bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Red Housekeeping” in a Socialist Factory: Jiashu and Transforming Reproductive Labor in Urban China (1949–1962)
Authors: Dong Yige
Published: January 2024

While scholarship on “women's liberation” under historically existing socialism focuses on heroic women making inroads into male-dominated domains, this article explores a previously overlooked group of women in socialist China. Known as jiashu in Chinese, these women are the female dependents (wives, mothers, and in-laws) of both male and female employees in a workplace. Specifically, it centers on the experiences of the jiashu of textile workers in the city of Zhengzhou from 1949 to 1962. It argues that, despite being portrayed as “parasitizing” off formal workers, jiashu performed a wide range of work, both paid and unpaid, inside and outside the household. Similar to their counterparts under capitalism and other state-socialist regimes, these Chinese women's unpaid domestic work sustained the daily and generational reproduction of the labor force and was thus essential to industrial accumulation. Moreover, jiashu also worked on the shopfloor and in collectivized service facilities as paid laborers. Such remunerated work also subsidized accumulation, and the resistance from these women contributed to the eventual collapse of the Great Leap Forward (1958–1962). This research advances the field in two ways. First, it expands theories about the relationship between women's work, social reproduction, and capital accumulation to include work that is both reproductive in nature and remunerated – a previously understudied form of labor. Second, while existing literature focuses on structural analysis and explains why women's work is functional to accumulation, this study gives equal attention to women's agency, showing how interactions between the two shaped historical trajectories.
MUNICIPAL FINANCES AND INSTITUTIONS IN PORTUGAL: THE CASE OF COIMBRA CITY COUNCIL (1557-1836)
Authors: Barbosa José Luís Dos Santos
Published: January 2024

This article aims to analyse the finances of the Coimbra city council from 1557 to 1836. Our objective is to examine the causes of long-term changes in municipal revenue and expenditure, particularly during the extended period of decline that occurred between the mid-17th century and the late 18th century. This study will focus on the composition of revenue and expenditure, as well as on revenue collection mechanisms. We aim to present the empirical data on the revenue and expenditure components that allow us to understand the changes that took place. Finally, we hope to be able to explain the causes that led to significant variations in revenue and expenditure in a dialogue with existing literature. The primary sources used correspond to municipal revenue and expenditure books, supplemented by other sources such as legislation, correspondence and auction books.
VI: Francis Mason (1566/7–1621)
Authors: Doe Norman
Published: January 2024

During the reign of Elizabeth I the ecclesial and legal ‘revolution’ under Henry VIII, to establish in England a national church under the royal supremacy, was converted into a ‘settlement’. It steered a course between radical puritans and recusant Catholics. Clothed in legal propriety, this settlement was articulated both juristically and theologically by the great Richard Hooker (d. 1600). After the return to Rome under Mary, the Elizabethan Acts of Parliament re-established the English Church, revived legislation made under Henry VIII and Edward VI, and imposed uniformity in worship. The period also sees the use of ‘soft-law’, like Articles, Admonitions, and Advertisements. Parliament rejects the Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum in 1571, but Canons were passed piecemeal in 1571, 1575, 1585, and 1598. The turn of the Welsh Tudors to rule ended in 1603. The Scottish Stuarts came next. The reign of James I (1603–1625) saw bitter dispute between the King and the common lawyers over the royal supremacy in matters ecclesiastical. But there was one lasting legal landmark: the Canons Ecclesiastical 1603/4. This new code was studied theologically by a contemporary cleric, Francis Mason. Whilst several notable civilians from that time have become well-known – such as John Cowell (d. 1611), Daniel Dun (d. 1617), Clement Colmore (d. 1619), and Thomas Ridley (d. 1629), Francis Mason is largely unknown. However, he is very worthy of inclusion in the canon of Anglican priest-jurists. What follows sketches the life and career of Mason, outlines his treatise on the Canons, and discusses that treatise in a wider context, including comparing it with a similar work by Bishop Edward Stillngfleet (d. 1699).
Man shall not live by bread alone? Freedom of worship, COVID-19 and the Courts
Authors: Galimberti Marco , Pagotto Tania
Published: January 2024

This article discusses the application of the proportionality test which the Court of Session in Scotland and the European Court of Human Rights carried out when reviewing the limitations to worship and public gatherings imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article concludes that judges should not use the proportionality standard of review as an avenue to circumvent their duty of neutrality towards religious dogmas.
Governing Body of the Church in Wales
Authors: Chinery Matthew
Published: January 2024

The Governing Body of the Church in Wales met twice in 2023, at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on 19–20 April and at the International Conference Centre in Newport on 5–6 September.
General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Authors: Stuart John F
Published: January 2024

The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) met from 7 to 9 June 2023. The meeting was held in hybrid format, with most members attending in person and a small number online.
Sexual Knowledge and Expertise in Europe's East: Transnational Exchanges
Authors: Lišková Kateřina , Fisher Kate
Published: January 2024

East Central Europe played a crucial role in shaping the development of sexual science from the 1870s onwards. The life-histories of influential and well-known figures such as Sigmund Freud (born in Freiberg/Příbor), Magnus Hirschfeld (born in Kolberg/Kolobrzeg) and Karl Maria Kertbeny (born in Vienna, based in Budapest) reveal the imperial interconnectedness of East Central Europe with what would become Western Europe. By 1932, when the World League for Sexual Reform held its congress in Brno (following previous meetings in Berlin, London, Vienna, and Copenhagen), the society had established branches across the region, including Poland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. In that same year, Poland decriminalised homosexual acts. Yet, East Central Europe is often neglected in the history of sexology and little is known about how sexual science in these regions shaped, and was shaped by, global networks of knowledge production. Indeed, despite recent attempts to demonstrate the ways in which sexual science was a truly global enterprise, East Central Europe remains to be fully incorporated into our mapping of the global networks of sexological dialogue and exchange.1 This is especially true of scholarship on the period after the Second World War. Historians have tended to misconstrue the transnational nature of sexual science in East Central Europe both before and after 1945. First, the contribution of East Central Europeans to European cultures of scientific exchanges has been obscured by the tendency of much historical writing to focus on a small number of key pioneers (Krafft-Ebing, Magnus Hirschfeld, Sigmund Freud and Havelock Ellis). Second, it is assumed that East Central European sexual science was largely cut off from international networks of knowledge exchange after the Second World War following the onset of the Cold War.2 Third, there are preconceived notions that communist authoritarian governments, having curtailed political freedoms and economic entrepreneurialism, must have also taken a repressive stance against sexual expression.3 Fourth, the dominance of 1989 as the fundamental caesura has encouraged a periodisation that fails to draw enough attention to the shifts in transnational patterns of knowledge exchange around sexual politics during the period 1945 to 1989 and fails to identify key continuities that link the sexual politics of the contemporary world with those of the communist period. None of these assumptions can withstand scrutiny, as the articles in this forum reveal. Building on a recent boost in scholarly interest in the sexual histories of the region,4 we present a collection of papers that each detail the transnational connections of local sexual experts in creating sexual knowledge both before and during state socialism.5
Decolonizing Human Rights Law in Global Health - the Impacts of Intellectual Property Law on Access to Essential Medicines: A Perspective from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: ZAMAN Khorsed
Published: January 2024

The global impacts of COVID-19 have been calamitous, unleashing widespread human suffering and exacerbating health crises, all while worsening pre-existing inequalities and transgressing fundamental human rights. Despite earnest pleas from the United Nations and developing nations for an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, these appeals were largely unheeded. Instead, major pharmaceutical manufacturers and high-income countries (HICs) had maintained a stranglehold on vaccine technology through the safeguarding of intellectual property rights (IPRs), leading to exorbitant pricing and preferential distribution to affluent regions. This vaccine hoarding has left low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with delayed and insufficient supplies, endangering the lives of the most vulnerable. The stringent enforcement of IPRs mechanisms, rather than aligning with international human rights obligations, has further marginalised the right to life, health, and access to vaccines and medicines, particularly in LMICs. This study ardently advocates for a policy shift that promotes the decolonisation of human rights in the context of IPRs and global health law.
Self-Harm by Nurses and Midwives – A Study of Hospital Presentations
Authors: Groves Samantha , Lascelles Karen , Bale Liz , Brand Fiona , Casey Deborah , Hawton Keith
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Background: Nursing professionals are an occupational group at increased risk of suicide, but little is known about self-harm in this population. Aims: To investigate the characteristics of nurses and midwives who present to hospital following self-harm. Method: We used data from the Oxford Monitoring System for Self-Harm to identify nurses and midwives who presented to the general hospital in Oxford during 2010–2020 following an episode of self-harm and received a psychosocial assessment. Results: During the eleven-year study period, 107 presentations of self-harm involving 81 nurses and midwives were identified. Self-poisoning was the most common self-harm method (71.6%), with antidepressants and paracetamol most frequently involved. Many had consumed alcohol before (43.8%) or during (25.3%) the self-harm act. Some individuals had high or very high suicide intent scores (22/70, 31.4%). Common problems preceding self-harm included problems with a partner (46.9%), psychiatric disorder (29.6%), and problems with employment (27.2%), family (24.7%), and alcohol (23.5%). A range of aftercare options were offered following presentation. Limitations: This study was limited to data from a single hospital. Conclusion: Prevention and management of self-harm within this occupational group requires preventative strategies and availability of interventions addressing the range of factors that may contribute to self-harm, especially relationship problems, psychiatric disorders, employment problems, and alcohol misuse.
Unraveling Earthquake Clusters Composing the 2014 Alto Tiberina Earthquake Swarm via Unsupervised Learning
Authors: Essing David , Poli Piero
Published: January 2024

Earthquake swarms represent a particular mode of seismicity, not directly related to the occurrence of large earthquakes (e.g., aftershocks) but rather driven by external forcing such as aseismic deformation or fluid migration in fault systems. Sometimes their occurrence overlaps with observable geodetic signals in space and time, indicating a direct link. However, the low resolution of geodetic observations tends to obscure the small scale spatial and temporal dynamics of swarms. In this work, we automatically extract clusters of seismicity related to the 2014 Alto Tiberina swarm sequence (Italy) using an unsupervised clustering approach that exploits space and time information of the seismicity. The quantitative characterization of each cluster indicates that the overall swarm is composed of spatially and temporally confined (sub) swarms each of which could potentially be driven by small‐scale aseismic deformation process. This observation aligns with similar findings during slow slip events in subduction zones.
Linking Dynamic Water Storage and Subsurface Geochemical Structure Using High‐Frequency Concentration‐Discharge Records
Authors: Floury Paul , Bouchez Julien , Druhan Jennifer L. , Gaillardet Jérôme , Blanchouin Arnaud , Gayer Éric , Ansart Patrick
Published: January 2024

Shifts in water fluxes and chemical heterogeneity through catchments combine to dictate stream solute export from the Critical Zone. The ways in which these factors emerge in resultant concentration‐discharge (C‐Q) relationships remain obscure, particularly at the timescale of individual precipitation and discharge events. Here we take advantage of a new high‐frequency, multi‐element and multi‐event stream C‐Q data set. The stream solute concentrations of seven major ions were recorded every 40 min over five flood events spanning one hydrologic year in a French agricultural watershed (Orgeval) using a lab‐in‐the‐field deployment we refer to as a “River Lab.” We focus attention on the recession periods of these events to consider how geochemical heterogeneity within the catchment translates into dynamic stream solute concentrations during shifts in water storage. We first show that for C‐Q relationships resulting from data acquisition over multiple flood events, lumping all trends together can lead to biases in characteristic C‐Q parameters. We then reframe C‐Q relationships using a simple recession curve analysis to consider how hydrological processes produce chemical mixing of distinct solute pools immediately following discharge events. We find three distinct classes of behavior among the major solutes, none of which can be interpreted based on water storage changes alone. The shape of C‐Q relationships for each solute can then be related to their vertical zonation in the subsurface of Orgeval, and to the capacity for subcomponents of these distributions to be readily mobilized during a discharge event.
New Insights Into Active Faults Revealed by a Deep‐Learning‐Based Earthquake Catalog in Central Myanmar
Authors: Yang Shun , Xiao Zhuowei , Wei Shengji , He Yumei , Mon Chit Thet , Hou Guangbing , Thant Myo , Sein Kyaing , Jiang Mingming
Published: January 2024

Myanmar bears a high risk of destructive earthquakes, yet detailed seismicity catalogs are rare. We designed a deep‐learning‐based data processing pipeline and applied it to the data recorded by a large‐aperture (∼400 km) seismic array in central Myanmar to produce a high‐resolution earthquake catalog. We precisely located 1891 earthquakes at shallow (<50 km) depth, a 2‐fold increase compared to the traditional procedures. The new catalog reveals the Kabaw Fault seismicity disappears south of ∼22.8°N, where the deeper (20–40 km) seismicity appears west of the southern Kabaw Fault. Such seismicity contrast along the strike of the Kabaw Fault possibly implies an along‐strike change of deformation responses to the shortening process by the India plate oblique subduction. The middle segment of the Sagaing Fault is likely locked and prone to hosting large earthquakes according to the derived low b‐value.
Geophysical Evidence of the Collisional Suture Zone in the Prydz Bay, East Antarctica
Authors: Fu Lei , Guo Jingxue , Shen Weisen , Wang Xin , Liu Xiaochun , Chen Xiaofei , Hu Xiangyun
Published: January 2024

The location and origin of Neoproterozoic‐Cambrian sutures provide keys to understand the formation and evolution of the supercontinent Gondwana. The Larsemann Hills is located near a major Neoproterozoic‐Cambrian suture zone in the Prydz Belt, but has not been examined locally by comprehensive geophysical studies. In this study, we analyzed data collected from a one‐dimensional (1D) joint seismic‐MT array deployed during the 36th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition. We found that a sharp Moho discontinuity offset of 6–8 km shows up in the stacked image of teleseismic P‐wave receiver function analysis; coinciding with the abrupt Moho offset, a near‐vertical channel with (a) low resistivity extending to the uppermost mantle depths, and (b) high crustal Poisson's ratio in the crust is identified. These findings provide evidence for the determination of the location and collisional nature of the Prydz belt or a portion of it.
Parental obesity predisposes to exacerbated metabolic and inflammatory disturbances in childhood obesity within the framework of an altered profile of trace elements
Authors: González-Domínguez Álvaro , Jurado-Sumariva Lucía , Domínguez-Riscart Jesús , Saez-Benito Ana , González-Domínguez Raúl
Published: January 2024

Background

Family history of obesity is known to increase the odds of developing childhood obesity in the offspring, but its influence in underlying molecular complications remains unexplored.

Subjects/Methods

Here, we investigated a population-based cohort comprising children with obesity, with and without parental obesity (PO+, N = 20; PO−, N = 29), and lean healthy children as controls (N = 30), from whom plasma and erythrocyte samples were collected to characterize their multi-elemental profile, inflammatory status, as well as carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms.

Results

We found parental obesity to be associated with unhealthier outcomes in children, as reflected in increased blood insulin levels and reduced insulin sensitivity, unfavorable lipid profile, and pro-inflammatory milieu. This was accompanied by moderate alterations in the content of trace elements, including increased copper-to-zinc ratios and iron deficiency in circulation, as well as metal accumulation within erythrocytes.

Conclusions

Therefore, we hypothesize that family history of obesity could be an important risk factor in modulating the characteristic multi-elemental alterations behind childhood obesity, which in turn could predispose to boost related comorbidities and metabolic complications.
One thousand patients with essential thrombocythemia: the Mayo Clinic experience
Authors: Gangat Naseema , Karrar Omer , Al-Kali Aref , Begna Kebede H. , Elliott Michelle A. , Wolanskyj-Spinner Alexandra P. , Pardanani Animesh , Hanson Curtis A. , Ketterling Rhett P. , Tefferi Ayalew
Published: January 2024

We describe 1000 patients with essential thrombocythemia seen at the Mayo Clinic between 1967 and 2023: median age 58 years (18–90), females 63%, JAK2/CALR/MPL-mutated 62%/27%/3%, triple-negative (TN) 8%, extreme thrombocytosis (ExT; platelets ≥1000 × 109/L) 26%, leukocytosis (leukocyte count >11 × 109/L) 20%, and abnormal karyotype 6%. JAK2-mutated patients were older (median 71 years), and CALR mutated (52 years), and TN (50 years) younger (p < 0.01). Female gender clustered with TN (73%) and JAK2 (69%) vs. CALR/MPL (49%/47%) mutations (p < 0.01). ExT clustered with CALR (type-2 more than type-1) and TN and leukocytosis with JAK2 mutation (p < 0.01). In multivariable analysis, risk factors for overall survival were older age (p < 0.01), male gender (HR 1.8), absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 8 × 109/L (HR 1.6), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) < 1.7 × 109/L (HR 1.5), hypertension (HR 1.7), and arterial thrombosis history (HR 1.7); for leukemia-free survival, ExT (HR 2.3) and abnormal karyotype (HR 3.1); for myelofibrosis-free survival, ANC ≥ 8 × 109/L (HR 2.3) and MPL mutation (HR 3.9); for arterial thrombosis-free survival, age ≥60 years (HR 1.9), male gender (HR 1.6), arterial thrombosis history (HR 1.7), hypertension (HR 1.7), and JAK2 mutation (HR 1.8); for venous thrombosis-free survival, male gender (HR 1.8) and venous thrombosis history (HR 3.0). Associations between ExT and leukemic transformation and between ANC and fibrotic progression were limited to JAK2-mutated cases. Aspirin therapy appeared to mitigate both arterial (HR 0.4) and venous (HR 0.4) thrombosis risk. HR-based risk models delineated patients with median survivals ranging from 10 years to not reached and 20-year leukemia/myelofibrosis incidences from 3%/21% to 12.8%/49%. The current study provides both novel and confirmatory observations of essential thrombocythemia.
The P286R mutation of DNA polymerase ε activates cancer-cell-intrinsic immunity and suppresses endometrial tumorigenesis via the cGAS-STING pathway
Authors: Tang Ming , Yin Shasha , Zeng Hongliang , Huang Ao , Huang Yujia , Hu Zhiyi , Shah Ab Rauf , Zhang Shuyong , Li Haisen , Chen Guofang
Published: January 2024

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a prevalent gynecological tumor in women, and its treatment and prevention are significant global health concerns. The mutations in DNA polymerase ε (POLE) are recognized as key features of EC and may confer survival benefits in endometrial cancer patients undergoing anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. However, the anti-tumor mechanism of POLE mutations remains largely elusive. This study demonstrates that the hot POLE P286R mutation impedes endometrial tumorigenesis by inducing DNA breakage and activating the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. The POLE mutations were found to inhibit the proliferation and stemness of primary human EC cells. Mechanistically, the POLE mutants enhance DNA damage and suppress its repair through the interaction with DNA repair proteins, leading to genomic instability and the upregulation of cytoplasmic DNA. Additionally, the POLE P286R mutant also increases cGAS level, promotes TBK1 phosphorylation, and stimulates inflammatory gene expression and anti-tumor immune response. Furthermore, the POLE P286R mutation inhibits tumor growth and facilitates the infiltration of cytotoxic T cells in human endometrial cancers. These findings uncover a novel mechanism of POLE mutations in antagonizing tumorigenesis and provide a promising direction for effective cancer therapy.
SARS-CoV-2 immunity in animal models
Authors: Chen Zhao , Yuan Yaochang , Hu Qingtao , Zhu Airu , Chen Fenghua , Li Shu , Guan Xin , Lv Chao , Tang Tian , He Yiyun , Cheng Jinling , Zheng Jie , Hu Xiaoyu , Zhao Jingxian , Zhao Jincun , Sun Jing
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic, which was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a worldwide health crisis due to its transmissibility. SARS-CoV-2 infection results in severe respiratory illness and can lead to significant complications in affected individuals. These complications encompass symptoms such as coughing, respiratory distress, fever, infectious shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and even multiple-organ failure. Animal models serve as crucial tools for investigating pathogenic mechanisms, immune responses, immune escape mechanisms, antiviral drug development, and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Currently, various animal models for SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as nonhuman primates (NHPs), ferrets, hamsters, and many different mouse models, have been developed. Each model possesses distinctive features and applications. In this review, we elucidate the immune response elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients and provide an overview of the characteristics of various animal models mainly used for SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the corresponding immune responses and applications of these models. A comparative analysis of transcriptomic alterations in the lungs from different animal models revealed that the K18-hACE2 and mouse-adapted virus mouse models exhibited the highest similarity with the deceased COVID-19 patients. Finally, we highlighted the current gaps in related research between animal model studies and clinical investigations, underscoring lingering scientific questions that demand further clarification.
Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE) correlates with neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease and aging
Authors: Paudel Bidur , Jeong Si-Yeon , Martinez Carolina Pena , Rickman Alexis , Haluck-Kangas Ashley , Bartom Elizabeth T. , Fredriksen Kristina , Affaneh Amira , Kessler John A. , Mazzulli Joseph R. , Murmann Andrea E. , Rogalski Emily , Geula Changiz , Ferreira Adriana , Heckmann Bradlee L. , Green Douglas R. , Sadleir Katherine R. , Vassar Robert , Peter Marcus E.
Published: January 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration, but the specific events that cause cell death remain poorly understood. Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE) is a cell death mechanism mediated by short (s) RNAs acting through the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). DISE is thus a form of RNA interference, in which G-rich 6mer seed sequences in the sRNAs (position 2-7) target hundreds of C-rich 6mer seed matches in genes essential for cell survival, resulting in the activation of cell death pathways. Here, using Argonaute precipitation and RNAseq (Ago-RP-Seq), we analyze RISC-bound sRNAs to quantify 6mer seed toxicity in several model systems. In mouse AD models and aging brain, in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons from AD patients, and in cells exposed to Aβ42 oligomers, RISC-bound sRNAs show a shift to more toxic 6mer seeds compared to controls. In contrast, in brains of “SuperAgers”, humans over age 80 who have superior memory performance, RISC-bound sRNAs are shifted to more nontoxic 6mer seeds. Cells depleted of nontoxic sRNAs are sensitized to Aβ42-induced cell death, and reintroducing nontoxic RNAs is protective. Altogether, the correlation between DISE and Aβ42 toxicity suggests that increasing the levels of nontoxic miRNAs in the brain or blocking the activity of toxic RISC-bound sRNAs could ameliorate neurodegeneration.
Longitudinal single cell atlas identifies complex temporal relationship between type I interferon response and COVID-19 severity
Authors: Lin Quy Xiao Xuan , Rajagopalan Deepa , Gamage Akshamal M. , Tan Le Min , Venkatesh Prasanna Nori , Chan Wharton O. Y. , Kumar Dilip , Agrawal Ragini , Chen Yao , Fong Siew-Wai , Singh Amit , Sun Louisa J. , Tan Seow-Yen , Chai Louis Yi Ann , Somani Jyoti , Lee Bernett , Renia Laurent , Ng Lisa F P , Ramanathan Kollengode , Wang Lin-Fa , Young Barnaby , Lye David , Singhal Amit , Prabhakar Shyam
Published: January 2024

Due to the paucity of longitudinal molecular studies of COVID-19, particularly those covering the early stages of infection (Days 1-8 symptom onset), our understanding of host response over the disease course is limited. We perform longitudinal single cell RNA-seq on 286 blood samples from 108 age- and sex-matched COVID-19 patients, including 73 with early samples. We examine discrete cell subtypes and continuous cell states longitudinally, and we identify upregulation of type I IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) as the predominant early signature of subsequent worsening of symptoms, which we validate in an independent cohort and corroborate by plasma markers. However, ISG expression is dynamic in progressors, spiking early and then rapidly receding to the level of severity-matched non-progressors. In contrast, cross-sectional analysis shows that ISG expression is deficient and IFN suppressors such as SOCS3 are upregulated in severe and critical COVID-19. We validate the latter in four independent cohorts, and SOCS3 inhibition reduces SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro. In summary, we identify complexity in type I IFN response to COVID-19, as well as a potential avenue for host-directed therapy.
Modelling six sustainable development transformations in Australia and their accelerators, impediments, enablers, and interlinkages
Authors: Allen Cameron , Biddulph Annabel , Wiedmann Thomas , Pedercini Matteo , Malekpour Shirin
Published: January 2024

There is an urgent need to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and recent research has identified six critical transformations. It is important to demonstrate how these transformations could be practically accelerated in a national context and what their combined effects would be. Here we bridge national systems modelling with transformation storylines to provide an analysis of a Six Transformations Pathway for Australia. We explore important policies to accelerate progress, synergies and trade-offs, and conditions that determine policy success. We find that implementing policy packages to accelerate each transformation would boost performance on the SDGs by 2030 (+23% above the baseline). Policymakers can maximize transformation synergies through investments in energy decarbonization, resilience, social protection, and sustainable food systems, while managing trade-offs for income and employment. To overcome resistance to transformations, ambitious policy action will need to be underpinned by technological, social, and political enabling conditions.
Rapid-charging aluminium-sulfur batteries operated at 85 °C with a quaternary molten salt electrolyte
Authors: Meng Jiashen , Hong Xufeng , Xiao Zhitong , Xu Linhan , Zhu Lujun , Jia Yongfeng , Liu Fang , Mai Liqiang , Pang Quanquan
Published: January 2024

Molten salt aluminum-sulfur batteries are based exclusively on resourcefully sustainable materials, and are promising for large-scale energy storage owed to their high-rate capability and moderate energy density; but the operating temperature is still high, prohibiting their applications. Here we report a rapid-charging aluminium-sulfur battery operated at a sub-water-boiling temperature of 85 °C with a tamed quaternary molten salt electrolyte. The quaternary alkali chloroaluminate melt – possessing abundant electrochemically active high-order Al-Cl clusters and yet exhibiting a low melting point – facilitates fast Al3+ desolvation. A nitrogen-functionalized porous carbon further mediates the sulfur reaction, enabling the battery with rapid-charging capability and excellent cycling stability with 85.4% capacity retention over 1400 cycles at a charging rate of 1 C. Importantly, we demonstrate that the asymmetric sulfur reaction mechanism that involves formation of polysulfide intermediates, as revealed by operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, accounts for the high reaction kinetics at such temperature wherein the thermal management can be greatly simplified by using water as the heating media.
PROST: quantitative identification of spatially variable genes and domain detection in spatial transcriptomics
Authors: Liang Yuchen , Shi Guowei , Cai Runlin , Yuan Yuchen , Xie Ziying , Yu Long , Huang Yingjian , Shi Qian , Wang Lizhe , Li Jun , Tang Zhonghui
Published: January 2024

Computational methods have been proposed to leverage spatially resolved transcriptomic data, pinpointing genes with spatial expression patterns and delineating tissue domains. However, existing approaches fall short in uniformly quantifying spatially variable genes (SVGs). Moreover, from a methodological viewpoint, while SVGs are naturally associated with depicting spatial domains, they are technically dissociated in most methods. Here, we present a framework (PROST) for the quantitative recognition of spatial transcriptomic patterns, consisting of (i) quantitatively characterizing spatial variations in gene expression patterns through the PROST Index; and (ii) unsupervised clustering of spatial domains via a self-attention mechanism. We demonstrate that PROST performs superior SVG identification and domain segmentation with various spatial resolutions, from multicellular to cellular levels. Importantly, PROST Index can be applied to prioritize spatial expression variations, facilitating the exploration of biological insights. Together, our study provides a flexible and robust framework for analyzing diverse spatial transcriptomic data.
A presynaptic source drives differing levels of surround suppression in two mouse retinal ganglion cell types
Authors: Swygart David , Yu Wan-Qing , Takeuchi Shunsuke , Wong Rachel O. L. , Schwartz Gregory W.
Published: January 2024

In early sensory systems, cell-type diversity generally increases from the periphery into the brain, resulting in a greater heterogeneity of responses to the same stimuli. Surround suppression is a canonical visual computation that begins within the retina and is found at varying levels across retinal ganglion cell types. Our results show that heterogeneity in the level of surround suppression occurs subcellularly at bipolar cell synapses. Using single-cell electrophysiology and serial block-face scanning electron microscopy, we show that two retinal ganglion cell types exhibit very different levels of surround suppression even though they receive input from the same bipolar cell types. This divergence of the bipolar cell signal occurs through synapse-specific regulation by amacrine cells at the scale of tens of microns. These findings indicate that each synapse of a single bipolar cell can carry a unique visual signal, expanding the number of possible functional channels at the earliest stages of visual processing.
Molecular switching in transcription through splicing and proline-isomerization regulates stress responses in plants
Authors: Theisen Frederik Friis , Prestel Andreas , Elkjær Steffie , Leurs Yannick H. A. , Morffy Nicholas , Strader Lucia C. , O’Shea Charlotte , Teilum Kaare , Kragelund Birthe B. , Skriver Karen
Published: January 2024

The Arabidopsis thaliana DREB2A transcription factor interacts with the negative regulator RCD1 and the ACID domain of subunit 25 of the transcriptional co-regulator mediator (Med25) to integrate stress signals for gene expression, with elusive molecular interplay. Using biophysical and structural analyses together with high-throughput screening, we reveal a bivalent binding switch in DREB2A containing an ACID-binding motif (ABS) and the known RCD1-binding motif (RIM). The RIM is lacking in a stress-induced DREB2A splice variant with retained transcriptional activity. ABS and RIM bind to separate sites on Med25-ACID, and NMR analyses show a structurally heterogeneous complex deriving from a DREB2A-ABS proline residue populating cis- and trans-isomers with remote impact on the RIM. The cis-isomer stabilizes an α-helix, while the trans-isomer may introduce energetic frustration facilitating rapid exchange between activators and repressors. Thus, DREB2A uses a post-transcriptionally and post-translationally modulated switch for transcriptional regulation.
Exploring the mechanism of Celastrol in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis based on systems pharmacology and multi-omics
Authors: Zeng Liuting , Yu Ganpeng , Yang Kailin , He Qi , Hao Wensa , Xiang Wang , Long Zhiyong , Chen Hua , Tang Xiaojun , Sun Lingyun
Published: January 2024

To explore the molecular network mechanism of Celastrol in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on a novel strategy (integrated systems pharmacology, proteomics, transcriptomics and single-cell transcriptomics). Firstly, the potential targets of Celastrol and RA genes were predicted through the database, and the Celastrol-RA targets were obtained by taking the intersection. Then, transcriptomic data and proteomic data of Celastrol treatment of RA were collected. Subsequently, Celastrol-RA targets, differentially expressed genes, and differentially expressed proteins were imported into Metascape for enrichment analysis, and related networks were constructed. Finally, the core targets of Celastrol-RA targets, differentially expressed genes, and differentially expressed proteins were mapped to synoviocytes of RA mice to find potential cell populations for Celastrol therapy. A total of 195 Celastrol-RA targets, 2068 differential genes, 294 differential proteins were obtained. The results of enrichment analysis showed that these targets, genes and proteins were mainly related to extracellular matrix organization, TGF-β signaling pathway, etc. The results of single cell sequencing showed that the main clusters of these targets, genes, and proteins could be mapped to RA synovial cells. For example, Mmp9 was mainly distributed in Hematopoietic cells, especially in Ptprn+fibroblast. The results of molecular docking also suggested that Celastrol could stably combine with molecules predicted by network pharmacology. In conclusion, this study used systems pharmacology, transcriptomics, proteomics, single-cell transcriptomics to reveal that Celastrol may regulate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by regulating key targets such as TNF and IL6, and then play an immune regulatory role.
DiaNet v2 deep learning based method for diabetes diagnosis using retinal images
Authors: Al-Absi Hamada R. H. , Pai Anant , Naeem Usman , Mohamed Fatma Kassem , Arya Saket , Sbeit Rami Abu , Bashir Mohammed , El Shafei Maha Mohammed , El Hajj Nady , Alam Tanvir
Published: January 2024

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent chronic metabolic disorder linked to increased morbidity and mortality. With a significant portion of cases remaining undiagnosed, particularly in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, more accurate and accessible diagnostic methods are essential. Current diagnostic tests like fasting plasma glucose (FPG), oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), random plasma glucose (RPG), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) have limitations, leading to misclassifications and discomfort for patients. The aim of this study is to enhance diabetes diagnosis accuracy by developing an improved predictive model using retinal images from the Qatari population, addressing the limitations of current diagnostic methods. This study explores an alternative approach involving retinal images, building upon the DiaNet model, the first deep learning model for diabetes detection based solely on retinal images. The newly proposed DiaNet v2 model is developed using a large dataset from Qatar Biobank (QBB) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) covering wide range of pathologies in the the retinal images. Utilizing the most extensive collection of retinal images from the 5545 participants (2540 diabetic patients and 3005 control), DiaNet v2 is developed for diabetes diagnosis. DiaNet v2 achieves an impressive accuracy of over 92%, 93% sensitivity, and 91% specificity in distinguishing diabetic patients from the control group. Given the high prevalence of diabetes and the limitations of existing diagnostic methods in clinical setup, this study proposes an innovative solution. By leveraging a comprehensive retinal image dataset and applying advanced deep learning techniques, DiaNet v2 demonstrates a remarkable accuracy in diabetes diagnosis. This approach has the potential to revolutionize diabetes detection, providing a more accessible, non-invasive and accurate method for early intervention and treatment planning, particularly in regions with high diabetes rates like MENA.
Exploration of photoprotective and antibiotic activity of wild Polypodiaceae ferns from Costa Rica
Authors: Salazar-Chacón Yaclyn , Gutierrez-Bolaños Maria José , Padilla-Cordero Jimena , Vidaurre-Rodriguez Camilo , Carvajal-Miranda Yendry , Rojas-Alvarado Alexander , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Jorengeth Abad , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Gerardo , Álvarez-Valverde Víctor , Jiménez-Bonilla Pablo
Published: January 2024

Skin disorders affect millions of people all over the world. There are limited options to treat dermal illnesses such as vitiligo, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis (eczema). Central American ferns are a potential source of bioactive metabolites against those diseases. Currently, Polypodium leucotomos Poir. is the only one being commercially utilized for this purpose. In this work, we evaluated the concentration of the skin bioactive compounds: quinic and chlorogenic acid, in the extract of 20 wild ferns from Costa Rica. We also evaluated the antimicrobial capabilities of the crude extracts of wild ferns and the sun protection factor (SPF) of the extracts. We found 19 out of 20 have either an important concentration of the compounds mentioned above or antimicrobial properties. Also, most samples result in higher SPF than P. aureum’s rhizome. We also have studied the fern acclimatization, at different shading conditions, finding a significant influence of the culturing conditions on metabolite production. After acclimatization. So far, we demonstrate that various ferns included in this study are a potential source of treatments for skin conditions.
Colossal Kerr nonlinearity without absorption in a five-level atomic medium
Authors: Bang Nguyen Huy , Van Doai Le
Published: January 2024

In this work, we present an analytical method to achieve giant Kerr nonlinearity without absorption in a five-level atomic medium. By using iterative perturbation technique on density matrix equations, we have derived the analytical expressions of nonlinear susceptibility and Kerr nonlinear coefficient in the presence of spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) and relative phase between applied laser fields. It shows that, this five-level atomic medium exhibits multiple electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) at three different frequencies, at the same time, the Kerr nonlinear coefficient is enhanced around three transparent spectral regions; in each such EIT region appears a pair of positive–negative peaks of Kerr nonlinear coefficient. In particular, these nonlinear peaks are moved to the center of the EIT windows via SGC. This means that the Kerr nonlinear coefficient is enhanced with completely suppressed absorption at different transparency frequencies. Furthermore, the magnitude and the sign of the Kerr nonlinear coefficient are easily controlled according to the SGC strength, the coupling laser intensity, and the relative phase between applied laser fields. Such a giant nonlinear medium can be useful for photonic devices working in the resonant frequency region without absorption. As a typical application, this giant Kerr nonlinear material has been applied to an interferometer for the formation of optical bistability, and showed the appearance of OB at the resonant frequency with significantly reduced threshold intensity and OB width.
The effect of porous compliance bushings in a dental implant on the distribution of occlusal loads
Authors: Młynarek-Żak Katarzyna , Żmudzki Jarosław
Published: January 2024

Porous dental implants are clinically used, but the mechanism of load distribution for stepped implant shaft surrounded by compliance bushings is still not known, especially for different bone conditions. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the design of a dental implant with compliance bushings (CBs) on the occlusal load distribution during primary and secondary stability using finite element simulation (FEA), with a distinction between low and high quality cervical support under primary stability. The FEA of the oblique occlusal load transfer (250 N; 45°) was carried out for implants under variable bone conditions. The stepped shaft in the intermediate part of the dental implant was surrounded by CBs with an increasing modulus of elasticity of 2, 10 and 50 GPa. With a smaller Young's modulus of the bushings the increase of stress in the trabecular bone indicated that more bone tissue can be protected against disuse. The beneficial effect for the trabecular bone derived from the reduction of the stiffness of the bushings in relation to the loss of the implant's load bearing ability can be assessed using the FEM method.
Image analysis-based discoloration rate quantification and kinetic modeling for shelf-life prediction in herb-coated pear slices
Authors: R. Sathya , Rasane Prasad , Singh Aishvina , Singh Jyoti , Kaur Sawinder , Nanda Vikas , Kaur Jaspreet , Gunjal Mahendra , Bhadariya Vishesh , Ercisli Sezai , Ullah Riaz , Ali Essam A.
Published: January 2024

The present research study aimed to examine three different herb extract's effects on the discoloration rate of fresh-cut pear slices using an image analysis technique. Pear slices were sprayed and dip-coated with Ocimum basilicum, Origanum vulgare, and Camellia sinensis (0.1 g/ml) extract solution. During 15 days storage period with three days intervals, all sprayed/dip-coated pear slices were analyzed for the quality attribute (TA) and color parameters notably a*, b*, hue angle (H*), lightness (L*), and total color change (ΔE). Further, order kinetic models were used to observe the color changes and to predict the shelf-life. The results obtained showed that the applicability of image analysis helped to predict the discoloration rate, and it was better fitted to the first-order (FO) kinetic model (R2 ranging from 0.87 to 0.99). Based on the kinetic model, color features ΔE and L* was used to predict the shelf-life as they had high regression coefficient values. Thus, the findings obtained from the kinetic study demonstrated Camellia sinensis (assamica) extract spray-coated pear slices reported approximately 28.63- and 27.95-days shelf-stability without much discoloration compared with all other types of surface coating.
GrowthPredict: A toolbox and tutorial-based primer for fitting and forecasting growth trajectories using phenomenological growth models
Authors: Chowell Gerardo , Bleichrodt Amanda , Dahal Sushma , Tariq Amna , Roosa Kimberlyn , Hyman James M. , Luo Ruiyan
Published: January 2024

Simple dynamic modeling tools can help generate real-time short-term forecasts with quantified uncertainty of the trajectory of diverse growth processes unfolding in nature and society, including disease outbreaks. An easy-to-use and flexible toolbox for this purpose is lacking. This tutorial-based primer introduces and illustrates GrowthPredict, a user-friendly MATLAB toolbox for fitting and forecasting time-series trajectories using phenomenological dynamic growth models based on ordinary differential equations. This toolbox is accessible to a broad audience, including students training in mathematical biology, applied statistics, and infectious disease modeling, as well as researchers and policymakers who need to conduct short-term forecasts in real-time. The models included in the toolbox capture exponential and sub-exponential growth patterns that typically follow a rising pattern followed by a decline phase, a common feature of contagion processes. Models include the 1-parameter exponential growth model and the 2-parameter generalized-growth model, which have proven useful in characterizing and forecasting the ascending phase of epidemic outbreaks. It also includes the 2-parameter Gompertz model, the 3-parameter generalized logistic-growth model, and the 3-parameter Richards model, which have demonstrated competitive performance in forecasting single peak outbreaks. We provide detailed guidance on forecasting time-series trajectories and available software (https://github.com/gchowell/forecasting_growthmodels), including the full uncertainty distribution derived through parametric bootstrapping, which is needed to construct prediction intervals and evaluate their accuracy. Functions are available to assess forecasting performance across different models, estimation methods, error structures in the data, and forecasting horizons. The toolbox also includes functions to quantify forecasting performance using metrics that evaluate point and distributional forecasts, including the weighted interval score. This tutorial and toolbox can be broadly applied to characterizing and forecasting time-series data using simple phenomenological growth models. As a contagion process takes off, the tools presented in this tutorial can help create forecasts to guide policy regarding implementing control strategies and assess the impact of interventions. The toolbox functionality is demonstrated through various examples, including a tutorial video, and the examples use publicly available data on the monkeypox (mpox) epidemic in the USA.