bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the adaptive laboratory evolution of multiple stress‐resistant yeast strains by genome‐scale modeling
Authors: Çetin Handan , Çakar Zeynep Petek , Ülgen Kutlu O.
Published: July 2022

Stress responses triggered by external exposures in adaptive laboratory evolution studies alter the ordinary behavior of cells, and the identification of the differences between the starting and the evolved strains would provide ideal strategies to obtain the desired strains. Metabolic networks are one of the most useful tools to analyze data for this purpose. This study integrates differential expression profiles of multiple Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that have evolved in eight different stress conditions (ethanol, caffeine, coniferyl aldehyde, iron, nickel, phenylethanol, and silver) and enzyme kinetics into a genome‐scale metabolic model of yeast, following a new enhanced method. Flux balance analysis, flux variability analysis, robustness, phenotype phase plane, minimization of metabolic adjustment, survivability, sensitivity analyses, and random sampling are conducted to identify the most common and divergent points within strains. Results were examined both individually and comparatively, and the target reactions, metabolites, and enzymes were identified. Our results showed that the models reconstructed by our methodology were able to simulate experimental conditions where efficient protein allocation was the main goal for survival under stressful conditions, and most of the metabolic changes in the adaptation process mainly arose from the differences in the metabolic reactions of energy maintenance (through coenzyme‐A and FAD utilization), cell division (folate requirement of DNA synthesis), and cell wall formation (through sterol and ergosterol biosynthesis).
Catalytic addition reactions of amines, thiols, and diphenyl‐phosphine oxides to heterocumulenes using a bridging Sulfonylimido titanium(IV) complex
Authors: Banerjee Indrani , Sagar Shweta , Lorber Christian , Panda Tarun K.
Published: July 2022

We present here an efficient method for hydroelementation reactions such as hydroamination, hydrothiolation, and hydrophosphorylation of the heterocumulenes carbodiimides, aryl isocyanates, and isothiocyanates with anilines or thiophenols using a p‐tolylsulfonylimide‐supported dinuclear titanium complex. All the reactions were achieved in excellent yield under mild conditions and within a short reaction time. The products were isolated and fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques. We also propose a mechanism involving the proton abstraction (of the E−H of anilines or thiophenols) in the first step. In the reaction mechanism, the amido groups of the binuclear TiIV complex act as the leaving group whereas the sulfonylimide linkage remains unaffected.
Topographic Gravity Field Modelling for Improving High-Resolution Global Gravity Field Models
Authors: Ince E. Sinem , Förste Christoph , Abrykosov Oleh , Flechtner Frank
Published: July 2022

The global gravitational potential generated by the attraction of the Earth’s topographic masses has been computed in spectral domain. The mass-source information is provided by the 1 arcmin resolution Earth2014 relief model and four averaged density values for rock, ocean, lake, and ice areas. The topography and bathymetry are split into confocal ellipsoidal shells of a defined thickness. Based on the provided mass-source information, the gravitational potential is expanded for each shell and then summed up to represent the complete gravitational potential of the topography (and bathymetry). In this contribution, we present the impact of different shell thicknesses to the model accuracy and computation time. Moreover, we expanded our topographic gravity field model up to spherical harmonic degree and order 5,494. Such short scale mass information represented by the topography can be used to complement high-resolution combined static gravity field models for the very high-frequency components of the gravity field. As an example, we enhanced (augmented) EIGEN-6C4 model with the high frequency components retrieved from the topographic model. The deflections of vertical values computed from the augmented model are compared w.r.t. ground truth observations in Germany, Southern Colorado and Iowa (USA) which suggest as expected a considerable improvement over rugged mountainous regions and comparable residuals in areas of moderate topography.
Precise Orbit Determination of CubeSats Using Proposed Observations Weighting Model
Authors: Allahvirdi-Zadeh Amir , El-Mowafy Ahmed , Wang Kan
Published: July 2022

CubeSats can be used for many space missions and Earth science applications if their orbits can be determined precisely. The Precise Orbit Determination (POD) methods are well developed for large LEO satellites during the last two decades. However, CubeSats are built from Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components and have their own characteristics, which need more investigations. In this paper, precise orbits of 17 3U-CubeSats in the Spire Global constellation are determined using both the reduced-dynamic and the kinematic POD methods. The limitations in using elevation-dependent weighting models for CubeSats POD are also discussed and, as an alternative approach, a weighting model based on the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) has been proposed. One-month processing of these CubeSats revealed that around 40% of orbits can be determined at the decimeter accuracy, while 50% have accuracy at centimeters. Such precise orbits fulfil most mission requirements that require such POD accuracy. Internal validation methods confirmed the POD procedure and approved the distinction of weighting based on SNR values over the elevation angles.
Oral health-related quality of life in patients with cleft lip and/or palate or Robin sequence
Authors: Payer D. , Krimmel M. , Reinert S. , Koos B. , Weise H. , Weise C.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To compare the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with cleft lip and/or palate or Robin sequence versus a healthy control group using the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP-G19). Factors such as age, gender, and cleft type were considered.

Methods

Over an 8-month period, the OHRQoL was surveyed by using the COHIP-G19 questionnaire. Included were patients with a craniofacial disorder (n = 61; average age 11.24 years) and a healthy control group (n = 70, average age 12.63 years) for a total of 131 patients (average age 11.99 years) from the Department of Orthodontics University Hospital Tübingen, Germany. These were divided into two age groups (6–11 years; 12–18 years).

Results

Statistically, patients with a craniofacial disorder presented a significantly lower OHRQoL than the control group (p = 0.0055). In the craniofacial disorder group, older patients revealed a significantly (p = 0.005) lower OHRQoL than the younger patients. Female patients showed in nearly all groups a better OHRQoL than male patients, but this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Males with a craniofacial disorder scored significantly lower than males without (p = 0.016); females showed no differences between the groups. Visibility, location, and severity of the craniofacial malformation did not have a significant influence on the OHRQoL.

Conclusion

The occurrence of a craniofacial malformation impacted the OHRQoL especially in older and male affected patients, unrelated to the expression level or localization. An early instruction about oral health, rehabilitation and functional training should be considered in therapy.
Comparison of heat production and bone architecture changes in the implant site preparation with compressive osteotomes, osseodensification technique, piezoelectric devices, and standard drills: an ex vivo study on porcine ribs
Authors: Bhargava Nishith , Perrotti Vittoria , Caponio Vito Carlo Alberto , Matsubara Victor Haruo , Patalwala Diana , Quaranta Alessandro
Published: July 2022

This study aimed at investigating differences in heat generation and bone architecture following four different implant site preparation techniques: compressive osteotomes, conventional drills, osseodensification (OD mode with osseodensification drills), and piezoelectric systems. Porcine rib bones were used as a model for implant surgery. Thermocouples were employed to measure temperature changes, and micro-CT to assess the bone architecture. The primary stability and insertion torque values of the implants placed in the differently prepared sites were assessed. The temperature changes were higher with Piezo. The average primary stability using the ISQ scale was the greatest for drills (76.17 ± 0.90) and the lowest for osteotomes (71.50 ± 11.09). Insertion torque was significantly higher with the osseodensification method (71.67 ± 7.99 Ncm) in comparison to drills, osteotomes, and piezo. Osteotomes showed the highest bone to implant contact percentage (39.83 ± 3.14%) and average trabecular number (2.02 ± 0.21 per mm), while drills exhibited the lowest (30.73 ± 1.65%; 1.37 ± 0.34 per mm). Total implant site bone volume was the highest with osseodensification (37.26 ± 4.13mm3) and the lowest for osteotomes (33.84 ± 3.84mm3). Statistical analysis showed a high primary stability and decrease in temperature during implant site preparation with osseodensification technique. The results support the use of osseodensification technique for implant site preparation.
Loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic—are unpartnered and childless older adults at higher risk?
Authors: Arpino Bruno , Mair Christine A. , Quashie Nekehia T. , Antczak Radoslaw
Published: July 2022

COVID-19 mitigation efforts had the potential to exacerbate loneliness among older adults, particularly for the unpartnered or childless, yet specific studies on loneliness among these groups during the COVID-19 pandemic are lacking. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) collected before (October 2019–March 2020) and during the pandemic (June–August 2020), we examine two loneliness outcomes: (1) “have you felt lonely recently?” (both datasets) and (2) “have you felt lonelier than before the pandemic?” (2020), and examine differences by partnership and parenthood status. Before COVID-19, those who lacked one tie but had the other (unpartnered parents or partnered childless) were at highest loneliness risk. During COVID-19, unpartnered and childless—especially unpartnered—remain at higher risk for loneliness, entering loneliness, and not “exiting” loneliness. We discuss these findings in light of family norms and needs in pandemic and non-pandemic times and provide recommendations for future research.
Lymphocytes are less sensitive to autophagy than monocytes during fasting and exercise conditions
Authors: Kröpfl Julia M. , Morandi Christian , Gasser Benedikt A. , Schoch Raphael , Schmidt-Trucksäss Arno , Brink Marijke
Published: July 2022

The concomitant investigation of apoptosis (a regulated cell death) and autophagy (a conserved cell survival mechanism) in immune cells is rare. More detailed knowledge of these two types of self-consumption in circulating lymphocytes and monocytes would be important, since conditions such as fasting and acute exercise could promote health by a coordinated/linked modulation of autophagy and apoptosis in these mononuclear cells. In this study we performed flow cytometry to quantify numbers of apoptotic and autophagic mononuclear cells, lymphocytes and monocytes in fasting, standardized fed, and exercise conditions, using Annexin V, LC3B, and p62, respectively. We show that within total mononuclear cells lymphocytes are less apoptotic and autophagic than monocytes during fasting (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, respectively) and after acute exercise (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively). Fasting increased circulating autophagic monocyte concentrations, but not lymphocytes compared to the fed control condition. Acute exercise elevated circulating autophagic lymphocyte concentrations, but not monocytes. Interestingly, Western blotting analysis of the fasting samples showed that higher LC3BII/I ratios were correlated with lower numbers of autophagic mononuclear cells (r = − 0.74, p = 0.02, n = 8), which could be attributed to the monocyte subgroup, but not lymphocytes. These results extend the current knowledge of the two types of self-consumption in circulating immune cells and underline their possible importance in pro-inflammatory monocytes during fasting and exercise as health promoting interventions.
Participatory Design Going Digital: Challenges and Opportunities for Distributed Place-Making
Authors: Slingerland Geertje , Murray Maria , Lukosch Stephan , McCarthy John , Brazier Frances
Published: July 2022

COVID-19 has urged researchers to explore new options for distributed participatory design, as physical meetings and workshops became unfeasible. This situation posed new challenges but also opportunities, in particular with respect to engagement and inclusion. This paper focuses on distributed PD with Irish teenagers to support place-making during this period: to build relationships with each other and the community. In a two-week online summer school, teenagers explored a concern or highlighted a unique aspect of their local community and designed digital artworks in response. Activities and materials were designed to support reflection, empowerment, inclusiveness, emergence, and playfulness for participatory place-making. Analysis of the summer school provides insights and guidance on the design of online PD for engaging experiences, especially in the context of place-making.
The role of ethical reflection and dialogue in conceptualising animal welfare
Authors: Coghlan Simon
Published: July 2022

This paper argues that ethical reflection and dialogue can assist in understanding what animal welfare is. Questions about animal welfare’s nature are thorny and contested. Responding to an essay by Donald Bruckner, the paper acknowledges that animal welfare is a type of normative value (namely prudential value) distinct from ethical value and that the methodology for determining prudential value is not simply reducible to ethical thought. However, it contends that connections between ethics and understanding wellbeing are closer than we might expect. The paper argues that: the broad conception of welfare we seek must answer to ethics; ethical responses can sometimes expose existing hidden or denied beliefs about prudential value/wellbeing; some judgements about wellbeing’s nature are internal to and thereby newly revealed in ethical judgements; understanding prudential value often requires sensitivity and responsiveness somewhat like that required in good ethical thinking. In these ways, and perhaps contrary to our assumptions, ethics (and philosophy) can help us conceptualise animal welfare.
Evaluating the benefits of legacy phosphate
Authors: Barrow N. J. , Roy Dibakar , Debnath Abhijit
Published: July 2022

Aims

Many soils in the developed world have been fertilized with phosphate for several decades. Appreciable phosphate has accumulated in such soils. This is referred to as “legacy P”. The benefits of legacy P are not widely appreciated. Here, we report the effects of legacy P on buffering capacity and the consequent effects on the effectiveness of plant growth, and its effects on the continuing reaction between soil and P and the consequent effects in decreasing the decline of P effectiveness with time.

Methods

We produced five levels of legacy P by incubating the soil with added phosphate at high temperatures for 30 days. We then measured the effect on sorption/desorption and on plant growth in response to further additions of phosphate.

Results

Legacy P decreased soil buffering capacity, decreased hysteresis of desorption, and increased the amount of P in a similar state to that of the recently sorbed P. There were analogous effects of plant growth; effectiveness of P fertiliser increased; the decline in effectiveness with time decreased; and the amount of soil P accessible to plants increased. We think that soil tests reflect only the amount of soil P accessible to plants. Soil testing services which include estimates of phosphate buffering reflect its decrease and the consequent increase in fertilizer effectiveness. We propose a simple test to reflect the rate of decline in effectiveness with time.

Conclusions

Managing phosphate applications using soil tests alone underestimates phosphate status and leads to over application of phosphate. It is necessary to also include estimates of the change in phosphate buffering and the change in the rate of decline in effectiveness with time. A simple way to estimate the rate of decline is suggested.
GA-MADRID: design and validation of a machine learning tool for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia using genetic algorithms
Authors: García-Gutierrez Fernando , Díaz-Álvarez Josefa , Matias-Guiu Jordi A. , Pytel Vanesa , Matías-Guiu Jorge , Cabrera-Martín María Nieves , Ayala José L.
Published: July 2022

Artificial Intelligence aids early diagnosis and development of new treatments, which is key to slow down the progress of the diseases, which to date have no cure. The patients’ evaluation is carried out through diagnostic techniques such as clinical assessments neuroimaging techniques, which provide high-dimensionality data. In this work, a computational tool is presented that deals with the data provided by the clinical diagnostic techniques. This is a Python-based framework implemented with a modular design and fully extendable. It integrates (i) data processing and management of missing values and outliers; (ii) implementation of an evolutionary feature engineering approach, developed as a Python package, called PyWinEA using Mono-objective and Multi-objetive Genetic Algorithms (NSGAII); (iii) a module for designing predictive models based on a wide range of machine learning algorithms; (iv) a multiclass decision stage based on evolutionary grammars and Bayesian networks. Developed under the eXplainable Artificial Intelligence and open science perspective, this framework provides promising advances and opens the door to the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases from a data-centric point of view. In this work, we have successfully evaluated the potential of the framework for early and automated diagnosis with neuroimages and neurocognitive assessments from patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

Graphical abstract
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health behaviours of people living with and beyond breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer—a qualitative study
Authors: Buck Caroline , Pini Simon , Lally Phillippa , Beeken Rebecca J. , Fisher Abigail
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Positive health behaviours (sufficient exercise, healthy diet, limiting alcohol, and not smoking) can improve multiple outcomes after a cancer diagnosis. Observational studies suggest that health behaviours were negatively impacted for some but not all individuals living with and beyond cancer. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the impact of the pandemic on health behaviours of people in this population.

Methods

Thirty participants were purposively sampled for characteristics including diagnostic group (breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers), gender, time since diagnosis, and age. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to discuss the impact of the pandemic on health behaviours. Thematic analysis and a secondary Ideal Types analysis were conducted.

Results

Five themes covered changes in food, weight management, relationship to alcohol, and exercise. Five “types” were identified, representing orientations to health behaviours. The “gift of time” provided by the pandemic had an impact on health behaviours, with trends towards increases in drinking, eating unhealthy food, and exercising less.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted engagement in positive health behaviours among participants in this study. Strict restrictions and changes in routines resulted in individuals adjusting how they managed their diet, alcohol intake, and exercise behaviours. The typology identified within this study helps to define how different orientation to health behaviours could underpin the responses of individual people LWBC.

Implications for cancer survivors

Alongside providing an understanding of the experiences of people LWBC during the COVID-19 pandemic, the proposed typology suggests how, with further development, future health behaviour interventions in this group could be targeted based on individual orientations to health, rather than demographic or clinical variables.
Variants of ERCC5 and the outcome of platinum-based regimens in non-small cell lung cancer: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Abdalkhalek Esraa S. , Wakeel Lamia M. El , Nagy Ahmed A. , Sabri Nagwa A.
Published: July 2022

Excision repair complementary complex 5 (ERCC5) is an important component in the repair pathway of platinum-induced damage. The current study evaluated the effect of ERCC5 variants (rs751402 and rs1047768) on the clinical outcome of platinum-based regimens in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. A prospective, cohort study was conducted on 57 newly diagnosed NSCLC Egyptian patients. Patients received either cisplatin or carboplatin-based chemotherapy. DNA was extracted and the variants were analyzed using real time PCR. This study found no significant difference between the studied variants and patients’ response to chemotherapy, progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS). However, a statistically significant association was found between the histologic subtypes and the studied variants (p = 0.028 and 0.018 for rs751402 and rs1047768, respectively). A statistically significant association was evident between the type of the allele present in the studied polymorphisms, p value = 0.000040. Moreover, the minor allele frequency (MAF) of the studied variants rs751402 and rs1047768 were similar to those of African and European populations, respectively. Results of this study have concluded that ERCC5 variants did not affect the clinical outcome of platinum-based chemotherapy in NSCLC. A significant coinheritance was found between the two variants of ERCC5. Moreover, the similarity between the MAF of the studied variants and the African or European population can guide future research when extrapolating data from African European populations to their Egyptian counterparts.
Shiny bronze in glassy matter: an inconspicuous piece of slag from the Bronze Age mining site of Mušiston (Tajikistan) and its significance for the development of tin metallurgy in Central Asia
Authors: Berger Daniel , Brügmann Gerhard , Friedrich Ronny , Lutz Joachim , Meyer Hans-Peter , Pernicka Ernst
Published: July 2022

This paper aims at contributing to a better understanding of the beginnings of tin and bronze metallurgy in Central Asia by investigating a hitherto unique piece of a bronze slag. The object was originally discovered as a stray find only 4 km away from the large copper-tin deposit of Mušiston in Tajikistan. It contains many prills of bronze and copper as well as small charcoal particles. Radiocarbon dating of the charcoal places the slag in a period between 1900 and 1400 BCE and thus in the Late Bronze Age of the region. This date coincides with radiocarbon dates of relics from underground galleries of the Mušiston deposit. Chemical and microscopic examination demonstrated the slag to be a relic of a co-smelting process, in which a natural assemblage of tin and copper minerals was smelted simultaneously. Both the chemical and the tin and copper isotope compositions clearly link the slag to the nearby polymetallic ores from Mušiston, of which an extensive dataset is presented. The artefact’s lead isotope ratios and increased iron concentration in turn indicate intentional fluxing of the original ore charge with iron-dominated ores. These results are the first tangible evidence of a smelting process of tin ores in the entire region and therefore add a new dimension to the findings from previous mining archaeological investigations. At the same time, the results give significant information about the smelting process of secondary polymetallic ores from Mušiston and help in assessing the scientific data of Bronze Age bronze artefacts from Central Asia.
Assessment of Surface Disinfection Effectiveness of Decontamination System COUNTERFOG® SDR-F05A+ Against Bacteriophage ɸ29
Authors: del Álamo Cristina , Vázquez-Calvo Ángela , Alcamí Antonio , Sánchez-García-Casarrubios Juan , Pérez-Díaz José Luis
Published: July 2022

The experience of COVID19 pandemic has demonstrated the real concern of biological agents dispersed in the air and surfaces environments. Therefore, the need of a fast and large-scale disinfection method has arisen for prevention of contagion. COUNTERFOG® is an innovative technology developed for large-scale decontamination of air and surfaces. The objective of this study is to assess experimentally the effectiveness of COUNTERFOG® in disinfecting viral-contaminated surfaces. We also aim to measure the necessary time to disinfect said surfaces. Stainless steel surfaces were contaminated with bacteriophage φ29 and disinfected using COUNTERFOG® SDR-F05A+, which uses a sodium hypochlorite solution at different concentrations and for different exposure times. A log reduction over 6 logs of virus titer is obtained in 1 min with 1.2% sodium hypochlorite when the application is direct; while at a radial distance of 5 cm from the point of application the disinfection reaches a reduction of 5.5 logs in 8 min. In the same way, a higher dilution of the sodium hypochlorite concentration (0.7% NaOCl) requires more exposure time (16 min) to obtain the same log reduction (> 6 logs). COUNTERFOG® creates, in a short time and at a distance of 2 m from the point of application, a thin layer of disinfectant that covers the surfaces. The selection of the concentration and exposure time is critical for the efficacy of disinfection. These tests demonstrate that a concentration between 0.7- 1.2% sodium hypochlorite is enough for a fast and efficient ɸ29 phage inactivation. The fact that ɸ29 phage is more resistant to disinfection than SARS-CoV-2 sustains this disinfection procedure.
Creating a reason to read: coaching strategies that support teachers to establish reading as a professional practice
Authors: Sawatzki Carly , Tour Ekaterina , Marangio Karen
Published: July 2022

The complex nature of teaching draws teachers to read so as to satisfy their curiosities, problem-solve and innovate. However, teachers find it challenging to access and learn from educational research findings. Through our work as ‘consultant coaches’ in one Australian school over the duration of one school year, we co-constructed strategies to support teachers in translating insights from professional reading in their classrooms. This article reports on how regular coach meetings provided a forum for professional discourse about successes and struggles that contributed to the generation of four interconnected strategies that supported teachers in making connections between educational research and their problems of practice. While experimenting with more sophisticated research-informed pedagogies sometimes produced tensions in the form of student resistance, persistence led to eventual success and tended to affirm for the majority of teachers that reading is a worthwhile professional activity. This, in turn, motivated teachers to continue reading. That coaches grew in their ability to encourage teachers to read and experiment is testament to the effectiveness of the coach meetings for supporting and extending their work as teacher educators.
Extended three step sixth order Jarratt-like methods under generalized conditions for nonlinear equations
Authors: Argyros Ioannis K. , Sharma Debasis , Argyros Christopher I. , Parhi Sanjaya Kumar , Sunanda Shanta Kumari , Argyros Michael I.
Published: July 2022

The convergence balls as well as the dynamical characteristics of two sixth order Jarratt-like methods (JLM1 and JLM2) are compared. First, the ball analysis theorems for these algorithms are proved by applying generalized Lipschitz conditions on derivative of the first order. As a result, significant information on the radii of convergence and the regions of uniqueness for the solution are found along with calculable error distances. Also, the scope of utilization of these algorithms is extended. Then, we compare the dynamical properties, using the attraction basin approach, of these iterative schemes. At the end, standard application problems are considered to demonstrate the efficacy of our theoretical findings on ball convergence. For these problems, the convergence balls are computed and compared. From these comparisons, it is confirmed that JLM1 has the bigger convergence balls than JLM2. Also, the attraction basins for JLM1 are larger in comparison to JLM2. Thus, for numerical applications, JLM1 is better than JLM2.
Determining Seismic Bearing Capacity of Footings Embedded in Cohesive Soil Slopes Using Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines
Authors: Lai Van Qui , Lai Fengwen , Yang Dayu , Shiau Jim , Yodsomjai Wittawat , Keawsawasvong Suraparb
Published: July 2022

Seismic bearing capacity of strip footings in cohesive soil slopes considering various embedded depths is investigated in this study. Novel solutions using pseudo-static method and finite element limit analysis (FELA) with upper bound (LB) and lower bound (LB) theorems are presented. The influences of footing depth, slope angle, slope height, undrained shear strength and pseudo-static acceleration on bearing capacity and failure mechanisms are examined using dimensionless parameters. With the comprehensive numerical results, the multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) model is then utilized to simulate the sensitivity of all dimensionless input parameters (i.e., the normalized depth of footing D/B, the normalized slope height H/B, the normalized distance from top slope to edge of the footing L/B, slope angle β, the strength ratio cu/γB, and the pseudo-static acceleration factor, kh). The degree of influence of each design parameter is produced, and an empirical equation for the dimensionless output parameter (i.e., bearing capacity factor Nc) is proposed. The study results are accessible in the design charts, tables, empirical equation for design practitioners.
Building from Patient Experiences to Deliver Patient-Focused Healthcare Systems in Collaboration with Patients: A Call to Action
Authors: Schroeder Karlin , Bertelsen Neil , Scott Jessica , Deane Katherine , Dormer Laura , Nair Devika , Elliott Jim , Krug Sarah , Sargeant Ify , Chapman Hayley , Brooke Nicholas
Published: July 2022

Patients’ experiences of their diagnosis, condition, and treatment (including the impact on their lives), and their experiences surrounding expectations of care, are becoming increasingly important in shaping healthcare systems that meet the evolving needs and priorities of different patient communities over time; this is an ongoing goal of all healthcare stakeholders. Current approaches that capture patient experiences with data are fragmented, resulting in duplication of effort, numerous requests for information, and increased patient burden. Application of patient experience data to inform healthcare decisions is still emerging and there remains an opportunity to align diverse stakeholders on the value of these data to strengthen healthcare systems. Given the collective value of understanding patient experiences across multiple stakeholder groups, we propose a more aligned approach to the collection of patient experience data. This approach is built on the principle that the patients’ experiences are the starting point, and not just something to be considered at the end of the process. It must also be based on meaningful patient engagement, where patients are collaborators and decision makers at each step, thereby ensuring their needs and priorities are accurately reflected. The resulting data and evidence should be made available for all stakeholders, to inform their decision making and healthcare strategies in ways that meet patient priorities. We call for multi-stakeholder collaboration that will deliver healthcare systems and interventions that are better centered around and tailored to patient experiences, and that will help address patients’ unmet needs.
Challenges in modeling the energy balance and melt in the percolation zone of the Greenland ice sheet
Authors: Covi Federico , Hock Regine , Reijmer Carleen H.
Published: July 2022

Increased surface melt in the percolation zone of the Greenland ice sheet causes significant changes in the firn structure, directly affecting the amount and timing of meltwater runoff. Here we force an energy-balance model with automatic weather stations data at two sites in the percolation zone of southwest Greenland ($2040$ and 2360 m a.s.l.) between spring $2017$ and fall $2019$. Extensive model validation and sensitivity analysis reveal that the skin layer formulation used to compute the surface temperature by closing the energy balance leads to a consistent overestimation of melt by more than a factor of two or three depending on the site. In contrast, model results match the observations well when the model is forced by observed surface temperatures; however, unexplained residuals in the energy balance occur. The sensible and ground heat flux differ markedly in the two simulations accounting largely for the difference in modeled melt amounts. This indicates that the energy available for melt is highly sensitive to small changes in surface temperature. Thus, regional climate models that also use the skin layer formulation may have a bias in surface temperature and melt energy in the percolation zone of the ice sheet.
Application of visual stratigraphy from line-scan images to constrain chronology and melt features of a firn core from coastal Antarctica
Authors: Dey Rahul , Thamban Meloth , Laluraj Chavarukonam Madhavanpillai , Mahalinganathan Kanthanathan , Redkar Bhikaji Laxman , Kumar Sudhir , Matsuoka Kenichi
Published: July 2022

Establishing an accurate chronology is crucial for interpretation of ice core-based climatic records. While high snow accumulation rates characterise coastal Antarctica, thus enabling recovery of highly resolved climatic records, summertime melting at such low-elevation sites offers challenges in establishing a reliable chronological framework through traditional approaches using the seasonality of stable water isotope and ionic proxy records. Here, we assess visual stratigraphy (VS) obtained from line-scan images as a proxy for annual layer counting in firn section (top 50 m) of the IND-36/B9 ice core (dated 1919–2016 CE) from the Djupranen Ice Rise in central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. We also used these images to obtain melt history for the site and found that traditional thickness-based quantification of melt proportion results in significant overestimations. Since density has dominant control on VS profile over the firn section, we first used circulant single-spectrum analysis to remove the secular trend and then we extracted the seasonal VS signals attributed to dust and sea-salt inclusions. We find that melt layers do not significantly alter the VS records if masked during pre-processing. The age–depth model based on the reconstructed VS profile revealed an excellent match with identified time-markers within an uncertainty of ±2 years.
Detecting Streamflow in Dryland Rivers Using CubeSats
Authors: Wang Zhaocheng , Vivoni Enrique R.
Published: July 2022

Determining the flow regime of non‐perennial rivers is critical in hydrology. In this study, we developed a new approach using CubeSat imagery to detect streamflow presence using differences in surface reflectance for areas within and outside of a river reach. We calibrated the approach with streamflow records in the Hassayampa River of Arizona over 3 years (2019–2021), finding good agreement in the annual fractions of flowing days at stream gages (R2 = 0.82, p < 0.0001). Subsequently, annual fractions of flowing days were derived at 90 m intervals along the Hassayampa River, finding that 12% of reaches were classified as intermittent, with the remaining as ephemeral. Using a Hovmöller diagram, streamflow presence was visualized in unprecedented spatiotemporal detail, allowing estimates of daily fraction of flowing channel and annual fractions of flowing days. This new tool opens avenues for detecting streamflow and studying hydrological and biogeochemical processes dependent on water presence in drylands.
Generation of a Strong Parallel Electric Field and Embedded Electron Jet in the Exhaust of Moderate Guide Field Reconnection
Authors: Wetherton Blake A. , Egedal Jan , Le Ari , Daughton William
Published: July 2022

Magnetospheric Multiscale observed an extended current layer concurrent with a strong parallel electric field. The current layer is embedded in the reconnection exhaust and is consistent with an extended magnetized jet expected in roughly symmetric moderate guide field reconnection. The strong parallel electric field observed at the jet balances a strong gradient in the parallel electron pressure caused by a transition between magnetized electrons with Te‖ > Te⊥ on one side of the jet and demagnetized, roughly isotropic electrons across the thin current layer. Simulation results show how this transition can occur and how the associated electron pressure gradients in Ohm's law balance the parallel electric field.
Multifrequency Observations of Postmidnight Ionospheric Irregularities From an Anomaly Crest Location
Authors: Goswami Samiddha , Ghosh Sayani , Paul Ashik
Published: July 2022

The paper reports occurrences of postmidnight to early morning ionospheric depletions in total electron content (TEC) observed using the Low Earth Orbiting satellite beacon from Calcutta (22.57°N, 88.36°E geographic, and 32°N magnetic dip) situated around the northern crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) in the Indian longitude sector for the period 2015–2016. These results are novel and contrary to the usual scenario of equatorial ionospheric irregularities being dominant during the early evening to pre‐midnight hours of equinoctial months. The TEC depletions, commonly called “bite‐outs,” exhibit amplitudes of 1–2.5 TECU, with maximum depletion found near the northern crest of the EIA around subionospheric coordinates 25.8°N and 82.2°E. These bite‐outs exhibited seasonal variabilities, with maximum occurrences found during local summer months. The observed TEC depletions during postmidnight hours point toward irregularities, which are not generated over the magnetic equator and drifted along magnetic field lines. A case study of the observation of these ionospheric disturbances has also been presented across a spectrum of frequencies, namely 150 and 400 MHz (Low Earth Orbit satellites), 250 MHz (Geostationary satellites), and 1.5 GHz (GPS—Medium Earth Orbit satellites) to establish the presence of irregularities of different scale sizes even during postmidnight hours.
Cancer cells corrupt normal epithelial cells through miR-let-7c-rich small extracellular vesicle-mediated downregulation of p53/PTEN
Authors: Liang Weilian , Chen Yang , Liu Hanzhe , Zhao Hui , Luo Tingting , Tang Hokeung , Zhou Xiaocheng , Jiang Erhui , Shao Zhe , Liu Ke , Shang Zhengjun
Published: July 2022

Tumor volume increases continuously in the advanced stage, and aside from the self-renewal of tumor cells, whether the oncogenic transformation of surrounding normal cells is involved in this process is currently unclear. Here, we show that oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) promote the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of normal epithelial cells but delay their apoptosis. In addition, nuclear-cytoplasmic invaginations and multiple nucleoli are observed in sEV-treated normal cells, both of which are typical characteristics of premalignant lesions of OSCC. Mechanistically, miR-let-7c in OSCC-derived sEVs is transferred to normal epithelial cells, leading to the transcriptional inhibition of p53 and inactivation of the p53/PTEN pathway. In summary, we demonstrate that OSCC-derived sEVs promote the precancerous transformation of normal epithelial cells, in which the miR-let-7c/p53/PTEN pathway plays an important role. Our findings reveal that cancer cells can corrupt normal epithelial cells through sEVs, which provides new insight into the progression of OSCC.
Antibiotic exposures and the development of pediatric autoimmune diseases: a register-based case–control study
Authors: Räisänen Laura K. , Kääriäinen Sohvi E. , Sund Reijo , Engberg Elina , Viljakainen Heli T. , Kolho Kaija-Leena
Published: July 2022

Background

Antibiotics have been associated with several individual autoimmune diseases (ADs). This study aims to discover whether pre-diagnostic antibiotics are associated with the onset of ADs in general.

Methods

From a cohort of 11,407 children, 242 developed ADs (type 1 diabetes, autoimmune thyroiditis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), or inflammatory bowel diseases) by a median age of 16 years. Antibiotic purchases from birth until the date of diagnosis (or respective date in the matched controls n = 708) were traced from national registers.

Results

Total number of antibiotic purchases was not related to the onset of ADs when studied as a group. Of specific diagnoses, JIA was associated with the total number of antibiotics throughout the childhood and with broad-spectrum antibiotics before the age of 3 years. Intriguingly, recent and frequent antibiotic use (within 2 years before diagnosis and ≥3 purchases) was associated with the onset of ADs (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.08–2.74). Regardless of frequent use in childhood (40% of all antibiotics), penicillin group antibiotics were not related to any ADs.

Conclusions

Use of antibiotics was relatively safe regarding the overall development of ADs. However, broad-spectrum antibiotics should be used considerately as they may associate with an increased likelihood of JIA.

Impact

Increasing numbers of antibiotic purchases before the age of 3 years or throughout childhood were not associated with the development of pediatric autoimmune diseases.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics were related to the development of autoimmune diseases, especially juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children, while penicillin group antibiotics were not.

The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in children should be cautious as they may carry along a risk for autoimmune disease development.
N-glycosylation of GDF15 abolishes its inhibitory effect on EGFR in AR inhibitor-resistant prostate cancer cells
Authors: Wang Rong , Wen Piaopiao , Yang Ganglong , Feng Yanyan , Mi Yuanyuan , Wang Xiaoying , Zhu Shenglong , Chen Yong Q.
Published: July 2022

Castration-resistance of prostate cancer is one of the most challenging clinical problems. In the present study, we have performed proteomics and glycomics using LNCaP model. Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15) level is increased in androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor-resistant cells and the inhibitory effect of GDF15 on epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway is relieved by GDF15 N70 glycosylation. Interference of GDF15 (siRNA or N70Q dominant negative) or EGFR pathway (inhibitor or siRNA for EGFR, SRC or ERK) decreases the resistant-cell survival in culture and tumor growth in mice. Our study reveals a novel regulatory mechanism of prostate cancer AR inhibitor resistance, raises the possibility of AR/SRC dual-targeting of castration-resistance of prostate cancer, and lays foundation for the future development of selective inhibitors of GDF15 glycosylation.
The mechanism of replication stalling and recovery within repetitive DNA
Authors: Casas-Delucchi Corella S. , Daza-Martin Manuel , Williams Sophie L. , Coster Gideon
Published: July 2022

Accurate chromosomal DNA replication is essential to maintain genomic stability. Genetic evidence suggests that certain repetitive sequences impair replication, yet the underlying mechanism is poorly defined. Replication could be directly inhibited by the DNA template or indirectly, for example by DNA-bound proteins. Here, we reconstitute replication of mono-, di- and trinucleotide repeats in vitro using eukaryotic replisomes assembled from purified proteins. We find that structure-prone repeats are sufficient to impair replication. Whilst template unwinding is unaffected, leading strand synthesis is inhibited, leading to fork uncoupling. Synthesis through hairpin-forming repeats is rescued by replisome-intrinsic mechanisms, whereas synthesis of quadruplex-forming repeats requires an extrinsic accessory helicase. DNA-induced fork stalling is mechanistically similar to that induced by leading strand DNA lesions, highlighting structure-prone repeats as an important potential source of replication stress. Thus, we propose that our understanding of the cellular response to replication stress may also be applied to DNA-induced replication stalling.
Early Cambrian renewal of the geodynamo and the origin of inner core structure
Authors: Zhou Tinghong , Tarduno John A. , Nimmo Francis , Cottrell Rory D. , Bono Richard K. , Ibanez-Mejia Mauricio , Huang Wentao , Hamilton Matt , Kodama Kenneth , Smirnov Aleksey V. , Crummins Ben , Padgett Frank
Published: July 2022

Paleomagnetism can elucidate the origin of inner core structure by establishing when crystallization started. The salient signal is an ultralow field strength, associated with waning thermal energy to power the geodynamo from core-mantle heat flux, followed by a sharp intensity increase as new thermal and compositional sources of buoyancy become available once inner core nucleation (ICN) commences. Ultralow fields have been reported from Ediacaran (~565 Ma) rocks, but the transition to stronger strengths has been unclear. Herein, we present single crystal paleointensity results from early Cambrian (~532 Ma) anorthosites of Oklahoma. These yield a time-averaged dipole moment 5 times greater than that of the Ediacaran Period. This rapid renewal of the field, together with data defining ultralow strengths, constrains ICN to ~550 Ma. Thermal modeling using this onset age suggests the inner core had grown to 50% of its current radius, where seismic anisotropy changes, by ~450 Ma. We propose the seismic anisotropy of the outermost inner core reflects development of a global spherical harmonic degree-2 deep mantle structure at this time that has persisted to the present day. The imprint of an older degree-1 pattern is preserved in the innermost inner core.
Stomatin modulates adipogenesis through the ERK pathway and regulates fatty acid uptake and lipid droplet growth
Authors: Wu Shao-Chin , Lo Yuan-Ming , Lee Jui-Hao , Chen Chin-Yau , Chen Tung-Wei , Liu Hong-Wen , Lian Wei-Nan , Hua Kate , Liao Chen-Chung , Lin Wei-Ju , Yang Chih-Yung , Tung Chien-Yi , Lin Chi-Hung
Published: July 2022

Regulation of fatty acid uptake, lipid production and storage, and metabolism of lipid droplets (LDs), is closely related to lipid homeostasis, adipocyte hypertrophy and obesity. We report here that stomatin, a major constituent of lipid raft, participates in adipogenesis and adipocyte maturation by modulating related signaling pathways. In adipocyte-like cells, increased stomatin promotes LD growth or enlargements by facilitating LD-LD fusion. It also promotes fatty acid uptake from extracellular environment by recruiting effector molecules, such as FAT/CD36 translocase, to lipid rafts to promote internalization of fatty acids. Stomatin transgenic mice fed with high-fat diet exhibit obesity, insulin resistance and hepatic impairments; however, such phenotypes are not seen in transgenic animals fed with regular diet. Inhibitions of stomatin by gene knockdown or OB-1 inhibit adipogenic differentiation and LD growth through downregulation of PPARγ pathway. Effects of stomatin on PPARγ involves ERK signaling; however, an alternate pathway may also exist.