use a dynamic image particle analyzer to measure each particle in experimentally produced lithic microdebitage (N = 5,299) as well as an archaeological soil sample (N = 73,313). We have developed four machine learning models based on Naïve Bayes, glmnet (generalized linear regression), random forest, and XGBoost (“Extreme Gradient Boost[ing]”) algorithms. Hyperparameter tuning optimized each model. A random forest model performed best with a sensitivity of 83.5%. It misclassified only 28 or 0.9% of lithic microdebitage. XGBoost models reached a sensitivity of 67.3%, whereas Naïve Bayes and glmnet models stayed below 50%. Except for glmnet models, transparency proved to be the most critical variable to distinguish microdebitage. Our approach objectifies and standardizes microdebitage analysis. Machine learning allows studying much larger sample sizes. Algorithms differ, though, and a random forest model offers the best performance so far.
Legal Obligation, Criminal Wrongdoing, and Necessity
Authors: Newhouse M. E.
Published: February 2023

Individuals sometimes do things that they know will violate the terms of a statute. Most scholars deny that such actions are always morally wrong, but a coherent theoretical account of the relationships between 1) moral obligation, 2) legal obligation, and 3) criminal wrongdoing that can robustly classify hard cases has been elusive. This article starts with a Kantian account of the relationship between law and morality, and it proposes two closely related standards: one for legal obligation, and another for criminal wrongdoing. It then tests the plausibility and resilience of these standards by using them to generate illuminating new analyses of classic hypothetical cases involving alleged crimes committed under circumstances of necessity. These analyses offer reason to believe that the standards proposed in this article can anchor a Kantian theory of criminal responsibility that is simultaneously rigorous and humane.
Amplitude modulation in particle-laden atmospheric surface layers
Authors: Liu Hongyou , He Xibo , Zheng Xiaojing
Published: February 2023

Particle effects on the amplitude modulation are investigated in this study based on observational data with various mass loading acquired from long-term measurements of aeolian sandstorms in high-Reynolds-number ($Re_{\tau }\sim O(10^6)$) near-neutral atmospheric surface layers. In both particle-laden and unladen flows, in addition to the positive top–down modulation behaviour in the logarithmic region, a significant modulation effect that exists for some specific motions is also found for the single-point amplitude modulation. The most energetic turbulent motions exhibit the strongest modulation effect, and the modulating signals do not change with the small-scale motions being modulated. In particle-laden flows, the length of the most energetic structure is almost constant, thus the scales of the modulating signal and carrier signal are hardly affected by particles. However, the addition of particles changes the distribution of energy between multi-scale turbulent motions. The kinetic energy of the large-scale component is less enhanced than the total kinetic energy by particles. This leads to a reduced energy proportion of the large-scale component and an augmented one of the small-scale component. Moreover, the particles produce a large damping in the degree of the amplitude modulation and move down the positions of the modulating signals and carrier signals corresponding to the strongest inter-layer modulation, but the damping is weakened with the wall-normal distance due to the decreased mass loading. This study may provide a more general insight into the modulation mechanism between multi-scale turbulent motions and the effect of particles on turbulence.
Sums of the first n odd integers
Authors: Sangwin Chris
Published: February 2023

There is a long tradition of mathematicians valuing collections of proofs, e.g. [1] is a famous recent collection. In the past, professional mathematicians have also written many different proofs of single important theorems, e.g. [2]. Proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem were collected by [3], and [4] discusses mathematical style through proofs of the irrationality of . The recent work of [5] is a discussion of mathematical style via a comparison of 99 different ‘proofs’ the following ‘theorem’.
Austinian model evaluation
Authors: van Basshuysen Philippe
Published: February 2023

Like Austin’s “performatives,” some models are used not merely to represent but also to change their targets in various ways. This article argues that Austin’s analysis can inform model evaluation: If models are evaluated with respect to their adequacy-for-purpose, and if performativity can in some cases be regarded as a model purpose (a proposition that is defended, using mechanism design as an example), it follows that these models can be evaluated with respect to their “felicity,” that is whether their use has achieved this purpose. Finally, I respond to epistemic and ethical concerns that might block this conclusion.
Evidential Variety and Mixed-Methods Research in Social Science
Authors: Kuorikoski Jaakko , Marchionni Caterina
Published: February 2023

Mixed-methods research (MMR)—the combination of qualitative and quantitative data within the same design to strengthen causal inference—is gaining prominence in the social sciences but its benefits are contested. There remains confusion over which methods to mix and what is the point of mixing them. We argue that variety of evidence is what matters, not of data or methods, and that distinct epistemic principles underlie its added value for causal inference. The centrality of evidential variety also implies that strong causal pluralism is untenable as a foundation for MMR.
The Dynamics of Refugee Return: Syrian Refugees and Their Migration Intentions
Authors: Alrababah Ala , Masterson Daniel , Casalis Marine , Hangartner Dominik , Weinstein Jeremy
Published: February 2023

We study the drivers of refugees' decision making about returning home using observational and experimental data from a survey of 3,003 Syrian refugees in Lebanon. We find that the conditions in refugee-hosting countries play a minor role. In contrast, conditions in a refugee's home country are the main drivers of return intentions. Even in the face of hostility and poor living conditions in host countries, refugees are unlikely to return unless the situation at home improves significantly. These results challenge traditional models of decision making about migration, where refugees weigh living conditions in the host and home countries (“push” and “pull” factors). We offer an alternative theoretical framework: a model of threshold-based decision making whereby only once a basic threshold of safety at home is met do refugees compare other factors in the host and home country. We explore some empirical implications of this new perspective using qualitative interviews and quantitative survey data.
An Unhappy Happy Port: Fin-de-siècle Port Said and Its Connections and Disconnections of Water and Iron
Authors: Carminati Lucia
Published: February 2023

A joke appearing in the folds of a Cairo-based newspaper published in Italian in 1895 must have fallen flat with Port Said's inhabitants. But the irony was not amiss. The jest suggested that the town, whose toponym could be translated to “happy port” given the Arabic meaning of saʿīd, ought to be renamed “unhappy” due to the sad state of its public services. Readers may have smiled mirthlessly in agreement with the author, who claimed the Egyptian government treated the city “as if it were less than a village.” Many were under the impression that Cairo wanted to scrap this “unhappy happy port” from the rest of Egypt. Continuing the wordplay, British journalist George Warrington Steevens wrote in 1898 that Port Said “would be wonderful if it were not unhappy,” stuck as it was between its riotous past and its doubtfully industrious future. Puns based on Port Said's name must have circulated for a while. Already in 1875, a French author had ironically remarked that this town's auspicious name seemed quite unjustified.
Intermediate host patterns of acanthocephalans in the Weser river system: co-invasion vs host capture
Authors: Vogel Sebastian , Taraschewski Horst
Published: February 2023

Anthropogenic interference is a major driver of ecological change in freshwater ecosystems. Pollution and the introduction of new species not only alter macrozoobenthic community structures, but can also affect their respective parasite communities. The ecology of the Weser river system experienced a drastic decline in biodiversity over the past century due to salinization caused by the local potash industry. As a response, the amphipod Gammarus tigrinus was released into the Werra in 1957. A few decades after the introduction and subsequent spread of this North American species, its natural acanthocephalan Paratenuisentis ambiguus was recorded in the Weser in 1988, where it had captured the European eel Anguilla anguilla as a novel host. To assess the recent ecological changes in the acanthocephalan parasite community, we investigated gammarids and eel in the Weser river system. In addition to P. ambiguus, 3 Pomphorhynchus species and Polymorphus cf. minutus were discovered. The introduced G. tigrinus serves as a novel intermediate host for the acanthocephalans Pomphorhynchus tereticollis and P. cf. minutus in the tributary Werra. Pomphorhynchus laevis is persistent in the tributary Fulda in its indigenous host Gammarus pulex. Pomphorhynchus bosniacus colonized the Weser with its Ponto-Caspian intermediate host Dikerogammarus villosus. This study highlights the anthropogenically driven changes in ecology and evolution in the Weser river system. Based on morphological and phylogenetic identification, the shifts in distribution and host usage described here for the first time contribute to the puzzling taxonomy of the genus Pomphorhynchus in times of ecological globalization.
Introduction: The Crowd in the History of Political Thought—A Conversation in a Socratic Spirit
Authors: Jaffe S. N. , Graíño Ferrer Guillermo
Published: February 2023

The article introduces a symposium, “The Crowd in the History of Political Thought,” which is being published as a two-part special issue. The articles are by American and European scholars with disparate interests and approaches to the history of political thought. Some engage contemporary questions, while others offer interpretive analyses. Today, commentators, scholars, and pundits alike ignore the history of political thought to the detriment of their understanding of populism. Many thinkers have reflected on democratic health and sickness. The articles here furnish a partial catalog of the quarrels associated with this inherited vocabulary. The tradition itself is best conceived of as an unfinished Socratic conversation. In this issue, articles on Thucydides, Aristophanes, Plato, and Aristotle orbit the original democracy at Athens, the backdrop for reflections on popular rule of so many thinkers. The final article on Josephus moves away from the experience of the Greek polis toward the more contemporary preoccupations of the second issue.
The Hypocrisy of Authoritarian Populism in Poland: Between the Facade Rhetoric of Political Constitutionalism and the Actual Abuse of Apex Courts
Authors: Kustra-Rogatka Aleksandra
Published: February 2023

A discernible rift between the rhetoric of political constitutionalism and the real policy of authoritarian populists – The rhetoric focused on political constitutionalism and popular sovereignty as a façade and a utilitarian argument justifying the introduction of counter-constitutional changes through statute laws – Captured apex courts turned into useful devices of power consolidation – The analysis of the Constitutional Tribunal and the Supreme Court – The Constitutional Tribunal as an ‘inverted court’ used increasingly often to actively shape the government’s Eurosceptic policy – A double face of the Supreme Court – The new Chambers of the Supreme Court introduced to be politically abused by authoritarian populists – Systemic interactions between two captured apex courts have a synergy effect with regard to the process of the denormativisation of the constitution – The deepening politicisation of the apex courts creates a favourable environment for further rule of law deterioration.
A New Open‐Source Geomagnetosphere Propagation Tool (OTSO) and Its Applications
Authors: Larsen Nicholas , Mishev Alexander , Usoskin Ilya
Published: February 2023

We present a new open‐source tool for magnetospheric computations, that is modeling of cosmic ray (CR) propagation in the geomagnetosphere, named “Oulu—Open‐source geomagneToSphere prOpagation tool” (OTSO), available on GitHub (https://github.com/NLarsen15/OTSO) and Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7516233). A tool of this nature is required in order to interpret experiments and study phenomena within the CR research field. Within this work, OTSO is applied to the investigation of several ground‐level enhancement events. Here, we demonstrated several applications of OTSO, namely the computation of asymptotic directions of selected CR stations, effective rigidity cut‐off across the globe at various conditions within the design, and general properties, including the magnetospheric models employed. Comparison and validation of OTSO with older widely used tools such as MAGNETOCOSMICS was performed, and good agreement was achieved. An application of OTSO for providing the necessary background for the analysis of two notable ground‐level enhancements is demonstrated and their spectral and angular characteristics are presented.
Inertial Oscillations and Frontal Processes in an Alboran Sea Jet: Effects on Divergence and Vertical Transport
Authors: Esposito Giovanni , Donnet Sebastien , Berta Maristella , Shcherbina Andrey Y. , Freilich Mara , Centurioni Luca , D’Asaro Eric A. , Farrar J. Thomas , Johnston T. M. Shaun , Mahadevan Amala , Özgökmen Tamay , Pascual Ananda , Poulain Pierre‐Marie , Ruiz Simón , Tarry Daniel R. , Griffa Annalisa
Published: February 2023

Vertical transport pathways in the ocean are still only partially understood despite their importance for biogeochemical, pollutant, and climate applications. Detailed measurements of a submesoscale frontal jet in the Alboran Sea (Mediterranean Sea) during a period of highly variable winds were made using cross‐frontal velocity, density sections and dense arrays of surface drifters deployed across the front. The measurements show divergences as large as ±f implying vertical velocities of order 100 m/day for a ≈ 20 m thick surface layer. Over the 20 hr of measurement, the divergences made nearly one complete oscillation, suggesting an important role for near‐inertial oscillations. A wind‐forced slab model modified by the observed background frontal structure and with initial conditions matched to the data produces divergence oscillations and pattern compatible with that observed. Significant differences, though, are found in terms of mean divergence, with the data showing a prevalence of negative, convergent values. Despite the limitations in data sampling and model uncertainties, this suggests the contribution of other dynamical processes. Turbulent boundary layer processes are discussed, as a contributor to enhance the observed convergent phase. Water mass properties suggest that symmetric instabilities might also be present but do not play a crucial role, while downward stirring along displaced isopycnals is observed.
Revisiting Interior Water Mass Responses to Surface Forcing Changes and the Subsequent Effects on Overturning in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Tesdal Jan‐Erik , MacGilchrist Graeme A. , Beadling Rebecca L. , Griffies Stephen M. , Krasting John P. , Durack Paul J.
Published: February 2023

Two coupled climate models, differing primarily in horizontal resolution and treatment of mesoscale eddies, were used to assess the impact of perturbations in wind stress and Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) melting on the Southern Ocean meridional overturning circulation (SO MOC), which plays an important role in global climate regulation. The largest impact is found in the SO MOC lower limb, associated with the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), which in both models is enhanced by wind and weakened by AIS meltwater perturbations. Even though both models under the AIS melting perturbation show similar AABW transport reductions of 4–5 Sv (50%–60%), the volume deflation of AABW south of 30°S is four times greater in the higher resolution simulation (−20 vs. −5 Sv). Water mass transformation (WMT) analysis reveals that surface‐forced dense water formation on the Antarctic shelf is absent in the higher resolution and reduced by half in the lower resolution model in response to the increased AIS melting. However, the decline of the AABW volume (and its inter‐model difference) far exceeds the surface‐forced WMT changes alone, which indicates that the divergent model responses arise from interactions between changes in surface forcing and interior mixing processes. This model divergence demonstrates an important source of uncertainty in climate modeling, and indicates that accurate shelf processes together with scenarios accounting for AIS melting are necessary for robust projections of the deep ocean's response to anthropogenic forcing.
Secondary Formation of Submicron and Supermicron Organic and Inorganic Aerosols in a Highly Polluted Urban Area
Authors: Zheng Yan , Miao Ruqian , Zhang Qi , Li Yaowei , Cheng Xi , Liao Keren , Koenig Theodore K. , Ge Yanli , Tang Lizi , Shang Dongjie , Hu Min , Chen Shiyi , Chen Qi
Published: February 2023

Different adverse health effects of submicron (PM1) and fine particles (PM2.5) may be attributed to their chemical differences, requiring a better understanding of size‐resolved composition. Herein, extensive online measurements were conducted across seasons in Beijing by two aerosol mass spectrometers, one of which alternately sampled PM1 and PM2.5. Source apportionment of organic aerosol (OA) indicated that traffic‐ and cooking‐related OA together accounted for ∼20%−30% of the OA mass in PM2.5, showing insignificant seasonal variations. Coal‐combustion and biomass‐burning‐related OA had minor contributions. The two secondary OA (SOA) factors together accounted for 59%−73% of the OA mass in PM2.5. The mass distributions of particulate components in PM1 and PM2.5 varied greatly across seasons. Secondary formation played a key role in particle size growth during cold seasons. During severe hazes with high aerosol liquid water content (ALWC), the supermicron mass fraction (MF1−2.5) of secondary components reached ∼40%−50% while those for primary OA remained at ∼20%. Heterogeneous uptake, aqueous processing, and dissolution likely all contributed to the enhanced concentration of secondary components, and the former two were perhaps more important. The increase of MF1−2.5 for secondary components with increasing ALWC in spring was less than that in winter, possibly due to the shorter duration of stagnant conditions limiting secondary formation. Early autumn showed higher MF1−2.5 values than cold seasons with insignificant changes as ALWC varied, plausibly explained by intensive new particle formation hindering persistent particle growth. Our results highlight the importance of heterogeneous uptake and aqueous processing in distributing SOA in supermicron mode in polluted areas.
Automatic Ionospheric Weather Monitoring With DPS‐4D Ionosonde and ARTIST‐5 Autoscaler: System Performance at a Mid‐Latitude Observatory
Authors: Stankov S. M. , Verhulst T. G. W. , Sapundjiev D.
Published: February 2023

The performance of the digital ionospheric sounder at the mid‐latitude site of Dourbes, Belgium (4.6°E, 50.1°N) is evaluated and detailed here in terms of its capability to deliver ionograms of good quality at different sounding rates together with the quality of the automated scaling of ionospheric characteristics done by the dedicated computer software. The instrument is a Lowell Digisonde‐4D, also known as the Digital Portable Sounder 4D (DPS‐4D), equipped with the latest version 5 of the autoscaling software, Automatic Real‐Time Ionogram Scaler with True height. A thorough statistical analysis has been carried out of the automatic processing and scaling of the key ionospheric characteristics: critical frequencies, virtual heights, maximum usable frequency, and propagation factor. This analysis is based on the manually scaled hourly values of the above‐mentioned characteristics for the time period since the installation of the DPS‐4D in April 2011. Based on the analysis, the error bounds (with 95% probability) have been determined for each characteristic. Results are expected to be of particular interest to researchers, developers and users of the great variety of ionosphere/space weather monitoring services worldwide.
Defining the heterogeneity of unbalanced structural variation underlying breast cancer susceptibility by nanopore genome sequencing
Authors: Dixon Katherine , Shen Yaoqing , O’Neill Kieran , Mungall Karen L. , Chan Simon , Bilobram Steve , Zhang Wei , Bezeau Marjorie , Sharma Alshanee , Fok Alexandra , Mungall Andrew J. , Moore Richard , Bosdet Ian , Thibodeau My Linh , Sun Sophie , Yip Stephen , Schrader Kasmintan A. , Jones Steven J. M.
Published: February 2023

Germline structural variants (SVs) are challenging to resolve by conventional genetic testing assays. Long-read sequencing has improved the global characterization of SVs, but its sensitivity at cancer susceptibility loci has not been reported. Nanopore long-read genome sequencing was performed for nineteen individuals with pathogenic copy number alterations in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2 and PALB2 identified by prior clinical testing. Fourteen variants, which spanned single exons to whole genes and included a tandem duplication, were accurately represented. Defining the precise breakpoints of SVs in BRCA1 and CHEK2 revealed unforeseen allelic heterogeneity and informed the mechanisms underlying the formation of recurrent deletions. Integrating read-based and statistical phasing further helped define extended haplotypes associated with founder alleles. Long-read sequencing is a sensitive method for characterizing private, recurrent and founder SVs underlying breast cancer susceptibility. Our findings demonstrate the potential for nanopore sequencing as a powerful genetic testing assay in the hereditary cancer setting.
Tandemly duplicated CYP82Ds catalyze 14-hydroxylation in triptolide biosynthesis and precursor production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Zhang Yifeng , Gao Jie , Ma Lin , Tu Lichan , Hu Tianyuan , Wu Xiaoyi , Su Ping , Zhao Yujun , Liu Yuan , Li Dan , Zhou Jiawei , Yin Yan , Tong Yuru , Zhao Huan , Lu Yun , Wang Jiadian , Gao Wei , Huang Luqi
Published: February 2023

Triptolide is a valuable multipotent antitumor diterpenoid in Tripterygium wilfordii, and its C-14 hydroxyl group is often selected for modification to enhance both the bioavailability and antitumor efficacy. However, the mechanism for 14-hydroxylation formation remains unknown. Here, we discover 133 kb of tandem duplicated CYP82Ds encoding 11 genes on chromosome 12 and characterize CYP82D274 and CYP82D263 as 14-hydroxylases that catalyze the metabolic grid in triptolide biosynthesis. The two CYP82Ds catalyze the aromatization of miltiradiene, which has been repeatedly reported to be a spontaneous process. In vivo assays and evaluations of the kinetic parameters of CYP82Ds indicate the most significant affinity to dehydroabietic acid among multiple intermediates. The precursor 14-hydroxy-dehydroabietic acid is successfully produced by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our study provides genetic elements for further elucidation of the downstream biosynthetic pathways and heterologous production of triptolide and of the currently intractable biosynthesis of other 14-hydroxyl labdane-type secondary metabolites.
From nanohole to ultralong straight nanochannel fabrication in graphene oxide with swift heavy ions
Authors: Olejniczak Andrzej , Rymzhanov Ruslan A.
Published: February 2023

Porous architectures based on graphene oxide with precisely tailored nm-sized pores are attractive for biofluidic applications such as molecular sieving, DNA sequencing, and recognition-based sensing. However, the existing pore fabrication methods are complex, suffer from insufficient control over the pore density and uniformity, or are not scalable to large areas. Notably, creating vertical pores in multilayer films appears to be particularly difficult. Here, we show that uniform 6–7 nm-sized holes and straight, vertical nanochannels can be formed by simply irradiating graphene oxide (GO) films with high-energy heavy ions. Long penetration depths of energetic ions in combination with localized energy deposition and effective self-etching processes enable the creation of through pores even in 10 µm-thick GO films. This fully scalable fabrication provides a promising possibility for obtaining innovative GO track membranes.
Structural basis for membrane attack complex inhibition by CD59
Authors: Couves Emma C. , Gardner Scott , Voisin Tomas B. , Bickel Jasmine K. , Stansfeld Phillip J. , Tate Edward W. , Bubeck Doryen
Published: February 2023

CD59 is an abundant immuno-regulatory receptor that protects human cells from damage during complement activation. Here we show how the receptor binds complement proteins C8 and C9 at the membrane to prevent insertion and polymerization of membrane attack complex (MAC) pores. We present cryo-electron microscopy structures of two inhibited MAC precursors known as C5b8 and C5b9. We discover that in both complexes, CD59 binds the pore-forming β-hairpins of C8 to form an intermolecular β-sheet that prevents membrane perforation. While bound to C8, CD59 deflects the cascading C9 β-hairpins, rerouting their trajectory into the membrane. Preventing insertion of C9 restricts structural transitions of subsequent monomers and indirectly halts MAC polymerization. We combine our structural data with cellular assays and molecular dynamics simulations to explain how the membrane environment impacts the dual roles of CD59 in controlling pore formation of MAC, and as a target of bacterial virulence factors which hijack CD59 to lyse human cells.
Dual-comb optical activity spectroscopy for the analysis of vibrational optical activity induced by external magnetic field
Authors: Peng Daowang , Gu Chenglin , Zuo Zhong , Di Yuanfeng , Zou Xing , Tang Lulu , Deng Lunhua , Luo Daping , Liu Yang , Li Wenxue
Published: February 2023

Optical activity (OA) spectroscopy is a powerful tool to characterize molecular chirality, explore the stereo-specific structure and study the solution-state conformation of biomolecules, which is widely utilized in the fields of molecular chirality, pharmaceutics and analytical chemistry. Due to the considerably weak effect, OA spectral analysis has high demands on measurement speed and sensitivity, especially for organic biomolecules. Moreover, gas-phase OA measurements require higher resolution to resolve Doppler-limited profiles. Here, we show the unmatched potential of dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) in magnetic optical activity spectroscopy (MOAS) of gas-phase molecules with the resolution of hundred-MHz level and the high-speed measurement of sub-millisecond level. As a demonstration, we achieved the rapid, high-precision and high-resolution MOAS measurement of the nitrogen dioxide $${\upsilon }_{1}$$

υ

1

+$${\upsilon }_{3}$$

υ

3

band and the nitric oxide overtone band, which can be used to analyze fine structure of molecules. Besides, the preliminary demonstration of liquid-phase chiroptical activity (as weak as 10−5) has been achieved with several seconds of sampling time, which could become a routine approach enabling ultrafast dynamics analysis of chiral structural conformations.
Spatial proteomics reveals secretory pathway disturbances caused by neuropathy-associated TECPR2
Authors: Nalbach Karsten , Schifferer Martina , Bhattacharya Debjani , Ho-Xuan Hung , Tseng Wei Chou , Williams Luis A. , Stolz Alexandra , Lichtenthaler Stefan F. , Elazar Zvulun , Behrends Christian
Published: February 2023

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy 9 (HSAN9) is a rare fatal neurological disease caused by mis- and nonsense mutations in the gene encoding for Tectonin β-propeller repeat containing protein 2 (TECPR2). While TECPR2 is required for lysosomal consumption of autophagosomes and ER-to-Golgi transport, it remains elusive how exactly TECPR2 is involved in autophagy and secretion and what downstream sequels arise from defective TECPR2 due to its involvement in these processes. To address these questions, we determine molecular consequences of TECPR2 deficiency along the secretory pathway. By employing spatial proteomics, we describe pronounced changes with numerous proteins important for neuronal function being affected in their intracellular transport. Moreover, we provide evidence that TECPR2’s interaction with the early secretory pathway is not restricted to COPII carriers. Collectively, our systematic profiling of a HSAN9 cell model points to specific trafficking and sorting defects which might precede autophagy dysfunction upon TECPR2 deficiency.
Deconstructing the modular organization and real-time dynamics of mammalian spinal locomotor networks
Authors: Hsu Li-Ju , Bertho Maëlle , Kiehn Ole
Published: February 2023

Locomotion empowers animals to move. Locomotor-initiating signals from the brain are funneled through descending neurons in the brainstem that act directly on spinal locomotor circuits. Little is known in mammals about which spinal circuits are targeted by the command and how this command is transformed into rhythmicity in the cord. Here we address these questions leveraging a mouse brainstem-spinal cord preparation from either sex that allows locating the locomotor command neurons with simultaneous Ca2+ imaging of spinal neurons. We show that a restricted brainstem area – encompassing the lateral paragigantocellular nucleus (LPGi) and caudal ventrolateral reticular nucleus (CVL) – contains glutamatergic neurons which directly initiate locomotion. Ca2+ imaging captures the direct LPGi/CVL locomotor initiating command in the spinal cord and visualizes spinal glutamatergic modules that execute the descending command and its transformation into rhythmic locomotor activity. Inhibitory spinal networks are recruited in a distinctly different pattern. Our study uncovers the principal logic of how spinal circuits implement the locomotor command using a distinct modular organization.
Optimal age targeting for pneumococcal vaccination in older adults; a modelling study
Authors: Thindwa Deus , Clifford Samuel , Kleynhans Jackie , von Gottberg Anne , Walaza Sibongile , Meiring Susan , Swarthout Todd D. , Miller Elizabeth , McIntyre Peter , Andrews Nick , Amin-Chowdhury Zahin , Fry Norman , Jambo Kondwani C. , French Neil , Almeida Samanta Cristine Grassi , Ladhani Shamez N. , Heyderman Robert S. , Cohen Cheryl , de Cunto Brandileone Maria Cristina , Flasche Stefan
Published: February 2023

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) risk increases with age for older adults whereas the population size benefiting from pneumococcal vaccines and robustness of immunogenic response to vaccination decline. We estimate how demographics, vaccine efficacy/effectiveness (VE), and waning VE impact on optimal age for a single-dose pneumococcal vaccination. Age- and vaccine-serotype-specific IPD cases from routine surveillance of adults ≥ 55 years old (y), ≥ 4-years after infant-pneumococcal vaccine introduction and before 2020, and VE data from prior studies were used to estimate IPD incidence and waning VE which were then combined in a cohort model of vaccine impact. In Brazil, Malawi, South Africa and England 51, 51, 54 and 39% of adults older than 55 y were younger than 65 years old, with a smaller share of annual IPD cases reported among < 65 years old in England (4,657; 20%) than Brazil (186; 45%), Malawi (4; 63%), or South Africa (134, 48%). Vaccination at 55 years in Brazil, Malawi, and South Africa, and at 70 years in England had the greatest potential for IPD prevention. Here, we show that in low/middle-income countries, pneumococcal vaccines may prevent a substantial proportion of residual IPD burden if administered earlier in adulthood than is typical in high-income countries.