bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The current clinical practice for management of post-infarction ventricular septal rupture: a European survey
Authors: Ronco Daniele , Ariza-Solé Albert , Kowalewski Mariusz , Matteucci Matteo , Di Mauro Michele , López-de-Sá Esteban , Ranucci Marco , Sionis Alessandro , Bonaros Nikolaos , De Bonis Michele , Russo Claudio Francesco , Uribarri Aitor , Montero Santiago , Fischlein Theodor , Kowalówka Adam , Naito Shiho , Obadia Jean-François , Martín-Asenjo Roberto , Aboal Jaime , Thielmann Matthias , Simon Caterina , Andrea-Riba Rut , Parra Carolina , Folliguet Thierry , Martínez-Sellés Manuel , Sanmartín Fernández Marcelo , Al-Attar Nawwar , Viana Tejedor Ana , Serraino Giuseppe Filiberto , Burgos Palacios Virginia , Boeken Udo , Raposeiras Roubin Sergio , Solla Buceta Miguel Antonio , Sánchez Fernández Pedro Luis , Scrofani Roberto , Pastor Báez Gemma , Jorge Pérez Pablo , Actis Dato Guglielmo , Garcia-Rubira Juan Carlos , de Gea Garcia Jose H , Massimi Giulio , Musazzi Andrea , Lorusso Roberto
Published: September 2023

Aims

Many historical and recent reports showed that post-infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR) represents a life-threatening condition and the strategy to optimally manage it remains undefined. Therefore, disparate treatment policies among different centres with variable results are often described. We analysed data from European centres to capture the current clinical practice in VSR management.

Methods and results

Thirty-nine centres belonging to eight European countries participated in a survey, filling a digital form of 38 questions from April to October 2022, to collect information about all the aspects of VSR treatment. Most centres encounter 1–5 VSR cases/year. Surgery remains the treatment of choice over percutaneous closure (71.8% vs. 28.2%). A delayed repair represents the preferred approach (87.2%). Haemodynamic conditions influence the management in almost all centres, although some try to achieve patients stabilization and delayed surgery even in cardiogenic shock. Although 33.3% of centres do not perform coronarography in unstable patients, revascularization approaches are widely variable. Most centres adopt mechanical circulatory support (MCS), mostly extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, especially pre-operatively to stabilize patients and achieve delayed repair. Post-operatively, such MCS are more often adopted in patients with ventricular dysfunction.

Conclusion

In real-life, delayed surgery, regardless of the haemodynamic conditions, is the preferred strategy for VSR management in Europe. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is becoming the most frequently adopted MCS as bridge-to-operation. This survey provides a useful background to develop dedicated, prospective studies to strengthen the current evidence on VSR treatment and to help improving its currently unsatisfactory outcomes.
Endothelial damage inhibitor preserves the integrity of venous endothelial cells from patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery
Authors: Nazari-Shafti Timo Z , Thau Henriette , Zacharova Ema , Beez Christien M , Exarchos Vasileios , Neuber Sebastian , Meyborg Heike , Puhl Kerstin , Wittig Corey , Szulcek Robert , Neumann Konrad , Giampietro Costanza , Krüger Katrin , Cesarovic Nikola , Falk Volkmar , Caliskan Etem , Rodriguez Cetina Biefer Hector , Emmert Maximilian Y
Published: September 2023

OBJECTIVES

Despite the success of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery using autologous saphenous vein grafts (SVGs), nearly 50% of patients experience vein graft disease within 10 years of surgery. One contributing factor to early vein graft disease is endothelial damage during short-term storage of SVGs in inappropriate solutions. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of a novel endothelial damage inhibitor (EDI) on SVGs from patients undergoing elective CABG surgery and on venous endothelial cells (VECs) derived from these SVGs.

METHODS

SVGs from 11 patients participating in an ongoing clinical registry (NCT02922088) were included in this study, and incubated with both full electrolyte solution (FES) or EDI for 1 h and then examined histologically. In 8 of 11 patients, VECs were isolated from untreated grafts, incubated with both FES and EDI for 2 h under hypothermic stress conditions and then analysed for activation of an inflammatory phenotype, cell damage and cytotoxicity, as well as endothelial integrity and barrier function.

RESULTS

The EDI was superior to FES in protecting the endothelium in SVGs (74 ± 8% versus 56 ± 8%, P < 0.001). Besides confirming that the EDI prevents apoptosis in SVG-derived VECs, we also showed that the EDI temporarily reduces adherens junctions in VECs while protecting focal adhesions compared to FES.

CONCLUSIONS

The EDI protects the connectivity and function of the SVG endothelium. Our data suggest that the EDI can preserve focal adhesions in VECs during short-term storage after graft harvesting. This might explain the superiority of the EDI in maintaining most of the endothelium in venous CABG surgery conduits.
Children’s outcomes in road traffic accidents: challenges for personal injury assessment
Authors: Cunha-Diniz Flávia , Taveira-Gomes Tiago , Teixeira José M , Magalhães Teresa
Published: September 2023

Children represent a specific group of road traffic accident (RTA) victims. Performing a personal injury assessment (PIA) on a child presents a significant challenge, especially when assessing permanent disabilities and needs. However, medico-legal recommendations for PIA in such cases are lacking. The main objective of this study was to analyse the differences between children and a young- and middle-aged adult population of RTA victims to contribute to the development of relevant guidelines. Secondary objectives were to identify and characterize specifics of children’s posttraumatic damages regarding: (i) temporary and permanent outcomes; and (ii) medico-legal damage parameters in the Portuguese context. We performed a retrospective study of RTA victims by comparing two groups (n = 114 each) matched for acute injury severity (SD = 0.01): G1 (children) and G2 (young- and middle-aged adults). Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios. G1 presented a greater chance of evolving without or with less severe body, functional and situational outcomes (three-dimensional assessment methodology), and with lower permanent functional disability values than G2. Our findings suggest that childhood trauma generally has a better prognosis than trauma in young- and middle-aged adults. This study generated evidence on the subject and highlighted the most significant difficulties encountered by medico-legal experts when performing PIA in children.

Key points
Genome assembly and analysis of Lactuca virosa: implications for lettuce breeding
Authors: Xiong Wei , van Workum Dirk-Jan M , Berke Lidija , Bakker Linda V , Schijlen Elio , Becker Frank F M , van de Geest Henri , Peters Sander , Michelmore Richard , van Treuren Rob , Jeuken Marieke , Smit Sandra , Schranz M Eric
Published: September 2023

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a leafy vegetable crop with ongoing breeding efforts related to quality, resilience, and innovative production systems. To breed resilient and resistant lettuce in the future, valuable genetic variation found in close relatives could be further exploited. Lactuca virosa (2x = 2n = 18), a wild relative assigned to the tertiary lettuce gene pool, has a much larger genome (3.7 Gbp) than Lactuca sativa (2.5 Gbp). It has been used in interspecific crosses and is a donor to modern crisphead lettuce cultivars. Here, we present a de novo reference assembly of L. virosa with high continuity and complete gene space. This assembly facilitated comparisons to the genome of L. sativa and to that of the wild species L. saligna, a representative of the secondary lettuce gene pool. To assess the diversity in gene content, we classified the genes of the 3 Lactuca species as core, accessory, and unique. In addition, we identified 3 interspecific chromosomal inversions compared to L. sativa, which each may cause recombination suppression and thus hamper future introgression breeding. Using 3-way comparisons in both reference-based and reference-free manners, we show that the proliferation of long-terminal repeat elements has driven the genome expansion of L. virosa. Further, we performed a genome-wide comparison of immune genes, nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat, and receptor-like kinases among Lactuca spp. and indicated the evolutionary patterns and mechanisms behind their expansions. These genome analyses greatly facilitate the understanding of genetic variation in L. virosa, which is beneficial for the breeding of improved lettuce varieties.
The role of the glycome in symbiotic host-microbe interactions
Authors: Aminov Rustam , Aminova Leila
Published: September 2023

Glycosylation plays a crucial role in many aspects of cell biology, including cellular and organismal integrity, structure-and-function of many glycosylated molecules in the cell, signal transduction, development, cancer, and in a number of diseases. Besides, at the inter-organismal level of interaction, a variety of glycosylated molecules are involved in the host-microbiota recognition and initiation of downstream signalling cascades depending on the outcomes of the glycome-mediated ascertainment. The role of glycosylation in host-microbe interactions is better elaborated within the context of virulence and pathogenicity in bacterial infection processes but the symbiotic host-microbe relationships also involve substantive glycome-mediated interactions. The works in the latter field have been reviewed to a much lesser extent, and the main aim of this mini-review is to compensate for this deficiency and summarise the role of glycomics in host-microbe symbiotic interactions.
15. Ethnicities, racism, crime, and criminal justice
Authors: Phillips Coretta , Bowling Ben , Parmar Alpa
Published: September 2023

Offending, victimization, policing, the work of the courts, and imprisonment are patterned by differences between different ethnic groups. This chapter explores these long-standing patterns and critically examines the reasons for the often uneasy and conflictual relationship between minority ethnic groups and agents of the criminal justice system. It also interrogates new manifestations of ethnic patterns in crime and the administration of justice, particularly those linked to the global issues of controlling migration and terrorism. Finally, the chapter considers how criminological scholarship has developed in this subfield of race, ethnicity, and crime.
34. Punishment, victimhood, and social control: towards a criminology of transitional justice
Authors: McEvoy Kieran , Dudai Ron , Lawther Cheryl
Published: September 2023

This chapter explores the intersection between criminology and transitional justice. It explores a range of debates related to the punishment of offenders in the circumstances of post-conflict or post-authoritarian societies, including the role of prosecutions, amnesties, the reintegration of former combatants, and the role of restorative justice. The chapter next considers the social and political construction of victimhood in transitional contexts including competing notions of the ‘idealized’ victim. The relationship between transitional justice and social control is then examined including the importance of countering denial, the relationship between deviance and memory and the particular contribution of efforts ‘from below’ to counter elites-level narratives on past abuses. The chapter concludes that a criminology of transitional justice provides the basis for revisiting some of the foundational questions on responding to crime and justice in the most challenging of settings—a sobering but intellectually rich research agenda for years to come.
38. Reconfiguring and reimagining penal power
Authors: Crewe Ben , Liebling Alison
Published: September 2023

This chapter examines changing forms and consequences of power in contemporary prisons in England and Wales. It begins by discussing the ways in which power has been treated within the penological literature, critiquing the tendency among some scholars to focus on its most coercive forms. It goes on to consider the connections between prisoner experiences and the use of authority by prison staff, detailing the different textures that result according to the specific ways that staff exercise their power. The chapter then considers the implications of these differences with regard to matters such as ‘respect’ in prison, the centrality of staff professionalism to prison life, the self-legitimacy of prison officers, and ‘good’ uses of penal power. After detailing recent transitions in the prison system in England and Wales, the chapter explores the consequences of these changes in relation to prisoner behavior, power-sharing between staff and prisoners, and other staff practices. It concludes by identifying the connections between different modes of penal authority, order and legitimacy.
39. Punishment in the community: Evolution, expansion, and moderation
Authors: Robinson Gwen , McNeill Fergus
Published: September 2023

This chapter examines the development and expansion of community sanctions and measures in the UK since the introduction of probation in the early twentieth century. After introducing the main types of punishment in the community (supervision; unpaid work; treatment and other activities; restrictions and prohibitions), it considers their evolution in relation to four main rationales: rehabilitation, reparation, management, and punitiveness. The chapter then reviews some key sociological perspectives on punishment in the community, focusing on work inspired by Foucault, Durkheim, and Marx. Finally, it provides an introduction to recent research on punishment in the community in other jurisdictions, particularly Europe and the USA. The chapter presents two main conclusions: firstly, that there is now substantial international evidence to suggest that the expansion of punishment in the community has failed to deliver reductions in the use of imprisonment; and secondly, that arguments for penal moderation should take into account the ‘painful’ character of community sanctions and measures.
43. Criminological engagements
Authors: Liebling Alison , McNeill Fergus , Schmidt Bethany E.
Published: September 2023

This chapter considers the relationships between criminology and the worlds of penal policy, practice, and activism. It focuses, in particular, on the day-to-day interactions the authors of the chapter forge in their research lives and on their effects and failures as engaged criminologists. The chapter supports forms of criminological engagement that are subtle, long term, and relational rather than occasional, mechanical, linear, or instrumental, and proposes that these forms of engagement improve understanding but require constant reflection and negotiation. This chapter argues that knowledge-generation is slow and cumulative; it takes time to ‘read a situation’ in complex human and social environments and it should be an iterative process with those in research, in practice, or with lived experience teaching and learning from each other every step of the way. For knowledge to ‘do good’, it needs to be (qualitatively) ‘good’. It should be produced through patient, honest, rigorous, and disciplined, but also deeply engaged, forms of enquiry. This chapter suggests that our institutional structures often fail to support this model of research.
Body mass index effect on long-term survival after coronary artery bypass surgery: a competing risk analysis
Authors: Abreu Armando , Máximo José , Saraiva Francisca , Leite-Moreira Adelino
Published: September 2023

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this sudy was to investigate the presence of an obesity paradox on the long-term mortality of patients undergoing primary isolated coronary artery bypass surgery and to uncover whether any discrepancy found could be attributable to cardiovascular or noncardiovascular causes.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 5242 consecutive patients with body mass index (BMI) over 18.5 kg/m2 undergoing primary isolated coronary artery bypass surgery, performed from 2000 to 2015, in a Portuguese level III Hospital. The primary end point was long-term all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were long-term cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular and noncardiovascular). We fitted overall, and cause-specific hazard models, with BMI forced both as a categorical (using World Health Organization predefined cutoffs) and as a continuous variable.

RESULTS

Follow-up was 99.7% complete. The median follow-up time was 12.79 years (interquartile range, 9.51–16.61). The cumulative incidence functions failed to uncover any difference in 15-year all-cause (log-rank test, P = 0.400), cardiovascular (Gray's test, P = 0.996) and noncardiovascular mortality (Gray's test, P = 0.305) between BMI categories. Likewise, extensive multivariable-adjusted Cox regression and cause-specific hazards models failed to demonstrate in-between category differences, with BMI forced as a categorical variable. On the other hand, using BMI as a continuous variable, the model identified the optimal BMI as between 25.8 and 30.3 kg/m2 (nadir around 28.9 kg/m2), albeit this was dependent on the definition of the reference value.

CONCLUSIONS

In this longitudinal, population-level analysis of patients undergoing isolated primary coronary artery bypass grafting, we could not attest to any protective effect of obesity on long-term survival.
The Fading of the Mpox Outbreak Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Mathematical Modelling Study
Authors: Xiridou Maria , Miura Fuminari , Adam Philippe , Op de Coul Eline , de Wit John , Wallinga Jacco
Published: September 2023

Background

In the Netherlands, the number of mpox cases started declining before mpox vaccination was initiated. Most cases were men who have sex with men (MSM). We investigated whether the decline in mpox could be attributed to infection-induced immunity or behavioral adaptations.

Methods

We developed a transmission model and accounted for possible behavioral adaptations: fewer casual partners and shorter time until MSM with mpox refrain from sexual contacts.

Results

Without behavioral adaptations, the peak in modelled cases matched observations, but the decline was less steep than observed. With behavioral adaptations in the model, we found a decline of 16%–18% in numbers of casual partners in June and 13%–22% in July 2022. Model results showed a halving of the time before refraining from sex. When mpox vaccination started, 57% of MSM with very high sexual activity in the model had been infected. Model scenarios revealed that the outbreak could have waned by November 2022 even without vaccination.

Conclusions

The limited duration of the mpox outbreak in the Netherlands can be ascribed primarily to infection-induced immunity among MSM with high sexual activity levels. The decline was accelerated by behavioral adaptations. Immunity among those most sexually active is essential to impede mpox resurgence.
Optical fiber sensors in infrastructure monitoring: a comprehensive review
Authors: Chen Bangkuang , Zhu Zirui , Su Ziteng , Yao Wang , Zheng Shijie , Wang Ping
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this article is to review and further promote the application of optical fiber sensor technology in infrastructure monitoring. Compared with traditional sensors, optical fiber sensors have low maintenance costs and are small in size; consequently, they have gradually become a future development direction of sensors. This paper introduces the basic principles of several commonly used optical fiber sensors and the progress of optical fiber sensors in the monitoring of physical, mechanical, and chemical parameters and demonstrates the applications of optical fiber sensors in infrastructure.
Optimization of a Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled with a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Diode Array Ultraviolet Detection Method for Monitoring of Different Antibiotic Class Residues in Water Samples
Authors: Mahmoud Rania A , Hadad Ghada M , Abdel Salam Randa A , Mokhtar Hatem I
Published: September 2023

Background

The increased use of cephalosporin antibiotics in the last few years as well as the detection of their residues in wastewater treatment plants and hospital wastewater poses a risk for infiltration of their residues into environmental water samples.

Objective

A simplified, sensitive, and convenient solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure coupled with either HPLC or fast HPLC methods with diode array detection was developed and validated to screen the residues of six different cephalosporin antibiotics: cefoperazone, cefipime, ceftazedime, ceftriaxone, cefdinir, and cefotaxime, along with amoxicillin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin in water samples.

Methods

An HPLC–diode array detector (HPLC–DAD) method and a fast HPLC method, based on a core-shell stationary phase, were developed for the fast screening of the antibiotic compounds. In addition, the SPE step was optimized to enable the extraction of the studied drugs with high accuracy of the recovered amounts of residues.

Results

The method sensitivity was enhanced by the coupling of SPE with HPLC–DAD and fast HPLC to achieve low LODs; from 0.2 to 3.8 ng/mL and from 0.65 to 12.2 ng/mL, respectively. The developed methods were augmented by LC–MS/MS determination for confirmation of identity and quantity of any positively identified sample. The method was applied to the analysis of water samples collected from a rural site. In Addition, an example application of cleaning validation of cefotaxime-contaminated stainless-steel surfaces was provided.

Conclusion

The method’s simplicity and high sensitivity encourage its application in monitoring of antibiotic residues in different types of water samples such as environmental samples and samples from cleaning validation activities.

Highlights

HPLC–DAD and fast HPLC methods were developed for separation of nine different antibiotics. The combination with the SPE procedure achieved low detection limits; from 0.2 to 3.8 ng/mL for SPE–HPLC–DAD and from 0.65 to 12.2 ng/mL for SPE–fast HPLC.
Prevalence and potential evolutionary significance of color variants in freshwater crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidea)
Authors: Graham Zackary A
Published: September 2023

Mutations may lead to the evolution and diversification of color phenotypes in animals. Much of the research on this topic, however, has been conducted on vertebrates. I compile here records of color variants in freshwater crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidea). I found color variants to be surprisingly common, with 115 documented occurrences. The overwhelming majority of these variants were blue-colored (71.3%), although there are records of document red and orange variants, among others. Whether these variants are all due to mutations or can lead to adaptive evolution in crayfishes is unknown. Some crayfish species exhibit conspicuous colors like blue, orange, and red in nature. Many of these conspicuously colored species are also semi-terrestrial burrowers, which have limited migration potential, smaller population sizes, and thus reduced gene flow compared to aquatic burrowing crayfishes. I speculate that in at least some species, conspicuous colors may be a neutral color trait that faces little to no selective pressure. This is one potential explanation as to why semi-terrestrial burrowing species are more likely to be conspicuously colored. Genetic studies and behavioral experiments are required to test this hypothesis.
Seismic random noise attenuation using DnCNN with stratigraphic dip constraint
Authors: Yang Wei , Chen Xuehua , Rao Ying
Published: September 2023

In this paper, a method for seismic random noise detection and suppression using a denoising convolutional neural network (DnCNN) is presented. Thanks to the residual learning and batch normalization, deep learning networks can converge faster, the gradient descent and disappearance due to the increase of network layers are solved, and the residual results can be predicted more accurately. For seismic data, the variance estimation method is useful for obtaining an accurate noise distribution model and statistical parameters that provide a useful assessment of the noise level. With the variance estimation method based on weak texture blocks, a noise distribution model and statistical parameters can be derived with high accuracy, and this method effectively estimates seismic noise levels. The DnCNN networks are trained, and non-Gaussian noise reduction technology is used to achieve blind noise reduction at unknown levels, improving the noise reduction of seismic data. In addition, stratigraphic dip characteristics related to layer structure are used as DnCNN training network constraints to prevent effective signals in seismic data from being corrupted by conventional DnCNN noise reduction methods. Geological features such as faults and fracture-cavities can be effectively protected. Carbonate faults in the Tarim Basin in China are affected by the desert surface and the depth at which reservoirs are buried. The seismic data has a low signal-to-noise ratio, and the effective signals of the reservoir are low resolution. The seismic data can be effectively enhanced with this method for noise reduction in this area, the fracture-cavity is effectively displayed, and the fault features are also highlighted.
Exploring the Impact of Automation Bias and Complacency on Individual Criminal Responsibility for War Crimes
Authors: Coco Antonio
Published: September 2023

With advancing technology, complex decision-making in warfare, including targeting, is increasingly assisted by machines. Although involving humans in decision-making is often seen as a safeguard against machine errors, it does not always prevent them. Machines can make incorrect determinations or delay them when time is critical. In these cases, human operators, influenced by automation bias (excessive trust in machines’ determinations, despite the availability of contradicting or different information from other sources) or complacency (excessive trust in machines’ determinations, leading to reduced vigilance), may fail to recognize machine errors, potentially resulting in conduct amounting to a war crime. Considering the role of automation bias and complacency in the determination of the criminal responsibility of systems’ operators is crucial, especially, for understanding the accountability framework for war crimes involving autonomous weapon systems (AWS). By exploring how automation bias and complacency affect the determination of criminal responsibility for humans who operate AWS, this article offers insights for lawmakers at the national and international levels to understand complexities and effectively shape legislative responses with respect to criminal responsibility. This article also examines automation bias and complacency in psychology, their relevance in military operations employing AWS, and their potential to exonerate human operators from criminal responsibility. It concludes by advocating for legislative, organizational, and technical measures to counteract automation bias and complacency.
A rapid multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) assay for detection of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia duodenalis
Authors: Mewara Abhishek , Khunger Sandhya , Sharma Chayan , Krishnamoorthi Sivanantham , Singh Shreya , Yadav Rakesh , Khurana Sumeeta , Sehgal Rakesh
Published: September 2023

We developed a rapid multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) assay for two common intestinal parasites—Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia duodenalis, where early detection may be helpful. The mLAMP assay was optimized for the detection of DNA of E. histolytica (18S rRNA gene) and G. duodenalis (Elongation factor 1 alpha gene) from standard strains by using six specific primers FIP (forward inner primer), BIP (backward inner primer), F3 (forward outer primer), B3 (backward outer primer), loopF (forward loop primer), and loopB (backward loop primer) for each gene target. The amplification time was 16–26 min for E. histolytica and 10–15 min for G. duodenalis, and the parasites could be distinguished based on melting-curve analysis for specific annealing temperatures (Tm) of 84°C–86°C and 88°C–90°C for E. histolytica and G. duodenalis, respectively. The analytical sensitivity was one fg, and no cross-reactivity with other intestinal pathogens was observed. Thus, the mLAMP assay could detect and clearly distinguish E. histolytica and G. duodenalis with a rapid turnaround time and excellent analytical sensitivity and specificity.
Influence of three parameters on maximum mass and stability of strange star under linear f(Q) − action
Authors: Lohakare Santosh V , Maurya S K , Singh Ksh Newton , Mishra B , Errehymy Abdelghani
Published: September 2023

This study simulates strange stars in f(Q) gravity with an additional source under an electric field using gravitational decoupling by means of the complete geometric deformation (CGD) technique. By employing the Tolman ansatz and the MIT bag model equation of state (EOS), we explore bounded star configurations derived from the $\theta _0^0 = \rho$ and $\theta _1^1 = p_r$ sectors within the CGD formalism. Our models are subjected to physical viability tests, and we analyse the impact of anisotropy and the electric charge parameter E0 as well as the coupling parameters α and β1. Comparisons are made with observational constraints, including GW190814, neutron stars PSR J1614-2230, PSR J1903 + 6620, Cen X-3, and LMC X-4. Notably, we achieve the presence of a lower ‘mass gap’ component by adjusting parameters α and β1. Our models exhibit well-behaved mass profiles, internal regularity, and stability, along with the absence of gravitational collapse verified through the Buchdahl–Andréasson’s limit. In addition, we present a detailed physical analysis based on three parameters, α (decoupling strength), β1 (f(Q)–coupling), and Q (surface charge). This study provides insights into the behaviour of compact objects in f(Q) gravity and expands our understanding of strange star configurations within this framework.
Massive dark matter haloes at high redshift: implications for observations in the JWST era
Authors: Chen Yangyao , Mo H J , Wang Kai
Published: September 2023

The presence of massive galaxies at high z as recently observed by JWST appears to contradict the current ΛCDM cosmology. Here, we aim to alleviate this tension by incorporating uncertainties from three sources in counting galaxies: cosmic variance, error in stellar mass estimation, and backsplash enhancement. Each of these factors significantly increases the cumulative stellar mass density ρ*(>M*) at the high-mass end, and their combined effect can boost the density by more than one order of magnitude. Assuming a star formation efficiency of ϵ* ∼ 0.5, cosmic variance alone reduces the tension to a 2σ level, except for the most massive galaxy at z = 8. Additionally, incorporating a 0.3 dex lognormal dispersion in the stellar mass estimation brings the observed ρ*(>M*) at z ∼ 7–10 within 2σ. The tension is completely eliminated when we account for the gas stripped from backsplash haloes. These results highlight the importance of fully modelling uncertainties when interpreting observational data of rare objects. We use the constrained simulation, ELUCID, to investigate the descendants of high-z massive galaxies. Our findings reveal that a significant portion of these galaxies ultimately resides in massive haloes at z = 0 with $M_{\rm halo} \gt 10^{13}\, h^{-1}{\rm M_\odot }$. Moreover, a large fraction of local central galaxies in $M_{\rm halo} \geqslant 10^{14.5} \, h^{-1}{\rm M_\odot }$ haloes are predicted to contain substantial amounts of ancient stars formed in massive galaxies at z ∼ 8. This prediction can be tested by studying the structure and stellar population of central galaxies in present-day massive clusters.
Glass-like random catalogues for two-point estimates on the light-cone
Authors: Schulz Sebastian
Published: September 2023

We introduce grlic, a publicly available Python tool for generating glass-like point distributions with a radial density profile n(r) as it is observed in large-scale surveys of galaxy distributions on the past light-cone. Utilizing these glass-like catalogues, we assess the bias and variance of the Landy–Szalay (LS) estimator of the first three two-point correlation function (2PCF) multipoles in halo and particle catalogues created with the cosmological N-body code gevolution. Our results demonstrate that the LS estimator calculated with the glass-like catalogues is biased by less than 10−4 with respect to the estimate derived from Poisson-sampled random catalogues, for all multipoles considered and on all but the smallest scales. Additionally, the estimates derived from glass-like catalogues exhibit significantly smaller standard deviation σ than estimates based on commonly used Poisson-sampled random catalogues of comparable size. The standard deviation of the estimate depends on a power of the number of objects NR in the random catalogue; we find a power law $\sigma \propto N_\mathit{R}^{-0.9}$ for glass-like catalogues as opposed to $\sigma \propto N_\mathit{R}^{-0.48}$ using Poisson-sampled random catalogues. Given a required precision, this allows for a much reduced number of objects in the glass-like catalogues used for the LS estimate of the 2PCF multipoles, significantly reducing the computational costs of each estimate.
Statistics of pressure fluctuations in turbulent kinetic plasmas
Authors: Adhikari S , Matthaeus W H , Parashar T N , Shay M A , Cassak P A
Published: September 2023

In this study, we explore the statistics of pressure fluctuations in kinetic collisionless turbulence. A 2.5D kinetic particle-in-cell simulation of decaying turbulence is used to investigate pressure balance via the evolution of thermal and magnetic pressure in a plasma with β of order unity. We also discuss the behaviour of thermal, magnetic, and total pressure structure functions and their corresponding wavenumber spectra. The total pressure spectrum exhibits a slope of −7/3 extending for about a decade in the ion-inertial range. In contrast, shallower −5/3 spectra are characteristic of the magnetic pressure and thermal pressure. The steeper total pressure spectrum is a consequence of cancellation caused by density-magnetic field magnitude anti-correlation. Further, we evaluate higher order total pressure structure functions in an effort to discuss intermittency and compare the power exponents with higher order structure functions of velocity and magnetic fluctuations. Finally, applications to astrophysical systems are also discussed.
Can envelope backwarming of discs explain mm-bright, extended protostellar structures?
Authors: Han Fiona , Hartmann Lee , Calvet Nuria , Franco-Hernández Ramiro
Published: September 2023

We construct simple models to explore in principle whether the backwarming by radiation from infalling envelopes can significantly heat and change the structure of protoplanetary discs. The motivation for this investigation is the recent study of a small subset of Orion protostars by Karnath et al., who argued that the bright, extended, and irregular sub-mm and mm emission did not arise from protostellar discs because the images were not elongated as expected. We therefore constructed simple disc models to see whether heating from the envelope surrounding a disc could in principle significantly increase disc scale heights and thus produce less-elongated images. We assume steady accretion and solve the radiative transfer self-consistently. For central luminosities and envelopes roughly comparable to the Karnath et al. protostars, we find that while envelope irradiation can significantly heat the discs, the magnitude of the effect only increases scale heights by modest factors, and so our models cannot easily account for the observed morphologies. We speculate that dynamical perturbations by companion protostars might be responsible for the observed complex structure.
Hydrodynamical simulations of circumbinary accretion: balance between heating and cooling
Authors: Wang Hai-Yang , Bai Xue-Ning , Lai Dong , Lin Douglas N C
Published: September 2023

Hydrodynamical interaction in circumbinary discs (CBDs) plays a crucial role in various astrophysical systems, ranging from young stellar binaries to supermassive black hole binaries in galactic centres. Most previous simulations of binary-disc systems have adopted locally isothermal equation of state. In this study, we use the grid-based code Athena++ to conduct a suite of two-dimensional viscous hydrodynamical simulations of circumbinary accretion on a Cartesian grid, resolving the central cavity of the binary. The gas thermodynamics is treated by thermal relaxation towards an equilibrium temperature (based on the constant − β cooling ansatz, where β is the cooling time in units of the local Keplerian time). Focusing on equal mass, circular binaries in CBDs with (equilibrium) disc aspect ratio H/R = 0.1, we find that the cooling of the disc gas significantly influences the binary orbital evolution, accretion variability, and CBD morphology, and the effect depends sensitively on the disc viscosity prescriptions. When adopting a constant kinematic viscosity, a finite cooling time (β ≳ 0.1) leads to a binary inspiral as opposed to an outspiral and the CBD cavity becomes more symmetric. When adopting a dynamically varying α-viscosity, binary inspiral only occurs within a narrow range of cooling time (corresponding to β around 0.5).
Radio-continuum decrements associated to shadowing from the central warp in transition disc DoAr 44
Authors: Arce-Tord Carla , Casassus Simon , Dent William R F , Pérez Sebastián , Cárcamo Miguel , Weber Philipp , Engler Natalia , Cieza Lucas A , Hales Antonio , Zurlo Alice , Marino Sebastian
Published: September 2023

Warps have often been used to explain disc properties, but well-characterized examples are important due to their role in disc evolution. Scattered light images of discs with central gaps have revealed sharp warps, such that the outer rings are shadowed by tilted inner discs. The near-infrared intensity drops along the ring around T-Tauri star DoAr 44 have been interpreted in terms of a central warp. We report new ALMA observations of DoAr 44 in the continuum at 230 and 350 GHz (at ∼10 au), along with a new epoch of Spectro Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE)/Infrared Dual-band Imager and Spectrograph differential polarized imaging taken during excellent weather conditions. The ALMA observations resolve the ring and confirm the decrements proposed from deconvolution of coarse 336 GHz data. The scattered light image constrains the dips, which correspond to a misaligned inner disc with a relative inclination ξ = 21.4 $^{+6.7}_{-8.3}$ deg. The SPHERE intensity profile shows a morphological change compared to a previous epoch that may be interpreted as a variable orientation of the inner disc, from ξ ∼ 30 deg to ξ ∼ 20 deg. The intensity dips probably correspond to temperature decrements, as their mm-spectral index, $\alpha ^{230 \textrm {GHz}}_{350 \textrm {GHz}} \sim$ 2.0 ± 0.1, is indicative of optically thick emission. The azimuth of the two temperature decrements are leading clockwise relative to the infrared-dips, by η = 14.95 deg and η = 7.92 deg. For a retrograde disc, such shifts are expected from a thermal lag and imply gas surface densities of Σg = 117 ± 10 g cm−2 and Σg = 48 ± 10 g cm−2. A lopsided disc, with contrast ratio fr = 2.4 ± 0.5, is also consistent with the large continuum crescent.
Electron-impact single ionization for N+ ion
Authors: Jonauskas Valdas
Published: September 2023

Electron-impact single ionization from levels of the ground configuration of the N+ ion is presented. Study analyses direct and indirect processes of the ionization. Convergence of the excitation-autoionization cross-sections is ensured by taking excitations up to shells with the principal quantum numbers n ≤ 10. The potential of the ionizing ion is used in the study. The scaled distorted wave cross-sections show a fairly good agreement with measurements. The study shows a presence of metastable states in the ion beams of experiments.
Unfolding of an RNA G-quadruplex motif in the negative strand genome of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus by host and viral helicases to promote viral replication
Authors: Fang Puxian , Xie Congbao , Pan Ting , Cheng Ting , Chen Wei , Xia Sijin , Ding Tong , Fang Junkang , Zhou Yanrong , Fang Liurong , Wei Dengguo , Xiao Shaobo
Published: September 2023

G-quadruplex (G4) is a unique secondary structure formed by guanine-rich nucleic acid sequences. Growing studies reported that the genomes of some viruses harbor G4 structures associated with viral replication, opening up a new field to dissect viral infection. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a representative member of Arteriviridae, is an economically significant pathogen that has devastated the swine industry worldwide for over 30 years. In this study, we identified a highly conserved G-rich sequence with parallel-type G4 structure (named PRRSV-G4) in the negative strand genome RNA of PRRSV. Pyridostatin (PDS), a well-known G4-binding ligand, stabilized the PRRSV-G4 structure and inhibited viral replication. By screening the proteins interacting with PRRSV-G4 in PRRSV-infected cells and single-molecule magnetic tweezers analysis, we found that two helicases, host DDX18 and viral nsp10, interact with and efficiently unwound the PRRSV-G4 structure, thereby facilitating viral replication. Using a PRRSV reverse genetics system, we confirmed that recombinant PRRSV with a G4-disruptive mutation exhibited resistance to PDS treatment, thereby displaying higher replication than wild-type PRRSV. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the PRRSV-G4 structure plays a crucial regulatory role in viral replication, and targeting this structure represents a promising strategy for antiviral therapies.
Distinct RPA functions promote eukaryotic DNA replication initiation and elongation
Authors: Pike Alexandra M , Friend Caitlin M , Bell Stephen P
Published: September 2023

Replication protein A (RPA) binds single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and serves critical functions in eukaryotic DNA replication, the DNA damage response, and DNA repair. During DNA replication, RPA is required for extended origin DNA unwinding and DNA synthesis. To determine the requirements for RPA during these processes, we tested ssDNA-binding proteins (SSBs) from different domains of life in reconstituted Saccharomyces cerevisiae origin unwinding and DNA replication reactions. Interestingly, Escherichia coli SSB, but not T4 bacteriophage Gp32, fully substitutes for RPA in promoting origin DNA unwinding. Using RPA mutants, we demonstrated that specific ssDNA-binding properties of RPA are required for origin unwinding but that its protein-interaction domains are dispensable. In contrast, we found that each of these auxiliary RPA domains have distinct functions at the eukaryotic replication fork. The Rfa1 OB-F domain negatively regulates lagging-strand synthesis, while the Rfa2 winged-helix domain stimulates nascent strand initiation. Together, our findings reveal a requirement for specific modes of ssDNA binding in the transition to extensive origin DNA unwinding and identify RPA domains that differentially impact replication fork function.
The TRIM69-MST2 signaling axis regulates centrosome dynamics and chromosome segregation
Authors: Wang Yilin , Risteski Patrik , Yang Yang , Chen Huan , Droby Gaith , Walens Andrea , Jayaprakash Deepika , Troester Melissa , Herring Laura , Chernoff Jonathan , Tolić Iva M , Bowser Jessica , Vaziri Cyrus
Published: September 2023

Stringent control of centrosome duplication and separation is important for preventing chromosome instability. Structural and numerical alterations in centrosomes are hallmarks of neoplastic cells and contribute to tumorigenesis. We show that a Centrosome Amplification 20 (CA20) gene signature is associated with high expression of the Tripartite Motif (TRIM) family member E3 ubiquitin ligase, TRIM69. TRIM69-ablation in cancer cells leads to centrosome scattering and chromosome segregation defects. We identify Serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (MST2) as a new direct binding partner of TRIM69. TRIM69 redistributes MST2 to the perinuclear cytoskeleton, promotes its association with Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and stimulates MST2 phosphorylation at S15 (a known PLK1 phosphorylation site that is critical for centrosome disjunction). TRIM69 also promotes microtubule bundling and centrosome segregation that requires PRC1 and DYNEIN. Taken together, we identify TRIM69 as a new proximal regulator of distinct signaling pathways that regulate centrosome dynamics and promote bipolar mitosis.
The arginine methyltransferase Prmt1 coordinates the germline arginine methylome essential for spermatogonial homeostasis and male fertility
Authors: Azhar Muhammad , Xu Caoling , Jiang Xue , Li Wenqing , Cao Yuzhu , Zhu Xiaoli , Xing Xuemei , Wu Limin , Zou Jiaqi , Meng Lan , Cheng Yu , Han Wenjie , Bao Jianqiang
Published: September 2023

Arginine methylation, catalyzed by the protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), is a common post-translational protein modification (PTM) that is engaged in a plethora of biological events. However, little is known about how the methylarginine-directed signaling functions in germline development. In this study, we discover that Prmt1 is predominantly distributed in the nuclei of spermatogonia but weakly in the spermatocytes throughout mouse spermatogenesis. By exploiting a combination of three Cre-mediated Prmt1 knockout mouse lines, we unravel that Prmt1 is essential for spermatogonial establishment and maintenance, and that Prmt1-catalyzed asymmetric methylarginine coordinates inherent transcriptional homeostasis within spermatogonial cells. In conjunction with high-throughput CUT&Tag profiling and modified mini-bulk Smart-seq2 analyses, we unveil that the Prmt1-deposited H4R3me2a mark is permissively enriched at promoter and exon/intron regions, and sculpts a distinctive transcriptomic landscape as well as the alternative splicing pattern, in the mouse spermatogonia. Collectively, our study provides the genetic and mechanistic evidence that connects the Prmt1-deposited methylarginine signaling to the establishment and maintenance of a high-fidelity transcriptomic identity in orchestrating spermatogonial development in the mammalian germline.
circAtlas 3.0: a gateway to 3 million curated vertebrate circular RNAs based on a standardized nomenclature scheme
Authors: Wu Wanying , Zhao Fangqing , Zhang Jinyang
Published: September 2023

Recent studies have demonstrated the important regulatory role of circRNAs, but an in-depth understanding of the comprehensive landscape of circRNAs across various species still remains unexplored. The current circRNA databases are often species-restricted or based on outdated datasets. To address this challenge, we have developed the circAtlas 3.0 database, which contains a rich collection of 2674 circRNA sequencing datasets, curated to delineate the landscape of circRNAs within 33 distinct tissues spanning 10 vertebrate species. Notably, circAtlas 3.0 represents a substantial advancement over its precursor, circAtlas 2.0, with the number of cataloged circRNAs escalating from 1 007 087 to 3 179 560, with 2 527 528 of them being reconstructed into full-length isoforms. circAtlas 3.0 also introduces several notable enhancements, including: (i) integration of both Illumina and Nanopore sequencing datasets to detect circRNAs of extended lengths; (ii) employment of a standardized nomenclature scheme for circRNAs, providing information of the host gene and full-length circular exons; (iii) inclusion of clinical cancer samples to explore the biological function of circRNAs within the context of cancer and (iv) links to other useful resources to enable user-friendly analysis of target circRNAs. The updated circAtlas 3.0 provides an important platform for exploring the evolution and biological implications of vertebrate circRNAs, and is freely available at http://circatlas.biols.ac.cn and https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/circatlas.