bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
KartalOl: a new deep neural network framework based on transfer learning for iris segmentation and localization task—new dataset for iris segmentation
Authors: Khiarak Jalil Nourmohammadi , Oskouei Amin Golzari , Nasab Samaneh Salehi , Jaryani Farhang , Moafinejad Seyed Naeim , Pourmohamad Rana , Amini Yasin , Noshad Morteza
Published: April 2023

Iris segmentation and localization in unconstrained environments are challenging due to long distances, illumination variations, limited user cooperation, and moving subjects. Some existing methods in the literature have somehow mitigated some of the above-mentioned issues. In this paper, motivated by these weaknesses, we propose a framework that employs a deep neural network-based approach to iris segmentation and localization. The proposed framework is based on a U-Net architecture initialized with a pre-trained MobileNetV2 model. In addition, to better study the detectors in iris recognition scenarios, we have collected 1000 images. The provided dataset (KartalOl) is made publicly available for the research community. In the proposed framework, to have better generalization, we fine-tuned the MobileNetV2 model on the provided data for NIR-ISL 2021 from the CASIA-Iris-Asia, CASIA-Iris-M1, and CASIA-Iris-Africa and our dataset. Likewise, data augmentation techniques are applied on images. We chose the binarization threshold for the binary masks by iterating over the images in the provided dataset. The proposed framework is trained and tested in CASIA-Iris-Asia, CASIA-Iris-M1, and CASIA-Iris-Africa, along with the KartalOl dataset. The experimental results highlight that our method surpasses state-of-the-art methods on mobile-based benchmarks. The implementation source code of KartalOl is made publicly available at https://github.com/Jalilnkh/KartalOl-NIR-ISL2021031301.
Waste Clay Brick as a Part Binder for Pavement Grade Geopolymer Concrete
Authors: Migunthanna Janitha , Rajeev Pathmanathan , Sanjayan Jay
Published: April 2023

Geopolymer concrete (GPC) was developed using one-part binders made from a mixture of waste clay brick (WCB) powder, fly ash, and slag in the precursor. Its suitability for use in rigid pavement construction was evaluated based on fresh properties, hardened properties, and durability characteristics. The effects of sealed and unsealed ambient curing and the size of the WCB particles on the strength of the GPC were also examined. Sealed ambient curing significantly increased the strength of the GPC, with longer sealing periods resulting in even stronger concrete. Sealing prevented water loss from the samples and reduced carbonation, protecting the concrete from microcracks caused by dehydration. The GPC created in this study met the basic strength requirements for use in rigid pavement applications, with 28-day compressive strengths above 40 MPa and flexural strengths above 4.5 MPa. All GPC samples had a water absorption of more than 5%, with a maximum of 7.4%. The apparent volume of permeable voids was less than 14%, which is the maximum allowable value for a 40 MPa pavement-grade concrete. The GPC was resistant to abrasion and cyclic wetting and drying, and experienced only a slight reduction in compressive strength after being subjected to these cycles. There were no significant differences in the wearing depth of the top and bottom surfaces of the slabs, indicating better compaction and homogeneity of the mix.
Associations between nesting, stereotypy, and working memory in deer mice: response to levetiracetam
Authors: Hurter Bianca , Gourley Shannon L. , Wolmarans De Wet
Published: April 2023

Background

Some deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) exhibit various phenotypes of persistent behaviors. It remains unknown if and how said phenotypes associate with early-life and adult cognitive perturbations, and whether potentially cognitive enhancing drugs might modify such associations. Here, we explored the longitudinal relationship between early-life behavioral flexibility and the expression of persistent behavior in adulthood. We also investigated how said phenotypes might associate with working memory in adulthood, and how this association might respond to chronic exposure to the putative cognitive enhancer, levetiracetam (LEV).

Methods

76 juvenile deer mice were assessed for habit-proneness in the Barnes maze (BM) and divided into two exposure groups (n = 37–39 per group), i.e., control and LEV (75 mg/kg/day). After 56 days of uninterrupted exposure, mice were screened for nesting and stereotypical behavior, and then assessed for working memory in the T-maze.

Results

Juvenile deer mice overwhelmingly utilize habit-like response strategies, regardless of LNB and HS behavior in adulthood. Further, LNB and HS are unrelated in terms of their expression, while LEV reduces the expression of LNB, but bolsters CR (but not VA). Last, an increased level of control over high stereotypical expression may facilitate improved working memory performance.

Conclusion

LNB, VA and CR, are divergent in terms of their neurocognitive underpinnings. Chronic LEV administration throughout the entire rearing period may be of benefit to some phenotypes, e.g., LNB, but not others (CR). We also show that an increased level of control over the expression of stereotypy may facilitate improved working memory performance.
Schubert's String Quartets
Authors: Hyland Anne
Published: April 2023

Franz Schubert's music has long been celebrated for its lyrical melodies, 'heavenly length' and daring harmonic language. In this new study of Schubert's complete string quartets, Anne Hyland challenges the influential but under-explored claim that Schubert could not successfully incorporate the lyric style into his sonatas, and offers a novel perspective on lyric form that embraces historical musicology, philosophy and music theory and analysis. Her exploration of the quartets reveals Schubert's development of a lyrically conceived teleology, bringing musical form, expression and temporality together in the service of fresh intellectual engagement. Her formal analyses grant special focus to the quartets of 1810–16, isolating the questions they pose for existing music theory and employing these as a means of scrutinising the relationship between the concepts of lyricism, development, closure and teleology thereby opening up space for these works to challenge some of the discourses that have historically beset them.
Differential and Low-Dimensional Topology
Authors: Juhász András
Published: April 2023

The new student in differential and low-dimensional topology is faced with a bewildering array of tools and loosely connected theories. This short book presents the essential parts of each, enabling the reader to become 'literate' in the field and begin research as quickly as possible. The only prerequisite assumed is an undergraduate algebraic topology course. The first half of the text reviews basic notions of differential topology and culminates with the classification of exotic seven-spheres. It then dives into dimension three and knot theory. There then follows an introduction to Heegaard Floer homology, a powerful collection of modern invariants of three- and four-manifolds, and of knots, that has not before appeared in an introductory textbook. The book concludes with a glimpse of four-manifold theory. Students will find it an exhilarating and authoritative guide to a broad swathe of the most important topics in modern topology.
Nonlocal Continuum Limits of p-Laplacian Problems on Graphs
Authors: El Bouchairi Imad , Fadili Jalal , Hafiene Yosra , Elmoataz Abderrahim
Published: April 2023

In this Element, the authors consider fully discretized p-Laplacian problems (evolution, boundary value and variational problems) on graphs. The motivation of nonlocal continuum limits comes from the quest of understanding collective dynamics in large ensembles of interacting particles, which is a fundamental problem in nonlinear science, with applications ranging from biology to physics, chemistry and computer science. Using the theory of graphons, the authors give a unified treatment of all the above problems and establish the continuum limit for each of them together with non-asymptotic convergence rates. They also describe an algorithmic framework based proximal splitting to solve these discrete problems on graphs.
Innovating Democracy?
Authors: Pogrebinschi Thamy
Published: April 2023

Since democratization, Latin America has experienced a surge in new forms of citizen participation. Yet there is still little comparative knowledge on these so-called democratic innovations. This Element seeks to fill this gap. Drawing on a new dataset with 3,744 cases from 18 countries between 1990 and 2020, it presents the first large-N cross-country study of democratic innovations to date. It also introduces a typology of twenty kinds of democratic innovations, which are based on four means of participation, namely deliberation, citizen representation, digital engagement, and direct voting. Adopting a pragmatist, problem-driven approach, this Element claims that democratic innovations seek to enhance democracy by addressing public problems through combinations of those four means of participation in pursuit of one or more of five ends of innovations, namely accountability, responsiveness, rule of law, social equality, and political inclusion.
A Critique of Scanlon’s Contractualism
Authors: Purdy Ashley
Published: April 2023

Part of T. M. Scanlon’s project in What We Owe to Each Other (1998) is to explain the importance and priority of moral reasons. But Scanlon also argues that this priority of moral reasons is compatible with the pursuit of other things we value, such as friendship. To this end, Scanlon claims that contractualist moral reasons internally accommodate our interests in such values. In this paper, I argue that Scanlon is unsuccessful in showing the compatibility of morality and the pursuit of our other values. The contractualist may not be able to be a good friend.
Building an infrastructure to support the development, conduct, and reporting of informative clinical studies: The Rockefeller University experience
Authors: Kost Rhonda G. , Devine Rita K. , Fernands Mark , Gottesman Riva , Kandpal Manoj , MacArthur Robert B. , O’Sullivan Barbara , Romanick Michelle , Ronning Andrea , Schlesinger Sarah , Tobin Jonathan N. , Vaughan Roger , Neville-Williams Maija , Krueger James G. , Coller Barry S.
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Clinical trials are a vital component of translational science, providing crucial information on the efficacy and safety of new interventions and forming the basis for regulatory approval and/or clinical adoption. At the same time, they are complex to design, conduct, monitor, and report successfully. Concerns over the last two decades about the quality of the design and the lack of completion and reporting of clinical trials, characterized as a lack of “informativeness,” highlighted by the experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to several initiatives to address the serious shortcomings of the United States clinical research enterprise.

Methods and Results:

Against this background, we detail the policies, procedures, and programs that we have developed in The Rockefeller University Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), supported by a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program grant since 2006, to support the development, conduct, and reporting of informative clinical studies.

Conclusions:

We have focused on building a data-driven infrastructure to both assist individual investigators and bring translational science to each element of the clinical investigation process, with the goal of both generating new knowledge and accelerating the uptake of that knowledge into practice.
Norm violations and punishments across human societies
Authors: Garfield Zachary H. , Ringen Erik J. , Buckner William , Medupe Dithapelo , Wrangham Richard W. , Glowacki Luke
Published: April 2023

Punishments for norm violations are hypothesised to be a crucial component of the maintenance of cooperation in humans but are rarely studied from a comparative perspective. We investigated the degree to which punishment systems were correlated with socioecology and cultural history. We took data from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample database and coded ethnographic documents from a sample of 131 largely non-industrial societies. We recorded whether punishment for norm violations concerned adultery, religion, food, rape or war cowardice and whether sanctions were reputational, physical, material or execution. We used Bayesian phylogenetic regression modelling to test for culture-level covariation. We found little evidence of phylogenetic signals in evidence for punishment types, suggesting that punishment systems change relatively quickly over cultural evolutionary history. We found evidence that reputational punishment was associated with egalitarianism and the absence of food storage; material punishment was associated with the presence of food storage; physical punishment was moderately associated with greater dependence on hunting; and execution punishment was moderately associated with social stratification. Taken together, our results suggest that the role and kind of punishment vary both by the severity of the norm violation, but also by the specific socio-economic system of the society.
On coupled envelope evolution equations in the Hamiltonian theory of nonlinear surface gravity waves
Authors: Li Yan
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a novel theoretical framework in the Hamiltonian theory of nonlinear surface gravity waves. The envelope of surface elevation and the velocity potential on the free water surface are introduced in the framework, which are shown to be a new pair of canonical variables. Using the two envelopes as the main unknowns, coupled envelope evolution equations (CEEEs) are derived based on a perturbation expansion. Similar to the high-order spectral method, the CEEEs can be derived up to arbitrary order in wave steepness. In contrast, they have a temporal scale as slow as the rate of change of a wave spectrum and allow for the wave fields prescribed on a computational (spatial) domain with a much larger size and with spacing longer than the characteristic wavelength at no expense of accuracy and numerical efficiency. The energy balance equation is derived based on the CEEEs. The nonlinear terms in the CEEEs are in a form of the separation of wave harmonics, due to which an individual term is shown to have clear physical meanings in terms of whether or not it is able to force free waves that obey the dispersion relation. Both the nonlinear terms that can only lead to the forcing of bound waves and those that are capable of forcing free waves are demonstrated, in the case of the latter through the analysis of the quartet and quintet resonant interactions of linear waves. The relations between the CEEEs and two other existing theoretical frameworks are established, including the theory for a train of Stokes waves up to second order in wave steepness (Fenton,ASCE J. Waterway Port Coastal Ocean Engng, vol. 111, issue 2, 1985, pp. 216–234) and a semi-analytical framework for three-dimensional weakly nonlinear surface waves with arbitrary bandwidth and large directional spreading by Li & Li (Phys. Fluids, vol. 33, issue 7, 2021, 076609).
Causal History, Statistical Relevance, and Explanatory Power
Authors: Kinney David
Published: April 2023

In discussions of the power of causal explanations, one often finds a commitment to two premises. The first is that, all else being equal, a causal explanation is powerful to the extent that it cites the full causal history of why the effect occurred. The second is that, all else being equal, causal explanations are powerful to the extent that the occurrence of a cause allows us to predict the occurrence of its effect. This article proves a representation theorem showing that there is a unique family of functions measuring a causal explanation’s power that satisfies these two premises.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Ogmocotyle ailuri: gene content, composition and rearrangement and phylogenetic implications
Authors: Gao Jun-Feng , Zhang Ai-Hui , Wei Wei , Jia Bin , Zhang Jun , Li Ben , Chen Ying-Yu , Sun Yun-Yi , Hou Mei-Ru , Liu Xue-Wei , Wang Jia-Wen , Zhang Xin-Hui , Wang Chun-Ren
Published: April 2023

Trematodes of the genus Ogmocotyle are intestinal flukes that can infect a variety of definitive hosts, resulting in significant economic losses worldwide. However, there are few studies on molecular data of these trematodes. In this study, the mitochondrial (mt) genome of Ogmocotyle ailuri isolated from red panda (Ailurus fulgens) was determined and compared with those from Pronocephalata to investigate the mt genome content, genetic distance, gene rearrangements and phylogeny. The complete mt genome of O. ailuri is a typical closed circular molecule of 14 642 base pairs, comprising 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and 2 non-coding regions. All genes are transcribed in the same direction. In addition, 23 intergenic spacers and 2 locations with gene overlaps were determined. Sequence identities and sliding window analysis indicated that cox1 is the most conserved gene among 12 PCGs in O. ailuri mt genome. The sequenced mt genomes of the 48 Plagiorchiida trematodes showed 5 types of gene arrangement based on all mt genome genes, with the gene arrangement of O. ailuri being type I. Phylogenetic analysis using concatenated amino acid sequences of 12 PCGs revealed that O. ailuri was closer to Ogmocotyle sikae than to Notocotylus intestinalis. These data enhance the Ogmocotyle mt genome database and provide molecular resources for further studies of Pronocephalata taxonomy, population genetics and systematics.
Tree density-dependence effects on seed dispersal of a large-seeded tropical tree
Authors: Souza Fernanda Cristina , Viana-Junior Arleu Barbosa , Mittelman Pedro Uchoa , Azevedo Fernando Cesar Cascelli de
Published: April 2023

One of the biggest issues in plant ecology is determining the interaction outcome between seeds and scatter-hoarding rodents because the latter has a dual role as dispersers and predators of seeds. Density-dependence contexts involving resource abundance largely influence the outcome of this interaction. Here, we investigated how the variation in the density of a large-seeded tropical tree (Joannesia princeps Vell) affects its probability of seed removal, consumption, dispersal, and burial by a neotropical rodent (Dasyprocta azarae Lichtenstein). We tested whether the elevated resource availability in high tree density areas would cause scatter hoarder’s satiation by decreasing seed removal and consumption (predator satiation hypothesis) or increasing seed dispersal and burial (predator dispersal hypothesis). We tracked the fate of 461 seeds in 14 plots with distinct J. princeps abundances inside a large Atlantic Forest fragment. We used spool-and-line tracking and camera trappings to determine seed fate and identify interacting animals. Agouti was the only species removing J. princeps seeds. Tree density benefitted J. princeps by increasing seed dispersal through buried seed but not affecting seed removal and consumption. This result shows how density-dependent contexts, such as tree density, may alter seed fate in seed–rodent interactions supporting future studies aiming to reestablishing seed dispersal functions in Atlantic Forest fragments.
Decreased Neisseria gonorrhoeae genotypic diversity following COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland, Australia 2020
Authors: Alharbi Bushra , Jennison Amy V. , Hicks Vicki , Whiley David M. , Sweeney Emma , Trembizki Ella
Published: April 2023

We investigated the potential effects of COVID-19 public health restrictions on the prevalence and distribution of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) genotypes in our Queensland isolate population in the first half of the year 2020. A total of 763 NG isolates were genotyped to examine gonococcal strain distribution and prevalence for the first 6 months of 2020, with 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2020 classified as ‘pre’ COVID-19 restrictions (n = 463) and 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020 classified as ‘post’ COVID-19 restrictions (n = 300). Genotypes most prevalent ‘pre’ restrictions remained proportionally high ‘post’ restrictions, with some significantly increasing ‘post’ restrictions. However, genotype diversity was significantly reduced ‘post’ restrictions. Overall, it seems public health restrictions (9–10 weeks) were not sufficient to affect rates of infection or reduce the prevalence of well-established genotypes in our population, potentially due to reduced access to services or health-seeking behaviours.
The effectiveness of automatic speech recognition in ESL/EFL pronunciation: A meta-analysis
Authors: Thi-Nhu Ngo Thuy , Hao-Jan Chen Howard , Kuo-Wei Lai Kyle
Published: April 2023

This meta-analytic study explores the overall effectiveness of automatic speech recognition (ASR) on ESL/EFL student pronunciation performance. Data with 15 studies representing 38 effect sizes found from 2008 to 2021 were meta-analyzed. The findings of the meta-analysis indicated that ASR has a medium overall effect size (g = 0.69). Results from moderator analyses suggest that (1) ASR with explicit corrective feedback is largely effective, while ASR with indirect feedback (e.g. ASR dictation) is moderately effective; (2) ASR has a large effect on segmental pronunciation but a small effect on suprasegmental pronunciation; (3) medium to long treatment duration of ASR results in higher learning outcomes, but short duration offers no differential effect compared to a non-ASR condition; (4) practicing pronunciation with peers in an ASR condition produces a large effect, but the effect is small when practicing alone; (5) ASR is largely effective for adult (i.e. 18 years old and above) and intermediate English learners. Overall, ASR is a beneficial application and is recommended for assisting L2 student pronunciation development.
Public health by organizational fix?
Authors: Weale Albert , Hunter David J. , Littlejohns Peter , Khatun Toslima , Johnson Jacqueline
Published: April 2023

In August 2020 the UK government announced without warning the abolition of Public Health England (PHE), the principal UK agency for the promotion and protection of public health. We undertook a research programme seeking to understand the factors surrounding this decision. While the underlying issues are complex two competing interpretations have emerged: an ‘official’ explanation, which highlights the failure of PHE to scale up its testing capacity in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic as the fundamental reason for closing it down and a ‘sceptical’ interpretation, which ascribes the decision to blame-avoidance behaviour on the part of leading government figures. This paper reviews crucial claims in these two competing explanations exploring the arguments for and against each proposition. It concludes that neither is adequate and that the inability adequately to address the problem of testing (which triggered the decision to close PHE) lies deeper in the absence of the norms of responsible government in UK politics and the state. However our findings do provide some guidance to the two new organizations established to replace PHE to maximize their impact on public health. We hope that this information will contribute to the independent national COVID inquiry.
Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) resistant to multiple herbicide modes of action in Brazil
Authors: Araújo Lucas da Silva , Correia Núbia Maria , Tornisielo Valdemar Luiz , Labate Mônica Teresa Veneziano , Tsai Siu Mui , Carbonari Caio Antônio , Filho Ricardo Victoria
Published: April 2023

This study was developed based on a goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.] population from Primavera do Leste, MT, Brazil, with resistance to multiple herbicide modes of action (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase [EPSPS] inhibition: glyphosate; acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase [ACCase] inhibition: aryloxyphenoxypropionate chemical group). The objective was to identify possible mechanisms of resistance associated or not with herbicide sites of action. Several experiments and analyses were carried out with the contribution of different laboratories and institutions. The results obtained allowed us to conclude that: (1) the Asp-2078-Gly mutation conferred resistance to ACCase inhibitors, without overexpression of ACCase or changes in herbicide absorption and translocation; (2) overexpression of EPSPS, Thr-102 and Pro-106 mutations, and changes in absorption and translocation are not involved in E. indica resistance to glyphosate; (3) the metabolism of glyphosate in resistant E. indica plants requires further studies to elucidate the final destination of this herbicide in these plants. The mechanism of resistance of E. indica biotypes to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides was elucidated: it involves a change in the action site. However, the mechanism of resistance to EPSPS inhibitors was not conclusive, indicating that some hypotheses, mainly those regarding the metabolism of glyphosate in resistant plants, require further testing.
App-Based Coaching to Prevent Addictive Behaviors among Young Adults
Authors: Schmidt Hannah , Brandt Dominique , Bischof Anja , Bischof Gallus , Sürig Svenja , Gürtler Diana , Bläsing Dominic , Möhring Anne , Meyer Christian , Rehbein Florian , Neumann Merten , Dreißigacker Arne , Haug Severin , Rumpf Hans-Jürgen
Published: April 2023

Abstract: Background: Vocational students have an increased risk to engage in health-risk behaviors compared to same-aged peers. To date, evidence-based digital prevention approaches that address multiple health-risk behaviors are rare. Method: The randomized-controlled trial (RCT) “Prevention of at-risk substance and Internet use disorders among vocational students” (PARI) investigates the efficacy of an app-based prevention approach compared to a waitlist-control condition. The aim is to prevent substance-related and behavioral addictions and improve life skills. An existing app (ready4life) was adapted under consideration of focus groups with teachers, prevention experts, and students. A Delphi expert group rated the quality of the approach. The efficacy of the modified ready4life app is currently being tested in a RCT. The proactive recruitment takes place in German vocational schools. After participating in an app-based screening (T0), participants get individualized feedback and will be cluster-randomized per class to the intervention group (IG; n=1.250) or control group (CG; n=1.250). The IG chooses two out of six modules: Social competence, stress management, cannabis, tobacco, alcohol, social media/gaming. The CG receives information on how to improve health behaviors. Follow-ups are conducted after 6 months (T1) and 12 months (T2). Conclusion: This RCT provides data on a multibehavioral prevention approach for vocational students. Final results are expected in 2023.
Discrimination Experiences of Orphans and Left-Behind Children in China as Predictors of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors
Authors: Guo Hui-Bing , Li Shi-Ying
Published: April 2023

Abstract: Background: Suicide has been recognized as a serious problem in orphans and left-behind children. It is important to examine the differences in the factors affecting suicidal thoughts and behaviors between the two groups. Aims: To compare the lifetime rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors between orphans, left-behind children, and other children, and to assess the impact of discrimination experiences and the mediating role of self-esteem. Methods: A total of 2,413 children from middle schools in China completed standardized anonymous questionnaires that assessed child type, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, discrimination experiences, and self-esteem. Data analysis employed χ2 test, Pearson correlation test, and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Left-behind children had a significantly higher lifetime rates of suicidal ideation than orphans and other children (χ2 = 9.35, p < .05). Discrimination experiences significantly and positively predicted suicidal thoughts and behaviors through the mediating effect of self-esteem in orphaned children, and there was no self-esteem mediating effect found for left-behind children. Discrimination experiences had a greater impact on suicidal thoughts and behaviors for orphans than for left-behind children. Limitations: Cross-sectional studies based on self-report might lead to biased results and mean that causality cannot be inferred. Conclusions: Attention should be paid to suicidal thoughts and behaviors among vulnerable groups, especially left-behind children. Reducing discrimination and improving orphans’ self-esteem can be considered as targets of prevention and intervention for suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Long‐Living Earthquake Swarm and Intermittent Seismicity in the Northeastern Tip of the Noto Peninsula, Japan
Authors: Amezawa Y. , Hiramatsu Y. , Miyakawa A. , Imanishi K. , Otsubo M.
Published: April 2023

The factors controlling earthquake swarm duration are remain unclear, especially in the long‐living ones. A severe earthquake swarm struck the tip of the Noto peninsula, Japan. Ten M > 4.0 earthquakes occurred, and the sequence has continued more than 4 years. We investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of the swarm using relocated hypocenters to elucidate the factors causing this long duration. The swarm consists of four seismic clusters—northern, northeastern, western, and southern—the latter of which began first. Diffusive hypocenter migrations were observed in the western, northern, and northeastern clusters with moderate to low diffusivities, implying a low‐permeability environment. Rapid diffusive migration associated with intermittent seismicity deep within the southern cluster suggests the presence of a highly pressurized fluid supply. We conclude that the nature of this fluid supply combined with intermittent seismicity from the southern cluster and a low‐permeability environment are the key causes of this long‐living swarm.
Measurements of Stratospheric Water Vapor at Mauna Loa and the Effect of the Hunga Tonga Eruption
Authors: Nedoluha Gerald E. , Gomez R. Michael , Boyd Ian , Neal Helen , Allen Douglas R. , Lambert Alyn , Livesey Nathaniel J.
Published: April 2023

The eruption of Hunga Tonga in January 2022 injected an amount of water vapor into the stratosphere that is unprecedented in the satellite era. In the ensuing months Aura Microwave Limb Sounder measurements showed that this plume of water vapor spread from its original injection site at 20.5°S to Mauna Loa, Hawaii at 19.5°N, where an increase was observed in April by the ground‐based Water Vapor Millimeter‐wave Spectrometer instruments. Interannual variations in water vapor occur over Mauna Loa due to both dynamical variations in the tropical stratosphere and variations in the amount of water vapor crossing the tropical tropopause, and we place the observed stratospheric water vapor increase from Hunga Tonga into context of these other variations that have been observed since 2013.
JEDI‐Based Three‐Dimensional Ensemble‐Variational Data Assimilation System for Global Aerosol Forecasting at NCEP
Authors: Huang Bo , Pagowski Mariusz , Trahan Samuel , Martin Cory R. , Tangborn Andrew , Kondragunta Shobha , Kleist Daryl T.
Published: April 2023

A three‐dimensional ensemble‐variational global aerosol data assimilation system based on the Joint Effort for Data assimilation Integration (JEDI) was developed for the Global Ensemble Forecast System‐Aerosols (GEFS‐Aerosols) coupled with the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Aerosol mass mixing ratios in GEFS‐Aerosols were selected as control or analysis variables and were adjusted by assimilating 550 nm Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) retrievals from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments onboard the Suomi National Polar‐orbiting Partnership (S‐NPP) satellite produced by the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The original NOAA/NESDIS S‐NPP VIIRS Level 2.0 550 nm AOD retrievals were converted to JEDI Interface for Observation Data Access format. AOD forward operator and its tangent‐linear and adjoint models were implemented based on GOCART in JEDI Unified Forward Operator. A stochastically perturbed emission (SPE) approach was developed in the Common Community Physics Package‐based GEFS‐Aerosols to account for aerosol emission uncertainty. One‐month retrospective and three‐month near‐real‐time experiments consistently showed improved GEFS‐Aerosols analyses and forecasts from assimilating VIIRS 550 nm AOD retrievals against independent NASA Aqua and Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer AOD retrievals, Aerosol Robotic Network AOD, and independent AOD and aerosol analyses from NASA and European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts. Through scaling and perturbing aerosol emissions, SPE enhanced ensemble error‐spread consistency and further improved AOD assimilation. The valid‐time‐shifting ensemble approach in a cost‐effective manner of populating background ensembles showed positive impacts on AOD assimilation.
A Comparison of Arctic Ocean Sea Ice Export Between Nares Strait and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Authors: Howell S. E. L. , Babb D. G. , Landy J. C. , Moore G. W. K. , Montpetit B. , Brady M.
Published: April 2023

Nares Strait and the channels of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) act as conduits for sea ice export from the Arctic Ocean but have never been directly compared. Here, we perform such a comparison for both the sea ice area and volume fluxes from October 2016 to December 2021. Nares Strait provided the largest average seasonal (October through September) ice area flux of 95 ± 8 × 103 km2 followed by the CAA regions of the Queen Elizabeth Islands (QEI) at 41 ± 7 × 103 km2 and M’Clure Strait at 2 ± 8 × 103 km2 with corresponding ice volume fluxes of 177 ± 15 km3, 59 ± 10 km3, and 8 ± 8 km3, respectively. Larger Arctic Ocean ice export at Nares Strait was associated with a shorter ice arch duration (237 days) compared to M’Clure Strait (163 days) and QEI (65 days). Seasonal Arctic Ocean ice export was dominated by Nares Strait in 2017–2019 and 2021 but was remarkably exceeded by the QEI in 2020. Large‐scale atmospheric circulation patterns were found to influence the ice area flux in the absence of ice arches but no occurrence of coherent Arctic Ocean ice export events coinciding across all gates were observed. Average net seasonal Arctic Ocean ice area and volume export were 138 × 103 km2 and 245 km3, which represent ∼16% of the area and ∼25% of the volume of sea ice export from Fram Strait. Divergent Arctic Ocean export ice trajectories are apparent for Nares Strait and the QEI when compared to Fram Strait.
Adherence in Young People Living With Juvenile Arthritis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nelson Cecelia I. , Noel Destiny , Caes Line , McCabe Klanci M. , Duncan Christina L.
Published: April 2023

Objective:

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the leading causes of chronic pain in pediatric patients. Treatment regimens, which are critical to symptom management, can be burdensome, involving medication with potentially aversive side effects and exercise that can cause joint pain. Thus, it is important to examine the barriers and facilitators to adherence in JIA. While systematic reviews exist for rheumatic disease in adults, there has not yet been a synthesis of the literature examining adherence in JIA.

Methods:

PsychINFO, PubMed, and MEDLINE databases were systematically searched to identify qualitative and quantitative empirical studies that investigate adherence to JIA. Keywords included: “patient compliance” OR “adherence” OR “persistence”; “youth” OR “children” OR “juvenile” OR “pediatric” OR “teen” OR “child” OR “adolescent”; and “rheumatoid arthritis” OR “idiopathic arthritis” OR “arthritis.” Articles were excluded from the review if they involved nonhuman or adult samples, were nonexperimental (e.g., practice recommendations), were not peer-reviewed, or were not written in English. After abstract selection, 32 articles were included in the analyses.

Results:

Adherence to exercise regimens was consistently lower than adherence to medication. Researchers relied heavily on self-report of adherence, which suggests a need for additional research with more objective measures of adherence. Across studies, psychological treatment was not included, so adherence to this treatment component in JIA remains understudied.

Conclusions:

Results suggest that future research should target devising and evaluating interventions to improve adherence to exercise and perhaps psychological treatment.

Implications for Impact Statement

To facilitate adherence to JIA, behavioral health providers should focus on building a strong therapeutic alliance between provider and child, fostering positive coping skills in parents and children, and monitoring the parent–child relationship.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Emotional, Social, and Behavioral Health in Adolescents With Preexisting Mental Health Concerns: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Sobalvarro Sarah S. , Cepeda Javier A. , Garcia Janelle T. , Jackson Cate , Shiang Evelyn , Chakravarti Sachiv , Workman Jacob , Reese Jasmine M.
Published: April 2023

Objective:

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decline in well-being for many adolescents. However, the impact of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes among adolescents remains understudied. The current study qualitatively examined the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on adolescents with mental health concerns prior to the pandemic.

Methods:

We enrolled 20 adolescents who were engaged in care through an Adolescent Health Specialty Clinic prior to COVID-19. Participants were 12- to 19 years old who experienced mental health concerns prior to COVID-19 and experienced declining mental health (e.g., new mental health diagnosis or increased severity of previous mental health diagnosis reported during clinical visit or documented in medical chart) during the pandemic. In-depth interviews were conducted, and inductive coding was applied to transcripts to identify emergent themes.

Results:

Five key themes were identified: manifestations of declining mental health, loss of motivation, changes to social relationships, use of social media, and coping mechanisms. Adverse mental health outcomes were provoked by experiences of loneliness and social isolation, especially due to school closures which disrupted routines, access to educational and social support, and key cultural milestones. The increased uses of social media and illicit substances were notable coping strategies.

Conclusions:

Findings from this study strengthen our understanding of the key factors influencing the psychosocial well-being of adolescents during the pandemic. Our results may help inform researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to develop guidelines and community-based strategies for mitigating the potentially negative effects of future pandemic-related disruptions to mental health among adolescents.

Implications for Impact Statement

The current study examined the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on adolescents with mental health concerns prior to the pandemic. Results emphasize the importance of obtaining first-hand perspectives from adolescents to optimize their care. Providers should prioritize mental health and substance use screening given the impact of the pandemic.
RIPK1 inhibition contributes to lysosomal membrane stabilization in ischemic astrocytes via a lysosomal Hsp70.1B-dependent mechanism
Authors: Du Hua-ping , Guo Yi , Zhu Yong-ming , Gao De-fei , Lin Bo , Liu Yuan , Xu Yuan , Said Ali , Khan Taous , Liu Li-jun , Zhu Jian-jun , Ni Yong , Zhang Hui-ling
Published: April 2023

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) contributes to necroptosis. Our previous study showed that pharmacological or genetic inhibition of RIPK1 protects against ischemic stroke-induced astrocyte injury. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying RIPK1-mediated astrocyte injury in vitro and in vivo. Primary cultured astrocytes were transfected with lentiviruses and then subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). In a rat model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO), lentiviruses carrying shRNA targeting RIPK1 or shRNA targeting heat shock protein 70.1B (Hsp70.1B) were injected into the lateral ventricles 5 days before pMCAO was established. We showed that RIPK1 knockdown protected against OGD-induced astrocyte damage, blocked the OGD-mediated increase in lysosomal membrane permeability in astrocytes, and inhibited the pMCAO-induced increase in astrocyte lysosome numbers in the ischemic cerebral cortex; these results suggested that RIPK1 contributed to the lysosomal injury in ischemic astrocytes. We revealed that RIPK1 knockdown upregulated the protein levels of Hsp70.1B and increased the colocalization of Lamp1 and Hsp70.1B in ischemic astrocytes. Hsp70.1B knockdown exacerbated pMCAO-induced brain injury, decreased lysosomal membrane integrity and blocked the protective effects of the RIPK1-specific inhibitor necrostatin-1 on lysosomal membranes. On the other hand, RIPK1 knockdown further exacerbated the pMCAO- or OGD-induced decreases in the levels of Hsp90 and the binding of Hsp90 to heat shock transcription factor-1 (Hsf1) in the cytoplasm, and RIPK1 knockdown promoted the nuclear translocation of Hsf1 in ischemic astrocytes, resulting in increased Hsp70.1B mRNA expression. These results suggest that inhibition of RIPK1 protects ischemic astrocytes by stabilizing lysosomal membranes via the upregulation of lysosomal Hsp70.1B; the mechanism underlying these effects involves decreased Hsp90 protein levels, increased Hsf1 nuclear translocation and increased Hsp70.1B mRNA expression.
A tumor microenvironment model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia enables drug sensitivity testing to guide precision medicine
Authors: Hermansen Johanne U. , Yin Yanping , Urban Aleksandra , Myklebust Camilla V. , Karlsen Linda , Melvold Katrine , Tveita Anders A. , Taskén Kjetil , Munthe Ludvig A. , Tjønnfjord Geir E. , Skånland Sigrid S.
Published: April 2023

The microenvironment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells in lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow provides survival, proliferation, and drug resistance signals. Therapies need to be effective in these compartments, and pre-clinical models of CLL that are used to test drug sensitivity must mimic the tumor microenvironment to reflect clinical responses. Ex vivo models have been developed that capture individual or multiple aspects of the CLL microenvironment, but they are not necessarily compatible with high-throughput drug screens. Here, we report on a model that has reasonable associated costs, can be handled in a regularly equipped cell lab, and is compatible with ex vivo functional assays including drug sensitivity screens. The CLL cells are cultured with fibroblasts that express the ligands APRIL, BAFF and CD40L for 24 h. The transient co-culture was shown to support survival of primary CLL cells for at least 13 days, and mimic in vivo drug resistance signals. Ex vivo sensitivity and resistance to the Bcl-2 antagonist venetoclax correlated with in vivo responses. The assay was used to identify treatment vulnerabilities and guide precision medicine for a patient with relapsed CLL. Taken together, the presented CLL microenvironment model enables clinical implementation of functional precision medicine in CLL.
Unusual double ligand holes as catalytic active sites in LiNiO2
Authors: Huang Haoliang , Chang Yu-Chung , Huang Yu-Cheng , Li Lili , Komarek Alexander C. , Tjeng Liu Hao , Orikasa Yuki , Pao Chih-Wen , Chan Ting-Shan , Chen Jin-Ming , Haw Shu-Chih , Zhou Jing , Wang Yifeng , Lin Hong-Ji , Chen Chien-Te , Dong Chung-Li , Kuo Chang-Yang , Wang Jian-Qiang , Hu Zhiwei , Zhang Linjuan
Published: April 2023

Designing efficient catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of importance for energy conversion devices. The anionic redox allows formation of O-O bonds and offers higher OER activity than the conventional metal sites. Here, we successfully prepare LiNiO2with a dominant 3d8Lconfiguration (Lis a hole at O 2p) under high oxygen pressure, and achieve a double ligand holes 3d8L2under OER since one electron removal occurs at O 2porbitals for NiIIIoxides. LiNiO2exhibits super-efficient OER activity among LiMO2,RMO3(M = transition metal,R = rare earth) and other unary 3d catalysts. Multiple in situ/operando spectroscopies reveal NiIII→NiIVtransition together with Li-removal during OER. Our theory indicates that NiIV(3d8L2) leads to direct O-O coupling between lattice oxygen and *O intermediates accelerating the OER activity. These findings highlight a new way to design the lattice oxygen redox with enough ligand holes created in OER process.
High ploidy large cytoplasmic megakaryocytes are hematopoietic stem cells regulators and essential for platelet production
Authors: Heazlewood Shen Y. , Ahmad Tanveer , Cao Benjamin , Cao Huimin , Domingues Melanie , Sun Xuan , Heazlewood Chad K. , Li Songhui , Williams Brenda , Fulton Madeline , White Jacinta F. , Nebl Tom , Nefzger Christian M. , Polo Jose M. , Kile Benjamin T. , Kraus Felix , Ryan Michael T. , Sun Yu B. , Choong Peter F. M. , Ellis Sarah L. , Anko Minna-Liisa , Nilsson Susan K.
Published: April 2023

Megakaryocytes (MK) generate platelets. Recently, we and others, have reported MK also regulate hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Here we show high ploidy large cytoplasmic megakaryocytes (LCM) are critical negative regulators of HSC and critical for platelet formation. Using a mouse knockout model (Pf4-Srsf3Δ/Δ) with normal MK numbers, but essentially devoid of LCM, we demonstrate a pronounced increase in BM HSC concurrent with endogenous mobilization and extramedullary hematopoiesis. Severe thrombocytopenia is observed in animals with diminished LCM, although there is no change in MK ploidy distribution, uncoupling endoreduplication and platelet production. When HSC isolated from a microenvironment essentially devoid of LCM reconstitute hematopoiesis in lethally irradiated mice, the absence of LCM increases HSC in BM, blood and spleen, and the recapitulation of thrombocytopenia. In contrast, following a competitive transplant using minimal numbers of WT HSC together with HSC from a microenvironment with diminished LCM, sufficient WT HSC-generated LCM regulates a normal HSC pool and prevents thrombocytopenia. Importantly, LCM are conserved in humans.
Motor cortex gates distractor stimulus encoding in sensory cortex
Authors: Zhang Zhaoran , Zagha Edward
Published: April 2023

Suppressing responses to distractor stimuli is a fundamental cognitive function, essential for performing goal-directed tasks. A common framework for the neuronal implementation of distractor suppression is the attenuation of distractor stimuli from early sensory to higher-order processing. However, details of the localization and mechanisms of attenuation are poorly understood. We trained mice to selectively respond to target stimuli in one whisker field and ignore distractor stimuli in the opposite whisker field. During expert task performance, optogenetic inhibition of whisker motor cortex increased the overall tendency to respond and the detection of distractor whisker stimuli. Within sensory cortex, optogenetic inhibition of whisker motor cortex enhanced the propagation of distractor stimuli into target-preferring neurons. Single unit analyses revealed that whisker motor cortex (wMC) decorrelates target and distractor stimulus encoding in target-preferring primary somatosensory cortex (S1) neurons, which likely improves selective target stimulus detection by downstream readers. Moreover, we observed proactive top-down modulation from wMC to S1, through the differential activation of putative excitatory and inhibitory neurons before stimulus onset. Overall, our studies support a contribution of motor cortex to sensory selection, in suppressing behavioral responses to distractor stimuli by gating distractor stimulus propagation within sensory cortex.