bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coating flow on a rotating cylinder in the presence of an irrotational airflow with circulation
Authors: Mitchell Andrew J. , Duffy Brian R. , Wilson Stephen K.
Published: December 2021

A detailed analysis of steady coating flow of a thin film of a viscous fluid on the outside of a uniformly rotating horizontal circular cylinder in the absence of surface-tension effects but in the presence of a non-uniform pressure distribution due to an irrotational airflow with circulation shows that the presence of the airflow can result in qualitatively different behaviour of the fluid film from that in classical coating flow. Full-film solutions corresponding to a continuous film of fluid covering the entire cylinder are possible only when the flux and mass of fluid do not exceed critical values, which are determined in terms of the non-dimensional parameters

$F$

and

$K$

representing the speed of the far-field airflow and the circulation of the airflow, respectively. The qualitative changes in the behaviour of the film thickness as

$F$

and

$K$

are varied are described. In particular, the film thickness can have as many as four stationary points and, in general, has neither top-to-bottom nor right-to-left symmetry. In addition, when the circulation of the airflow is in the same direction as the rotation of the cylinder the maximum mass of fluid that can be supported on the cylinder is always less than that in classical coating flow, whereas when the circulation is in the opposite direction the maximum mass of fluid can be greater than that in classical coating flow.
A homogenised model for flow, transport and sorption in a heterogeneous porous medium
Authors: Auton L.C. , Pramanik S. , Dalwadi M.P. , MacMinn C.W. , Griffiths I.M.
Published: December 2021

A major challenge in flow through porous media is to better understand the link between microstructure and macroscale flow and transport. For idealised microstructures, the mathematical framework of homogenisation theory can be used for this purpose. Here, we consider a two-dimensional microstructure comprising an array of obstacles of smooth but arbitrary shape, the size and spacing of which can vary along the length of the porous medium. We use homogenisation via the method of multiple scales to systematically upscale a novel problem involving cells of varying area to obtain effective continuum equations for macroscale flow and transport. The equations are characterised by the local porosity, a local anisotropic flow permeability, an effective local anisotropic solute diffusivity and an effective local adsorption rate. These macroscale properties depend non-trivially on the two degrees of microstructural geometric freedom in our problem: obstacle size and obstacle spacing. We exploit this dependence to construct and compare scenarios where the same porosity profile results from different combinations of obstacle size and spacing. We focus on a simple example geometry comprising circular obstacles on a rectangular lattice, for which we numerically determine the macroscale permeability and effective diffusivity. We investigate scenarios where the porosity is spatially uniform but the permeability and diffusivity are not. Our results may be useful in the design of filters or for studying the impact of deformation on transport in soft porous media.
Active tail flexion in concert with passive hydrodynamic forces improves swimming speed and efficiency
Authors: Hang Haotian , Heydari Sina , Costello John H. , Kanso Eva
Published: December 2021

Fish typically swim by periodic bending of their bodies. Bending seems to follow a universal rule; it occurs at about one-third from the posterior end of the fish body with a maximum bending angle of about

$30^{\circ }$

. However, the hydrodynamic mechanisms that shaped this convergent design and its potential benefit to fish in terms of swimming speed and efficiency are not well understood. It is also unclear to what extent this bending is active or follows passively from the interaction of a flexible posterior with the fluid environment. Here, we use a self-propelled two-link model, with fluid–structure interactions described in the context of the vortex sheet method, to analyse the effects of both active and passive body bending on the swimming performance. We find that passive bending is more efficient but could reduce swimming speed compared with rigid flapping, but the addition of active bending could enhance both speed and efficiency. Importantly, we find that the phase difference between the posterior and anterior sections of the body is an important kinematic factor that influences performance, and that active antiphase flexion, consistent with the passive flexion phase, can simultaneously enhance speed and efficiency in a region of the design space that overlaps with biological observations. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that fish that actively bend their bodies in a fashion that exploits passive hydrodynamics can at once improve speed and efficiency.
Regulating genetic engineering guided by human dignity, not genetic essentialism
Authors: Gregg Benjamin
Published: December 2021

Abstract

How might a liberal democratic community best regulate human genetic engineering? Relevant debates widely deploy the usually undefined term “human dignity.” Its indeterminacy in meaning and use renders it useless as a guiding principle. In this article, I reject the human genome as somehow invested with a moral status, a position I call “genetic essentialism.” I explain why a critique of genetic essentialism is not a strawman and argue against defining human rights in terms of genetic essentialism. As an alternative, I propose dignity as the decisional autonomy of future persons, held in trust by the current generation. I show why a future person could be expected to have an interest in decisional autonomy and how popular deliberation, combined with expert medical and bioethical opinion, could generate principled agreement on how the decisional autonomy of future persons might be configured at the point of genetic engineering.
Distribution and correlation ofSabellidites cambriensis(Annelida?) in the basal Cambrian on Baltica
Authors: Ebbestad Jan Ove R. , Hybertsen Frida , Högström Anette E. S. , Jensen Sören , Palacios Teodoro , Taylor Wendy L. , Agić Heda , Høyberget Magne , Meinhold Guido
Published: December 2021

Sabellidites cambriensisis a tubular non-mineralized metazoan that appears as compressed ribbon-shaped imprints with transverse wrinkling, thick walls and an even tube diameter of up to 3 mm. The distribution ofSabelliditesis investigated in three Ediacaran–Cambrian sections on the Digermulen Peninsula in Arctic Norway, spanning the Manndrapselva Member of the Stáhpogieddi Formation and the lower member of the Breidvika Formation. Here, the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary is located in the lower part of the upper parasequence (third cycle) of the Manndrapselva Member. Specimens ofSabelliditesare rare but consistently present close to the lowest level ofTreptichnus pedumand upsection, whereas the taxon is common and abundant in the lower part of the lower member of the Breidvika Formation, with an upper record atc.55 m above the base. The range is comparable with that of the GSSP section in Newfoundland, Canada, establishingSabelliditesas an index fossil for the lowermost Cambrian. In the Manndrapselva Member,Sabelliditesco-occurs with the acritarchGranomarginata, indicative of the lowermost CambrianGranomarginataZone, whereas in the Breidvika Formation it co-occurs withAsteridium.Sabelliditesis widely distributed in Baltica, through the Rovnian and Lontovan regional stages but confined to the Fortunian global stage. In its lower range,Sabelliditesis associated with aTreptichnus pedumtrace fossil association and a depauperate leiosphaerid acritarch assemblage, followed by aGranomarginataassemblage. In its upper range,Sabelliditesco-occurs with acritarchs of theAsteridium–ComasphaeridiumZone and the tubular foraminiferanPlatysolenites. In Baltica,Sabelliditesis a useful index fossil.
Evolution of Neoproterozoic Shillong Basin, Meghalaya, NE India: implications of supercontinent break-up and amalgamation
Authors: Neogi Susobhan , Bhardwaj Apoorve , Kundu Amitava
Published: December 2021

Fragmentation and amalgamation of supercontinents play an important role in shaping our planet. The break-up of such a widely studied supercontinent, Rodinia, has been well documented from several parts of India, especially the northwestern and eastern sector. Interestingly, being located very close to the Proterozoic tectonic margin, northeastern India is expected to have had a significant role in Neoproterozoic geodynamics, but this aspect has still not been thoroughly studied. We therefore investigate a poorly studied NE–SW-trending Shillong Basin of Meghalaya from NE India, which preserves the stratigraphic record and structural evolution spanning the Neoproterozoic Era. The low-grade metasedimentary rocks of Shillong Basin unconformably overlie the high-grade Archean–Proterozoic basement and comprise a c. 4000-m-thick platform sedimentary rock succession. In this study, we divide this succession into three formations: lower Tarso, middle Ingsaw and upper Umlapher. A NW–SE-aligned compression event later caused the thrusting of these sedimentary rocks over the basement with a tectonic contact in the western margin, resulting in NE–SW-trending fold belts. The rift-controlled Shillong Basin shows a comparable Neoproterozoic evolution with the equivalent basins of peninsular India and eastern Gondwana. The recorded Neoproterozoic rift tectonics are likely associated with Rodinia’s break-up and continent dispersion, which finally ended with the oblique collision of India with Australia and the intrusion of Cambrian granitoids during the Pan-African Orogeny, contributing to the assembly of Gondwana. This contribution is the first to present a complete litho-structural evolution of the Shillong Basin in relation to regional and global geodynamic settings.
When Ants Beset the Elephant: Rent Extraction and Resistance on China's E-commerce Platform
Authors: Li Ju
Published: December 2021

E-commerce in China has developed and expanded rapidly in recent years. Conflicts and confrontations have accumulated in parallel. Using Taobao e-marketplace – one pillar platform of the Alibaba group – as its case, this article aims to analyse the developmental logic and profit-seeking strategies of e-commerce capitalism in China and beyond. It also investigates how small online merchants responded to and resisted the particular rent-extractive and exclusive mechanisms designed by the platform. I attempt to identify the emerging responses from below to both the creative and destructive sides of this newest capitalist development in China. I argue that, despite the militancy and innovation involved in these movements, and despite the use of Maoist rhetoric borrowed from the past, the contentious collective actions (online or offline) organized by these small online merchants lack the solidarity, the shared identity and consciousness, and the powerful ideological language observed among the “traditional” working class in industrial capitalism, and hence they are more improvised, transient, and easily defeated.
A proposed structural approach to improve cow-claw health on Dutch dairy farms
Authors: Holzhauer Menno , van Egmond Ryan J.
Published: December 2021

Despite extensive research leading to an improved understanding of the risk factors and pathogenesis of infectious and non-infectious disorders, claw health has not structurally improved in recent decades. Several studies have shown that claw disorders harm milk production, fertility and longevity of the dairy cows and job satisfaction of the farmer. This is enough reason to structurally improve claw health on dairy farms. The focus should be on a rapid curative intervention when lameness occurs and above all the prevention of claw problems. Most claw disorder diagnoses are nowadays made during regular claw trimming by the professional trimmer or the dairy farmer. Registration of the detected disorders during claw trimming is not always done consistently, so the estimated prevalence (number of cows with a claw disorder) is in most cases an underestimation of the real prevalence. The quality of these records often makes it difficult for consultants to formulate appropriate claw health advice. To be able to give good advice on claw health, insight into the prevalence of the various hoof disorders on a farm is a key condition. However, good quality advice alone is not a guarantee for an improved claw health situation on a farm. Research has shown that in addition to high quality substantiated advice, the communication style between the consultant and the dairy farmer is essential for the interpretation and motivation of the dairy farmer to implement the advice. In this paper a 7-point plan is presented as a guidance for herd advisors who want to support dairy farmers to improve claw health.
The Tree and the Temple: Echoes of a New Ingathering and Renewed Exile (Mark 11.12–21)
Authors: Guthrie George H.
Published: December 2021

This article considers Mark's account of the cursing of the fig tree, read in conjunction with Jesus’ temple action. Having reviewed recent proposals on the literary shape of Mark 11.1–12.12, the article proposes a fresh reading of the section's structure. Triple introductions at 11.11, 11.15 and 11.27 are shown to match triple conclusions at 11.11, 11.19 and 12.12, these constituents framing interwoven units running from 11.11 to 12.12. The pattern of triple intercalation suggests that the cursing of the fig tree and Jesus’ temple action should be interpreted one in light of the other. The article then considers the intertextual relationship between Mark's narrative and the scriptural texts it evokes. The study uncovers previously neglected echoes vital for understanding the significance of Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree and temple action. The ‘casting out’ motif in Jeremiah 7–8, as dramatically portrayed in Jesus’ temple action, is set forth as heralding a ‘renewed exile’ for those who reject Jesus’ message, while the mirror motif of ‘ingathering’ in Isa 56.1–8, accentuated by the ‘withered tree’ imagery of 56.3, heralds new opportunity, with those who were previously outsiders to the temple made insiders in the eschatological house of prayer.
Application of exponentially modified Gaussian cumulative curve to the simplified short-term prediction of COVID-19 daily cases in Poland
Authors: Bałys Mieczysław R. , Lubecki Adrian , Szczurowski Jakub , Brodawka Ewelina , Zarębska Katarzyna
Published: December 2021

In March 2020, rapidly spreading across the world, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 reached Poland. Since then, many efforts have been made to develop methods to forecast the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spread and to prevent its negative consequences. In this paper, we presented one of such methods, a simplified way of building a data-driven model for predicting the daily number of new coronavirus infections.

Our method is based on parameter selection of the exponentially modified Gaussian cumulative curve, where the obtained curve should describe the curve of a total of COVID-19 cases in Poland with the best possible fit.

We showed that a simplified modelling approach can give good correlations between model values and actual COVID-19 cases data. By forecasting during the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland, we obtained a high enough accuracy for our model to be considered a valuable and helpful tool for making health policy.
L’intonation des énoncés interrogatifs dans la parole des apprenants finnophones du français
Authors: Wiklund Mari , Riippa Anne
Published: December 2021

Cette étude porte sur l’intonation des énoncés interrogatifs dans la parole des apprenants finnophones du français. Le corpus consiste en des enregistrements où 15 apprenants finnophones du français et un groupe de contrôle de 5 locuteurs natifs du français lisent un extrait d’un dialogue tiré de la pièce de théâtreEn attendant Godot(Beckett, 1952). Les résultats montrent qu’aussi bien les apprenants finnophones que les locuteurs natifs du français produisent une montée intonative à la fin des questions totales d’information. En ce qui concerne les questions partielles, les résultats sont plus divergents : le plus souvent, les apprenants finnophones produisent aussi une montée intonative à la fin d’une question partielle, tandis que dans la parole des locuteurs natifs, l’intonation descendante et plate sont nettement plus fréquentes.

Comme l’intonation montante n’a pas de fonction interrogative établie en finnois, cette étude apporte des preuves supplémentaires du fait que tous les traits prosodiques de la parole des locuteurs L2 ne peuvent pas être expliqués par la transmission directe de la L1. La fréquence des contours montants dans la parole des apprenants finnophones est probablement liée au fait que l’importance de monter l’intonation à la fin des énoncés interrogatifs est soulignée dans l’enseignement du FLE.
Effect ofNANOGoverexpression on porcine embryonic development and pluripotent embryonic stem cell formationin vitro
Authors: Bou Gerelchimeg , Guo Shimeng , Guo Jia , Chai Zhuang , Zhao Jianchao , Li Yan , Liu Zhonghua
Published: December 2021

The efficiency of establishing pig pluripotent embryonic stem cell clones from blastocysts is still low. The transcription factor Nanog plays an important role in maintaining the pluripotency of mouse and human embryonic stem cells. Adequate activation of Nanog has been reported to increase the efficiency of establishing mouse embryonic stem cells from 3.5 day embryos. In mouse, Nanog starts to be strongly expressed as early as the morula stage, whereas in porcine NANOG starts to be strongly expressed by the late blastocyst stage. Therefore, here we investigated both the effect of expressingNANOGon porcine embryos early from the morula stage and the efficiency of porcine pluripotent embryonic stem cell clone formation. Compared with intact porcine embryos,NANOGoverexpression induced a lower blastocyst rate, and did not show any advantages for embryo development and pluripotent embryonic stem cell line formation. These results indicated that, although NANOG is important pluripotent factor,NANOGoverexpression is unnecessary for the initial formation of porcine pluripotent embryonic stem cell clonesin vitro.
AN EFFECTIVE ANALYTIC FORMULA FOR THE NUMBER OF DISTINCT IRREDUCIBLE FACTORS OF A POLYNOMIAL
Authors: GARCIA STEPHAN RAMON , LEE ETHAN SIMPSON , SUH JOSH , YU JIAHUI
Published: December 2021

We obtain an effective analytic formula, with explicit constants, for the number of distinct irreducible factors of a polynomial
$f \in \mathbb {Z}[x]$
. We use an explicit version of Mertens’ theorem for number fields to estimate a related sum over rational primes. For a given
$f \in \mathbb {Z}[x]$
, our result yields a finite list of primes that certifies the number of distinct irreducible factors of f.
Social Scientization and the Schooling State in UK Parliamentary Discourse, 1803–1909
Authors: Smith Daniel Scott
Published: December 2021

Traditional accounts of state expansion and of the rise of state schooling in the nineteenth century emphasize economic, political, and social development as well as conflict and domination. These accounts explain the introduction of new state structures, like ministries of education, rules of compulsion, and the general elaboration of bureaucracies. This article contributes to the historical sociological study of state expansion with specific regard to schooling by refocusing on the role that macrocultural processes of social scientization played in shaping the discursive construction and expansion of the state. Designed to analyze the 1.3 million speeches given in the UK parliament during the nineteenth century, the research reported here supports the argument that the development, professionalization, and institutionalization of the social sciences—social scientization—was a powerful force of cultural construction across the West and was positively associated with expanded notions of the state, as evidenced with the case of the United Kingdom. This article therefore not only provides an important alternative view to those who emphasize economic and social transformation but it also advances the empirical study of the powerful role that social science, as generative institution of cultural construction, played in shaping official discourses of the state—in this instance, the schooling state.
Sprachlichen Anregungsgehalt im Elternhaus fördern?
Authors: Sielemann Lena , Hollmann Jelena , Quasthoff Uta , Wild Elke
Published: December 2021

Zusammenfassung. Da familiäre Diskurspraktiken für die Entwicklung kindlicher Argumentationskompetenz wichtig sind, wurde das Training „Eltern fördern durch Argumentieren (EfA)“ für Eltern mit Kindern Anfang der Sekundarstufe I entwickelt. Kernziele sind, das Bewusstsein für die Rolle informeller Sprachförderpotentiale der Familie zu stärken und Strategien zum Umgang mit Konflikten zu vermitteln. Zur Evaluation von EfA wurde eine quasi-experimentelle-Feldstudie mit Prä-Post-Follow-Up-Design und unbehandelter Vergleichsgruppe realisiert. Von 37 teilnehmenden Eltern wurden 17 in sieben, wöchentlich stattfindenden Sitzungen trainiert. Die Befunde zur Akzeptanz des Trainings und nachhaltigen Umsetzung der vermitteln Strategien sind positiv. Auch zeigen sich erwartungsgemäß Veränderungen in der Interventionsgruppe: die Sensibilität trainierter Eltern für ihre unterstützende Rolle und die Bedeutung des sprachlichen Anregungsgehalts stieg stärker, sie zeigten einen deutlichen Zuwachs erwerbsförderlicher Diskurspraktiken, berichteten einen stärkeren Rückgang familialer Konfliktgespräche und neigten weniger zu unterdrückend-bestrafenden Reaktionen auf kindliche Wut. Die ermittelten Effektstärken lassen es sinnvoll erscheinen, das Training für die Nutzung in der Praxis aufzubereiten.
Internalisierendes und externalisierendes Verhalten von Kindern und ihre Teilhabe an Interaktionen
Authors: Müller Medea Cusati
Published: December 2021

Zusammenfassung. Die explorative Studie untersucht die Assoziation zwischen internalisierendem und externalisierendem Verhalten von Kindern und ihrer Beteiligung an Interaktionen generell sowie spezifisch an Sustained Shared Thinking (SST). Dazu wurden Interaktionen zwischen gesamthaft zwölf Fachpersonen und 28 Kindern im Alter zwischen drei und fünf Jahren in Deutschschweizer Kindertagesstätten aufgezeichnet. Internalisierendes und externalisierendes Verhalten wurden mittels Einschätzungen der Eltern über den Fragebogen zu Stärken und Schwächen ( Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ-Deu) erfasst. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass internalisierendes und externalisierendes Verhalten der Kinder nicht mit ihrer Beteiligung an Interaktionen assoziiert waren. Jedoch hatten Kinder mit ausgeprägterem internalisierendem Verhalten signifikant weniger und Kinder mit ausgeprägterem externalisierendem Verhalten signifikant häufiger an SST-Interaktionen teil. Fachpersonen sollten dafür sensibilisiert werden, im Freispiel häufiger Kinder mit ausgeprägterem internalisierendem und weniger ausgeprägtem externalisierendem Verhalten in SST einzubinden.
Assimilation of Both Column‐ and Layer‐Integrated Dust Opacity Observations in the Martian Atmosphere
Authors: Ruan Tao , Young R. M. B. , Lewis S. R. , Montabone L. , Valeanu A. , Read P. L.
Published: December 2021

A new dust data assimilation scheme has been developed for the UK version of the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique Martian General Circulation Model. The Analysis Correction scheme (adapted from the UK Met Office) is applied with active dust lifting and transport to analyze measurements of temperature, and both column‐integrated dust optical depth (CIDO),τref(rescaled to a reference level), and layer‐integrated dust opacity (LIDO). The results are shown to converge to the assimilated observations, but assimilating either of the dust observation types separately does not produce the best analysis. The most effective dust assimilation is found to require both CIDO (from Mars Odyssey/THEMIS) and LIDO observations, especially for Mars Climate Sounder data that does not access levels close to the surface. The resulting full reanalysis improves the agreement with both in‐sample assimilated CIDO and LIDO data and independent observations from outside the assimilated data set. It is thus able to capture previously elusive details of the dust vertical distribution, including elevated detached dust layers that have not been captured in previous reanalyzes. Verification of this reanalysis has been carried out under both clear and dusty atmospheric conditions during Mars Years 28 and 29, using both in‐sample and out of sample observations from orbital remote sensing and contemporaneous surface measurements of dust opacity from the Spirit and Opportunity landers. The reanalysis was also compared with a recent version of the Mars Climate Database (MCD v5), demonstrating generally good agreement though with some systematic differences in both time mean fields and day‐to‐day variability.
Roles of Atmospheric Turbulence and Stratification in a Regional Pollution Transport Event in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River
Authors: Zhou Yue , Guo Jianping , Zhao Tianliang , Lv Jingjing , Bai Yongqing , Wang Chenggang , Sun Xiaoyun , Hu Weiyang
Published: December 2021

Atmospheric turbulence and the planetary boundary layer (PBL) can significantly modulate the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration near the ground surface. However, the mechanism by which they affect the variation in PM2.5 is poorly understood. Using surface‐based meteorological and PM2.5 observations, turbulence measurements, and high‐resolution soundings, this study analyzed the properties of turbulence and PBL stratification during a severe regional pollution transport event in Xiangyang, a city in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, from January 3 to January 9, 2019. During the growth stage, PM2.5 was observed to increase continuously under a northerly wind of 2–4 m s−1 that brought a polluted air mass to central China. During the entire pollution event, the turbulent kinetic energy and sensible heat flux tended to be lower at high PM2.5 concentrations. This correlation varied greatly depending on the stage of the event. A negative correlation existed in the initial and maintenance stages, whereas the relationship was positive during the growth stage, when regional transport dominated the variation in PM2.5. There was no obvious inversion layer below 500 m during the entire pollution episode, and a weak inversion layer appeared at higher altitudes in the initial and maintenance stages. Vertically homogeneous northerly winds favored the transboundary transport of pollutants, causing a significant increase in ground‐level PM2.5 concentration. By contrast, the presence of wind shear in the prevailing northerly winds suppressed pollutant transport to the ground, resulting in a low‐value gap in PM2.5 concentration between high altitudes and the ground surface.
Dayside Low Energy Electron Precipitation Driven by Hiss Waves in the Presence of Ionospheric Photoelectrons
Authors: Khazanov George V. , Ma Qianli
Published: December 2021

As was demonstrated by many observations, hiss waves are often to observed in the dayside plasmasphere and plumes. Previous studies of hiss waves have been focused on the scattering of energetic electrons of 10–1,000 keV energies and only recently this focus was shifted to the energies below several keV down to the energies of tens of eV. These studies, however, did not include electrons of ionospheric origin photo‐ and secondary‐ electrons. The major focus of our study is dayside low energy electron precipitation driven by hiss waves in the presence of ionospheric photo‐ and secondary‐ electrons. It is found that photoelectrons play an important role in hiss waves driven low energy electron precipitation phenomena. They are serving as the seed population that is required to study the low energy (below 1 keV) electrons using different kinetic approaches that are considered in this study. Our approach is based two kinetic codes: the SuperThermal Electron Transport (STET) and Fokker Plank (F‐P) models. The STET code couples magnetospheric hiss‐driven electron precipitation dynamic with ionosphere and forms the low energy MI coupling input to the F‐P code. The latter finalizes the formation of electron distribution function at magnetospheric altitudes via Landau resonant heating and forms the combined electron distribution function that is driven by Magnetosphere‐Ionosphere (MI) energy interplay processes.
Psychological Predictors of Family-Based Behavioral Treatment Response in a Diverse Sample of Youth With Obesity
Authors: Fornander Mirae J. , Bates Carolyn R. , Hampl Sarah E. , Beck Amy R. , Dreyer Gillette Meredith L.
Published: December 2021

Objective: Despite strong evidence supporting the efficacy of family-based behavioral treatment (FBBT) for pediatric obesity, programs rarely achieve optimal effectiveness for all youth. Understanding treatment response among racially/ethnically diverse youth and the role of psychological concerns in obesity treatment response will better inform pediatric psychologists' treatment recommendations in pediatric obesity populations. The current study aimed to evaluate (a) FBBT effectiveness in a racially/ethnically diverse population and (b) the rates, and possible impact, of psychological comorbidities at baseline on treatment outcomes. Method: Participants included 351 youth who had obesity and their families who participated in 12 weeks of group FBBT. Parent-reported psychological concerns were measured at baseline using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17, and anthropometric data were collected at baseline and treatment end. Paired-samples t-tests and mixed-effects repeated-measures analysis of covariance were utilized to examine psychological predictors of changes in body mass index percent of the 95th percentile (%95thpercentile) during treatment. Results: No differences in FBBT response based on race or ethnicity were identified. Findings indicated that a higher baseline %95thpercentile was associated with more internalizing, externalizing, and total psychological concerns. While youth in the intervention experienced a significant reduction in %95thpercentile from baseline to treatment end overall, youth with elevated baseline externalizing concerns did not exhibit significant decreases in %95thpercentile. Conclusions: FBBT was demonstrated to be equally effective across racial/ethnic groups, while significant differences were observed based on psychological concerns reported at baseline. This study highlights the utility of preliminary psychological screening to promote individualized care within pediatric obesity treatment.

Implications for Impact Statement

This study evaluated family based behavioral treatment (FBBT) response in a racially/ethnically diverse population and explored the impact of child psychological concerns on FBBT response. Psychological screening prior to pediatric weight management interventions may help identify youth at risk for suboptimal benefit of FBBT. Treatment recommendations based on psychological screening results are discussed.
Systemic inflammation and emotional responses during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Hamilton Odessa S. , Cadar Dorina , Steptoe Andrew
Published: December 2021

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on population mental health is of global concern. Inflammatory processes are thought to contribute to mental ill-health, but their role in experiences of psychological distress during the pandemic has not been investigated. We tested the hypothesis that elevated inflammatory biomarkers (high-sensitivity plasma C-reactive protein [CRP] and plasma fibrinogen) measured pre-pandemic would be positively predictive of increased depressive symptoms experienced during the pandemic. Data were analysed from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), with 3574 individuals aged >50 for CRP and 3314 for fibrinogen measured in waves 8 (2016/17) or 9 (2018/19). Depressive symptoms were measured with a short version of the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) pre-pandemic (2016–2019) and during the pandemic (June/July 2020). Participants with higher baseline CRP concentrations had 40% higher odds of developing depressive symptoms during the pandemic (ORadjusted = 1.40, 95% CI 1.12–1.73, p = 0.003) after full adjustment. Fibrinogen concentrations were also associated with depressive symptoms during the pandemic (ORadjusted = 1.23, 95% CI 1.04–1.46, p = 0.019), but this association was no longer significant after controlling for lifestyle factors (smoking status, alcohol consumption and physical activity). In this large population study, systemic inflammation measured 1–3 years pre-pandemic was associated with greater depressed mood during the early months of the pandemic. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that higher levels of inflammation increase the vulnerability of older people to impaired mental health in the presence of the widespread stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ETV5-mediated upregulation of lncRNA CTBP1-DT as a ceRNA facilitates HGSOC progression by regulating miR-188-5p/MAP3K3 axis
Authors: Liu Ping , Fu Ruiting , Chen Kai , Zhang Lu , Wang Shasha , Liang Weihua , Zou Hong , Tao Lin , Jia Wei
Published: December 2021

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a common and lethal cancer of the female reproductive system. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in various cancers and play crucial roles in tumour progression. However, their function and molecular mechanism in HGSOC remain largely unknown. Based on public databases and bioinformatics analyses, the overexpression of lncRNA CTBP1-DT in HGSOC tissues was detected and validated in a cohort of HGSOC tissues. High expression of lncRNA CTBP1-DT was associated with poor prognosis and was an independent risk factor for survival. Overexpression of lncRNA CTBP1-DT promoted malignant biological behaviour of HGSOC cells, whereas its depletion induced growth arrest of HGSOC cells by vitro and in vivo assays. Mechanistically, lncRNA CTBP1-DT could competitively bind to miR-188-5p to protect MAP3K3 from degradation. Moreover, our results revealed that ETV5 could specifically interact with the promoter of lncRNA CTBP1-DT and activate its transcription. Collectively, these results reveal a novel ETV5/lncRNA CTBP1-DT/miR-188-5p/MAP3K3 pathway for HGSOC progression and suggest that lncRNA CTBP1-DT might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for HGSOC.
High-specific-power flexible transition metal dichalcogenide solar cells
Authors: Nassiri Nazif Koosha , Daus Alwin , Hong Jiho , Lee Nayeun , Vaziri Sam , Kumar Aravindh , Nitta Frederick , Chen Michelle E. , Kananian Siavash , Islam Raisul , Kim Kwan-Ho , Park Jin-Hong , Poon Ada S. Y. , Brongersma Mark L. , Pop Eric , Saraswat Krishna C.
Published: December 2021

Semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising for flexible high-specific-power photovoltaics due to their ultrahigh optical absorption coefficients, desirable band gaps and self-passivated surfaces. However, challenges such as Fermi-level pinning at the metal contact–TMD interface and the inapplicability of traditional doping schemes have prevented most TMD solar cells from exceeding 2% power conversion efficiency (PCE). In addition, fabrication on flexible substrates tends to contaminate or damage TMD interfaces, further reducing performance. Here, we address these fundamental issues by employing: (1) transparent graphene contacts to mitigate Fermi-level pinning, (2) MoOx capping for doping, passivation and anti-reflection, and (3) a clean, non-damaging direct transfer method to realize devices on lightweight flexible polyimide substrates. These lead to record PCE of 5.1% and record specific power of 4.4 W g−1 for flexible TMD (WSe2) solar cells, the latter on par with prevailing thin-film solar technologies cadmium telluride, copper indium gallium selenide, amorphous silicon and III-Vs. We further project that TMD solar cells could achieve specific power up to 46 W g−1, creating unprecedented opportunities in a broad range of industries from aerospace to wearable and implantable electronics.
How to build a ribosome from RNA fragments in Chlamydomonas mitochondria
Authors: Waltz Florent , Salinas-Giegé Thalia , Englmeier Robert , Meichel Herrade , Soufari Heddy , Kuhn Lauriane , Pfeffer Stefan , Förster Friedrich , Engel Benjamin D. , Giegé Philippe , Drouard Laurence , Hashem Yaser
Published: December 2021

Mitochondria are the powerhouse of eukaryotic cells. They possess their own gene expression machineries where highly divergent and specialized ribosomes, named hereafter mitoribosomes, translate the few essential messenger RNAs still encoded by mitochondrial genomes. Here, we present a biochemical and structural characterization of the mitoribosome in the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, as well as a functional study of some of its specific components. Single particle cryo-electron microscopy resolves how the Chlamydomonas mitoribosome is assembled from 13 rRNA fragments encoded by separate non-contiguous gene pieces. Additional proteins, mainly OPR, PPR and mTERF helical repeat proteins, are found in Chlamydomonas mitoribosome, revealing the structure of an OPR protein in complex with its RNA binding partner. Targeted amiRNA silencing indicates that these ribosomal proteins are required for mitoribosome integrity. Finally, we use cryo-electron tomography to show that Chlamydomonas mitoribosomes are attached to the inner mitochondrial membrane via two contact points mediated by Chlamydomonas-specific proteins. Our study expands our understanding of mitoribosome diversity and the various strategies these specialized molecular machines adopt for membrane tethering.
Non-canonical Wnt signaling promotes directed migration of intestinal stem cells to sites of injury
Authors: Hu Daniel Jun-Kit , Yun Jina , Elstrott Justin , Jasper Heinrich
Published: December 2021

Tissue regeneration after injury requires coordinated regulation of stem cell activation, division, and daughter cell differentiation, processes that are increasingly well understood in many regenerating tissues. How accurate stem cell positioning and localized integration of new cells into the damaged epithelium are achieved, however, remains unclear. Here, we show that enteroendocrine cells coordinate stem cell migration towards a wound in theDrosophilaintestinal epithelium. In response to injury, enteroendocrine cells release the N-terminal domain of the PTK7 orthologue, Otk, which activates non-canonical Wnt signaling in intestinal stem cells, promoting actin-based protrusion formation and stem cell migration towards a wound. We find that this migratory behavior is closely linked to proliferation, and that it is required for efficient tissue repair during injury. Our findings highlight the role of non-canonical Wnt signaling in regeneration of the intestinal epithelium, and identify enteroendocrine cell-released ligands as critical coordinators of intestinal stem cell migration.
Structural and molecular basis for Cardiovirus 2A protein as a viral gene expression switch
Authors: Hill Chris H. , Pekarek Lukas , Napthine Sawsan , Kibe Anuja , Firth Andrew E. , Graham Stephen C. , Caliskan Neva , Brierley Ian
Published: December 2021

Programmed –1 ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) in cardioviruses is activated by the 2A protein, a multi-functional virulence factor that also inhibits cap-dependent translational initiation. Here we present the X-ray crystal structure of 2A and show that it selectively binds to a pseudoknot-like conformation of the PRF stimulatory RNA element in the viral genome. Using optical tweezers, we demonstrate that 2A stabilises this RNA element, likely explaining the increase in PRF efficiency in the presence of 2A. Next, we demonstrate a strong interaction between 2A and the small ribosomal subunit and present a cryo-EM structure of 2A bound to initiated 70S ribosomes. Multiple copies of 2A bind to the 16S rRNA where they may compete for binding with initiation and elongation factors. Together, these results define the structural basis for RNA recognition by 2A, show how 2A-mediated stabilisation of an RNA pseudoknot promotes PRF, and reveal how 2A accumulation may shut down translation during virus infection.
Strategies to package recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus expressing the N-terminal gasdermin domain for tumor treatment
Authors: Lu Yuan , He Wenbo , Huang Xin , He Yu , Gou Xiaojuan , Liu Xiaoke , Hu Zhe , Xu Weize , Rahman Khaista , Li Shan , Hu Sheng , Luo Jie , Cao Gang
Published: December 2021

Pyroptosis induced by the N-terminal gasdermin domain (GSDMNT) holds great potential for anti-tumor therapy. However, due to the extreme cytoxicity of GSDMNT, it is challenging to efficiently produce and deliver GSDMNT into tumor cells. Here, we report the development of two strategies to package recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) expressing GSDMNT: 1) drive the expression of GSDMNT by a mammal specific promoter and package the virus in Sf9 insect cells to avoid its expression; 2) co-infect rAAV-Cre to revert and express the double-floxed inverted GSDMNT. We demonstrate that these rAAVs can induce pyroptosis and prolong survival in preclinical cancer models. The oncolytic-viruses induce pyroptosis and evoke a robust immune-response. In a glioblastoma model, rAAVs temporarily open the blood-brain barrier and recruit tumor infiltrating lymphocytes into the brain. The oncolytic effect is further improved in combination with anti-PD-L1. Together, our strategies efficiently produce and deliver GSDMNT into tumor cells and successfully induce pyroptosis, which can be exploited for anti-tumor therapy.
Hedgehog-Interacting Protein is a multimodal antagonist of Hedgehog signalling
Authors: Griffiths Samuel C. , Schwab Rebekka A. , El Omari Kamel , Bishop Benjamin , Iverson Ellen J. , Malinauskas Tomas , Dubey Ramin , Qian Mingxing , Covey Douglas F. , Gilbert Robert J. C. , Rohatgi Rajat , Siebold Christian
Published: December 2021

Hedgehog (HH) morphogen signalling, crucial for cell growth and tissue patterning in animals, is initiated by the binding of dually lipidated HH ligands to cell surface receptors. Hedgehog-Interacting Protein (HHIP), the only reported secreted inhibitor of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signalling, binds directly to SHH with high nanomolar affinity, sequestering SHH. Here, we report the structure of the HHIP N-terminal domain (HHIP-N) in complex with a glycosaminoglycan (GAG). HHIP-N displays a unique bipartite fold with a GAG-binding domain alongside a Cysteine Rich Domain (CRD). We show that HHIP-N is required to convey full HHIP inhibitory function, likely by interacting with the cholesterol moiety covalently linked to HH ligands, thereby preventing this SHH-attached cholesterol from binding to the HH receptor Patched (PTCH1). We also present the structure of the HHIP C-terminal domain in complex with the GAG heparin. Heparin can bind to both HHIP-N and HHIP-C, thereby inducing clustering at the cell surface and generating a high-avidity platform for SHH sequestration and inhibition. Our data suggest a multimodal mechanism, in which HHIP can bind two specific sites on the SHH morphogen, alongside multiple GAG interactions, to inhibit SHH signalling.
Biphasic activation of β-arrestin 1 upon interaction with a GPCR revealed by methyl-TROSY NMR
Authors: Shiraishi Yutaro , Kofuku Yutaka , Ueda Takumi , Pandey Shubhi , Dwivedi-Agnihotri Hemlata , Shukla Arun K. , Shimada Ichio
Published: December 2021

β-arrestins (βarrs) play multifaceted roles in the function of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). βarrs typically interact with phosphorylated C-terminal tail (C tail) and transmembrane core (TM core) of GPCRs. However, the effects of the C tail- and TM core-mediated interactions on the conformational activation of βarrs have remained elusive. Here, we show the conformational changes for βarr activation upon the C tail- and TM core-mediated interactions with a prototypical GPCR by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Our NMR analyses demonstrated that while the C tail-mediated interaction alone induces partial activation, in which βarr exists in equilibrium between basal and activated conformations, the TM core- and the C tail-mediated interactions together completely shift the equilibrium toward the activated conformation. The conformation-selective antibody, Fab30, promotes partially activated βarr into the activated-like conformation. This plasticity of βarr conformation in complex with GPCRs engaged in different binding modes may explain the multifunctionality of βarrs.
Financial stability in response to climate change in a northern temperate economy
Authors: Stan Kayla , Watt Graham A. , Sanchez-Azofeifa Arturo
Published: December 2021

Climate change will have considerable impact on the global economy. Estimates of the economic damages due to climate change have focused on the effect of average temperature, but not the effect of other important climate variables. Related research has not explored the sub-annual economic cycles which may be impacted by climate volatility. To address these deficits, we propose a flexible, non-linear framework which includes a wide range of climate variables to estimate changes in GDP and project sub-annual economic cycle adjustments (period, amplitude, trough depth). We find that the inclusion of a more robust set of climate variables improves model performance by over 20%. Importantly, the improved model predicts an increase in GDP rather than a decrease when only temperature is considered. We also find that climate influences the sub-annual economics of all but one province in Canada. Highest stressed were the Prairie and Atlantic regions. Least stressed was the Southeastern region. Our study advances understanding of the nuances in the relationship between climate change and economic output in Canada. It also provides a method that can be applied to related economies globally to target adaptation and resilience management.
Hydrogel tapes for fault-tolerant strong wet adhesion
Authors: Xue Bin , Gu Jie , Li Lan , Yu Wenting , Yin Sheng , Qin Meng , Jiang Qing , Wang Wei , Cao Yi
Published: December 2021

Fast and strong bio-adhesives are in high demand for many biomedical applications, including closing wounds in surgeries, fixing implantable devices, and haemostasis. However, most strong bio-adhesives rely on the instant formation of irreversible covalent crosslinks to provide strong surface binding. Repositioning misplaced adhesives during surgical operations may cause severe secondary damage to tissues. Here, we report hydrogel tapes that can form strong physical interactions with tissues in seconds and gradually form covalent bonds in hours. This timescale-dependent adhesion mechanism allows instant and robust wet adhesion to be combined with fault-tolerant convenient surgical operations. Specifically, inspired by the catechol chemistry discovered in mussel foot proteins, we develop an electrical oxidation approach to controllably oxidize catechol to catecholquinone, which reacts slowly with amino groups on the tissue surface. We demonstrate that the tapes show fast and reversible adhesion at the initial stage and ultrastrong adhesion after the formation of covalent linkages over hours for various tissues and electronic devices. Given that the hydrogel tapes are biocompatible, easy to use, and robust for bio-adhesion, we anticipate that they may find broad biomedical and clinical applications.