bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiphysics Analysis and Verification of Jet Flight in Electrohydrodynamic Printing for Near-Field Electrospinning Applications
Authors: Subramaniam Sanjana , Cao Jian , Ehmann Kornel
Published: July 2024

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing is a versatile process that can be used to pattern high-resolution droplets and fibers through the deposition of an electrified jet. This highly complex process utilizes a coupled hydrodynamic and electrostatic mechanism to drive the fluid flow. While it has many biomedical, electronic, and filtration applications, its widescale usage is hampered by a lack of detailed understanding of the jetting physics that enables this process. In this paper, a numerical model is developed and validated to explore the design space of the EHD jetting process, from Taylor cone formation to jet impingement onto the substrate, and analyze the key geometrical and process parameters that yield high-resolution structures. This numerical model applies to various process parameters, material properties, and environmental factors and can accurately capture jet evolution, radius, and flight time. It can be used to better inform design decisions when using EHD processes with distinct resolution requirements.
Best practices for performing quantitative TOF-SIMS analyses
Authors: Spool Alan M. , Finney Lorie
Published: July 2024

Despite its reputation for being nonquantitative, the TOF-SIMS technique is quite capable of providing quantifiable results. Static and near static SIMS measurements are never chaotic (that is subject to large changes due to small variations in the sample), and the instruments can be well controlled to provide highly reproducible results. These results can be replicated by different teams using similar instruments and even reproduced via correlation studies with data from substantially different tools. It is true that absolute concentrations cannot be calculated but must be derived via the use of standards produced by other techniques. Where accuracy (the correctness of the results) is what is needed, this is the approach that must be taken. Furthermore, the results can be nonlinear (especially when the differences in the surfaces being measured are at the atomic percent range and larger, a result of the “matrix effect”) and in these cases, enough standards must be obtained to determine the shape of the function that relates the SIMS results to actual quantities. In most cases, however, relative quantification obtained with sufficient precision (sufficiently narrow distribution of results on identical samples) is most important and key to the ability to evaluate and improve materials and processes. For relative comparisons, TOF-SIMS is usually an excellent analytical method. As with any technique as sophisticated as TOF-SIMS, attention to detail is required to obtain the reproducibility of which the technique is capable. This paper describes many of the details to which an analyst needs to attend to successfully produce repeatable and, therefore, quantifiable results via TOF-SIMS.
Harnessing (geoacoustic) uncertainty
Authors: BONNEL JULIEN , LAVERY ANDONE
Published: July 2024

The Reflections series takes a look back on historical articles from The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America that have had a significant impact on the science and practice of acoustics.
Physics-informed neural network for acoustic resonance analysis in a one-dimensional acoustic tube
Authors: Yokota Kazuya , Kurahashi Takahiko , Abe Masajiro
Published: July 2024

This study devised a physics-informed neural network (PINN) framework to solve the wave equation for acoustic resonance analysis. The proposed analytical model, ResoNet, minimizes the loss function for periodic solutions and conventional PINN loss functions, thereby effectively using the function approximation capability of neural networks while performing resonance analysis. Additionally, it can be easily applied to inverse problems. The resonance in a one-dimensional acoustic tube, and the effectiveness of the proposed method was validated through the forward and inverse analyses of the wave equation with energy-loss terms. In the forward analysis, the applicability of PINN to the resonance problem was evaluated via comparison with the finite-difference method. The inverse analysis, which included identifying the energy loss term in the wave equation and design optimization of the acoustic tube, was performed with good accuracy.
CRISPR-Cas9-mediated barcode insertion into
Bacillus thuringiensis
for surrogate tracking
Authors: Higgins Steven A. , Kara Murdoch Fadime , Clifton Jonathon M. , Brooks Jennifer H. , Fillinger Keegan L. , Middleton Jason K. , Heater Bradley S.
Published: July 2024

The use of surrogate organisms can enable researchers to safely conduct research on pathogens and in a broader set of conditions. Being able to differentiate between the surrogates used in the experiments and background contamination as well as between different experiments will further improve research efforts. One effective approach is to introduce unique genetic barcodes into the surrogate genome and track their presence using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In this report, we utilized the CRISPR-Cas9 methodology, which employs a single plasmid and a transformation step to insert five distinct barcodes into
Bacillus thuringiensis
, a well-established surrogate for
Bacillus anthracis
when Risk Group 1 organisms are needed. We subsequently developed qPCR assays for barcode detection and successfully demonstrated the stability of the barcodes within the genome through five cycles of sporulation and germination. Additionally, we conducted whole-genome sequencing on these modified strains and analyzed 187 potential Cas9 off-target sites. We found no correlation between the mutations observed in the engineered strains and the predicted off-target sites, suggesting this genome engineering strategy did not directly result in off-target mutations in the genome. This simple approach has the potential to streamline the creation of barcoded
B. thuringiensis
strains for use in future studies on surrogate genomes.

IMPORTANCE

The use of
Bacillus anthracis
as a biothreat agent poses significant challenges for public health and national security.
Bacillus anthracis
surrogates, like
Bacillus thuringiensis
, are invaluable tools for safely understanding
Bacillus anthracis
properties without the safety concerns that would arise from using a virulent strain of
Bacillus anthracis
. We report a simple method for barcode insertion into
Bacillus thuringiensis
using the CRISPR-Cas9 methodology and subsequent tracking by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Moreover, whole-genome sequencing data and CRISPR-Cas9 off-target analyses in
Bacillus thuringiensis
suggest that this gene-editing method did not directly cause unwanted mutations in the genome. This study should assist in the facile development of barcoded
Bacillus thuringiensis
surrogate strains, among other biotechnological applications in
Bacillus
species.
The uncharacterized PA3040-3042 operon is part of the cell envelope stress response and a tobramycin resistance determinant in a clinical isolate of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Østergaard Magnus Z. , Nielsen Flemming D. , Meinfeldt Mette H. , Kirkpatrick Clare L.
Published: July 2024

Bacteriophages (hereafter “phages”) are ubiquitous predators of bacteria in the natural world, but interest is growing in their development into antibacterial therapy as complement or replacement for antibiotics. However, bacteria have evolved a huge variety of antiphage defense systems allowing them to resist phage lysis to a greater or lesser extent. In addition to dedicated phage defense systems, some aspects of the general stress response also impact phage susceptibility, but the details of this are not well known. In order to elucidate these factors in the opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, we used the laboratory-conditioned strain PAO1 as host for phage infection experiments as it is naturally poor in dedicated phage defense systems. Screening by transposon insertion sequencing indicated that the uncharacterized operon PA3040-PA3042 was potentially associated with resistance to lytic phages. However, we found that its primary role appeared to be in regulating biofilm formation, particularly in a clinical isolate of
P. aeruginosa
in which it also altered tobramycin resistance. Its expression was highly growth-phase dependent and responsive to phage infection and cell envelope stress. Our results suggest that this operon may be a cryptic but important locus for
P. aeruginosa
stress tolerance.

IMPORTANCE

An important category of bacterial stress response systems is bacteriophage defense, where systems are triggered by bacteriophage infection and activate a response which may either destroy the phage genome or destroy the infected cell so that the rest of the population survives. In some bacteria, the cell envelope stress response is activated by bacteriophage infection, but it is unknown whether this contributes to the survival of the infection. We have found that a conserved uncharacterized operon (PA3040-PA3042) of the cell envelope stress regulon in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, which has very few dedicated phage defense systems, responds to phage infection and stationary phase as well as envelope stress and is important for growth and biofilm formation in a clinical isolate of
P. aeruginosa
, even in the absence of phages. As homologs of these genes are found in other bacteria, they may be a novel component of the general stress response.
Constraints on the subduction and closure of the Hegenshan Ocean: Magmatic and sedimentary records from central Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Tang Jianzhou , Zhang Zhicheng , Yang Gaoxue , Li Ke , Chen Yan , Ding Cong , Ji Zejia , Wang Qi
Published: July 2024

Petrological, geochronological, and geochemical data from the volcano-sedimentary sequences, granitoids, and ophiolite relics of central Inner Mongolia, China, were used to reconstruct the subduction and final closure of the Hegenshan Ocean. Geochronological dating and compilation reveal four phases (ca. 360–355 Ma, 348–320 Ma, 320–310 Ma, and 310–275 Ma) of magmatism in the Uliastai continental margin. The ca. 356 Ma I-type Halatumiao granodiorite and Amanwusu ophiolite relics are subduction-related, and the Halatumiao granodiorite provides solid evidence of the northward subduction of the Hegenshan Ocean beneath the Uliastai continental margin at ca. 360–355 Ma. The ca. 348–320 Ma and 320–310 Ma volcanic rocks and granitoids constitute two linear magmatic belts roughly parallel to the Erenhot-Hegenshan ophiolite belt, which record two phases of continental arc magmatism in the Uliastai continental margin. Overall, the ca. 360–310 Ma arc magmatism shows landward migration and then oceanward migration in the Uliastai continental margin, which indicates advancing subduction and subsequent slab steepening of the Hegenshan Ocean. By contrast, the ca. 310–275 Ma magmatic rocks are dominated by I- and A-type felsic volcanic rocks, granites, and dikes, which are post-accretionary, extension-related, and pervasive in the Uliastai continental margin and Erenhot-Hegenshan ophiolite belt. A provenance shift was identified between the Benbatu and Amushan formations of the Amanwusu area of the Erenhot-Hegenshan ophiolite belt. The early detritus was derived from the early Paleozoic rocks in the Sonid Zuoqi arc belt, whereas the late detritus originated from the Early Carboniferous ophiolite relics in the Erenhot-Hegenshan ophiolite belt. The provenance shift and emplacement of pervasive extension-related magmatic rocks imply a Late Carboniferous closure of the Hegenshan Ocean. The Late Carboniferous oceanic closure event in the north of the southeast Central Asian Orogenic Belt is also evidenced by the transition of Hf isotopic composition of zircons dated between ca. 360–310 Ma and 310–275 Ma.
Distribution of Cool Starspots on the Surface of the Red Dwarf V647 Her
Authors: Bondar’ N. I. , Antonyuk K. A. , Pit N. V. , Alekseev I. Yu.
Published: July 2024

An analysis of photometric observations of the star V647 Her (M3.5V) obtained at the 1.25-m telescope of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in 2022 is presented. The presence of a low-amplitude variability in brightness of the star with a period of 20.69 d, found from observations in 2019 was confirmed. It is shown that as the brightness decreases, the star becomes redder. The observed kind of photometric variability is due to the presence of cool spots on the surface of the star and rotational modulation of brightness with a full amplitude of no more than 0$$^{{\text{m}}}_{.}$$05. We perform a comparison of the photometric results obtained in 2019, 2022, and 2004. The locations of starspots at different epochs were determined from the analysis of phase curves. The distribution of starspots has been maintained for 40–100 days. Starspot parameters were estimated in the framework of the zonal model. The temperature of starspots is 2700–2800 K. The area they occupied in 2004 is 15% of the total surface area of the star. According to the 2019 and 2022 data, it increases up to 30%. The seasonal redistribution of starspots leads to the difference between the spottedness of hemispheres, which is less than 2%.
Heat-related risk at Paris 2024: a proposal for classification and review of International Federations policies
Authors: Bandiera David , Racinais Sebastien , Garrandes Frédéric , Adami Paolo Emilio , Bermon Stéphane , Pitsiladis Yannis P , Tessitore Antonio
Published: July 2024

Several International Federations (IFs) employ specific policies to protect athletes’ health from the danger of heat. Most policies rely on the measurement of thermal indices such as the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) to estimate the risk of heat-related illness. This review summarises the policies implemented by the 32 IFs of the 45 sports included in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It provides details into the venue type, measured parameters, used thermal indices, measurement procedures, mitigation strategies and specifies whether the policy is a recommendation or a requirement. Additionally, a categorisation of sports’ heat stress risk is proposed. Among the 15 sports identified as high, very high or extreme risk, one did not have a heat policy, three did not specify any parameter measurement, one relied on water temperature, two on air temperature and relative humidity, seven on WBGT (six measured on-site and one estimated) and one on the Heat Stress Index. However, indices currently used in sports have been developed for soldiers or workers and may not adequately reflect the thermal strain endured by athletes. Notably, they do not account for the athletes’ high metabolic heat production and their level of acclimation. It is, therefore, worthwhile listing the relevance of the thermal indices used by IFs to quantify the risk of heat stress, and in the near future, develop an index adapted to the specific needs of athletes.
Association of cerebral palsy with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: a large-scale nationwide population-based study
Authors: Chen Qiang , Chen Mingwu , Bao Wei , Strathearn Lane , Zang Xiaodong , Meng Lun , Xu Guifeng
Published: July 2024

Objective

To examine the association of cerebral palsy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), providing evidence for interdisciplinary medical service for children with cerebral palsy.

Design

A large-scale nationwide population-based study.

Setting

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).

Patients

177 899 children aged 3–17 years among NHIS participants from 1997 to 2003 and 2008 to 2018.

Results

Among the 177 899 children included in this analysis, 602 (0.33%) had cerebral palsy, 1997 (1.16%) had ASD, and 13 697 (7.91%) had ADHD. Compared with children without cerebral palsy, children with cerebral palsy had a higher prevalence of ASD (6.09% vs 1.15%; p<0.001) and ADHD (15.91% vs 7.89%; p<0.001). After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, family highest education level, family income level and geographical region, the OR among children with cerebral palsy, compared with children without cerebral palsy, was 5.07 (95% CI 3.25 to 7.91) for ASD (p<0.001) and 1.95 (95% CI 1.43 to 2.66) for ADHD (p<0.001). Furthermore, the association of cerebral palsy with ASD and ADHD remained significant in all subgroups stratified by age, sex and race.

Conclusion

In a large, nationally representative sample of US children, this study shows that children with cerebral palsy are at an increased risk of ASD and ADHD.
Prevalence and risk factors of scabies among children living in Madrasahs (Islamic religious boarding schools) of Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hasan Mohammad Jahid , Rafi Md Adur , Choudhury Taha , Hossain Md Golam
Published: July 2024

Introduction

To determine the prevalence and associated factors of scabies among the children living in the Madrasahs (Islamic religious educational institution) of Bangladesh was the objective of the study.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in eight selected Madrasahs from May to October 2023 among male and female children aged between 3 and 18 years. Children were screened for scabies according to criteria developed by the International Alliance for the Control of Scabies.

Results

It was found that overall prevalence of scabies among the children living in Madrasahs was almost 34% (mild 73.5%, moderate 24.9% and severe 1.6%). Prevalence of scabies among male was higher than female (39.4% vs 28.4%). Male gender (aOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.47, p=0.004) and age (aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.99, p=0.017) were two significant predictors of scabies among children. Besides, living in Madrasahs having more boarders (aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.69, p=0.025), shared bedding, clothes or toilet stuffs with other children (aOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.09, p=0.036) and history of pruritus in the close entourage (aOR 4.19, 95% CI 3.07 to 5.73, p<0.001) were associated with a higher chance of being infected by scabies.

Conclusion

Almost one-third of the children living in the Islamic boarding schools in Bangladesh are suffering from scabies, more prevalence in male and younger children. Accommodation of higher number of boarders, sharing personal staffs and pruritus in close contacts increase the risk of scabies in these children.
Erector spinae plane infiltration and anterior rami of spinal nerve: a cadaveric study
Authors: Luchsinger Madeleine , Varela Victor , Diwan Sandeep , Prats-Galino Alberto , Sala-Blanch Xavier
Published: July 2024

Background

The erector spinae plane block (ESP block) is frequently employed for thoracic, abdominal, and spinal surgeries, yet its precise mechanism of action remains a subject of debate. While initially postulated to influence both ventral and dorsal rami of the spinal nerve, recent studies indicate a predominant impact on the dorsal rami with limited involvement of the ventral rami. To elucidate this mechanism, we conducted an observational study to assess the distribution of ESP infiltration to the ventral rami.

Methods

We performed 20 ESP infiltrations bilaterally in 10 unembalmed cadavers, targering the T9 transverse process level. A volume of 20 mL of ropivacaine 0.2% and methylene blue 0.01% was used. Dissection was carried out to assess dye distribution, with a focus on involvement of the ventral and dorsal rami, as well as lateral and longitudinal spread within the spinal muscular plane.

Results

No evidence of dye staining was observed in the ventral rami in any of the cadavers; however, the dorsal rami consistently displayed staining. The dye exhibited extensive longitudinal diffusion across the paravertebral musculature, spanning a median of 10 vertebral spaces (T5–L2). The range extended from 3 to 18 spaces, with an IQR of 11 levels (T4–L2), predominantly affecting the longissimus and iliocostalis muscles.

Conclusions

The infiltration of injectate into the ESP does not contact the ventral rami of segmental spinal nerves. The inference that an in vivo ESP block is a paravertebral “by-proxy” is, therefore, unlikely.
Can the angular scale of cosmic homogeneity be used as a cosmological test?
Authors: Shao Xiaoyun , Gonçalves Rodrigo S. , Bengaly Carlos A. P. , Andrade Uendert , Carvalho Gabriela C. , Alcaniz Jailson
Published: July 2024

In standard cosmology, the cosmic homogeneity scale is the transition scale above which the patterns arising from non-uniformities – such as groups and clusters of galaxies, voids, and filaments – become indistinguishable from a random distribution of sources. Recently, different groups have investigated the feasibility of using such a scale as a cosmological test and arrived at different conclusions. In this paper, we complement and extend these studies by exploring the evolution of the spatial ($$R_{\textrm{H}}$$

R
H

) and angular ($$\theta _{\textrm{H}}$$

θ
H

) homogeneity scales with redshift, assuming a spatially flat, $$\varLambda $$
Λ
-Cold Dark Matter universe and linear cosmological perturbation theory. We confirm previous results concerning the non-monotonicity of $$R_{\textrm{H}}$$

R
H

with the matter density parameter $$\varOmega _{\textrm{m0}}$$

Ω
m0

but also show that it exhibits a monotonical behavior with the Hubble constant $$H_{0}$$

H
0

within a large redshift interval. More importantly, we find that, for $$z \gtrsim 0.6$$

z
≳
0.6

, $$\theta _{\textrm{H}}$$

θ
H

presents a monotonical behavior with $$\varOmega _{\textrm{m0}}$$

Ω
m0

, as well as for $$H_0$$

H
0

the entire redshift interval analyzed. We find also that the angular homogeneity scale is sensitive to $$H_{0}$$

H
0

, especially at higher redshifts. Using the currently available $$\theta _{\textrm{H}}$$

θ
H

measurements, we illustrate the constraints on the $$\varOmega _{\textrm{m0}}$$

Ω
m0

–$$H_{0}$$

H
0

plane through a MCMC analysis and show the feasibility of using the angular homogeneity scale as a new, model-independent way to constrain cosmological parameters.
Relationships between high-K magmas and Cu–Au porphyry deposits in the Macquarie Arc, Australia
Authors: Dwyer Ryan C. , Forster David B. , Simpson Brenainn P. , Blevin Phillip L. , Huang Huiqing
Published: July 2024

The Macquarie Arc is a long-lived volcanic arc terrane which began in the latest Cambrian and continued until the early Silurian. Early Silurian high-K suites associated with Cu–Au porphyry mineralization are typically considered shoshonitic; however, comparisons with well-studied examples of shoshonites in continental arcs and associated settings suggest few Macquarie Arc rocks would classify as shoshonitic. Notably, the Au-rich Cadia Intrusive Complex, which is marginally shoshonitic, and most high-K to ‘shoshonitic’ Macquarie Arc rocks are essentially high-K calc-alkaline, analogous to ‘primitive’ shoshonites generated within intraoceanic arc settings. Arc magmatism in the Macquarie Arc is consistently primitive and mantle derived prior to an increase in siliciclastic input and crustal thickening during the Silurian Benambran Orogeny, consistent with prior isotopic studies. Magma source regions can thus be interpreted as varying spatially and temporally due to variable enrichment from slab and mantle derived components, reflecting a maturing and potentially migrating arc system.
An Improved Drift Theorem for Balanced Allocations
Authors: Los Dimitrios , Sauerwald Thomas
Published: July 2024

In the balanced allocations framework, there are

\(m\)

jobs (balls) to be allocated to

\(n\)

servers (bins). The goal is to minimize the
gap
, the difference between the maximum and the average load.

In 2015, Peres, Talwar and Wieder used the hyperbolic cosine potential function to analyze the challenging case where

\(m\gg n\)

, for a large family of processes, including the

\((1+\beta)\)

-process and graphical balanced allocations. The key ingredient was to prove that the potential drops in every step, i.e.,
a drift inequality
.

In this work, we improve the drift inequality so that (i) it is asymptotically tight (leading to tighter gap bounds), (ii) it assumes weaker preconditions (thereby resolving an open problem regarding weighted graphical allocations), (iii) it applies not only to processes allocating to more than one bin in a single step but also (iv) to processes allocating a varying number of balls depending on the sampled bin. Our applications include the aforementioned large family of processes, and also several new processes and settings, including outdated information and memory. We hope that our techniques can be used to analyze further interesting settings and processes.
Monocular Depth and Ego-motion Estimation with Scale Based on Superpixel and Normal Constraints
Authors: Lu Junxin , Gao Yongbin , Chen Jieyu , Hwang Jeng-Neng , Fujita Hamido , Fang Zhijun
Published: July 2024

Three-dimensional perception in intelligent virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) and autonomous vehicles (AV) applications is critical and attracting significant attention. The self-supervised monocular depth and ego-motion estimation serves as a more intelligent learning approach that provides the required scene depth and location for 3D perception. However, the existing self-supervised learning methods suffer from scale ambiguity, boundary blur, and imbalanced depth distribution, limiting the practical applications of VR/AR and AV. In this article, we propose a new self-supervised learning framework based on superpixel and normal constraints to address these problems. Specifically, we formulate a novel 3D edge structure consistency loss to alleviate the boundary blur of depth estimation. To address the scale ambiguity of estimated depth and ego-motion, we propose a novel surface normal network for efficient camera height estimation. The surface normal network is composed of a deep fusion module and a full-scale hierarchical feature aggregation module. Meanwhile, to realize the global smoothing and boundary discriminability of the predicted normal map, we introduce a novel fusion loss which is based on the consistency constraints of the normal in edge domains and superpixel regions. Experiments are conducted on several benchmarks, and the results illustrate that the proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in depth, ego-motion, and surface normal estimation.
Evolution of Thylakoid Structural Diversity
Authors: Perez-Boerema Annemarie , Engel Benjamin D. , Wietrzynski Wojciech
Published: July 2024

Oxygenic photosynthesis evolved billions of years ago, becoming Earth's main source of biologically available carbon and atmospheric oxygen. Since then, phototrophic organisms have diversified from prokaryotic cyanobacteria into several distinct clades of eukaryotic algae and plants through endosymbiosis events. This diversity can be seen in the thylakoid membranes, complex networks of lipids, proteins, and pigments that perform the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. In this review, we highlight the structural diversity of thylakoids, following the evolutionary history of phototrophic species. We begin with a molecular inventory of different thylakoid components and then illustrate how these building blocks are integrated to form membrane networks with diverse architectures. We conclude with an outlook on understanding how thylakoids remodel their architecture and molecular organization during dynamic processes such as biogenesis, repair, and environmental adaptation.
Critical Consciousness and Youth Political Activism
Authors: Pinedo Andres , Diemer Matthew A. , Frisby Michael B.
Published: July 2024

Like previous generations, today's youth are engaging in political activism to positively transform their local communities and the broader society. This review applies critical consciousness theory to shed light on the factors that spur youth political activism and to highlight how developing critical consciousness engenders developmental benefits. Critical consciousness refers to structural and historical reasoning about inequality, motivation to promote social change, and political activism to bring about social equity. A succinct review of outcomes associated with critical consciousness is presented first, followed by a nuanced contemporary understanding of the precursors to youth critical consciousness development. In closing, this review highlights exciting emerging directions in this area of research and offers reflections on the trajectory of critical consciousness scholarship. All told, critical consciousness research illuminates a strength-based approach for supporting youth's healthy development that adequately attends to the psychological, historical, and structural facets of youth experience.
How Viruses Shape Microbial Plankton Microdiversity
Authors: Rodriguez-Valera Francisco , Bellas Christopher
Published: July 2024

One major conundrum of modern microbiology is the large pangenome (gene pool) present in microbes, which is much larger than those found in complex organisms such as humans. Here, we argue that this diversity of gene pools carried by different strains is maintained largely due to the control exercised by viral predation. Viruses maintain a high strain diversity through time that we describe as constant-diversity equilibrium, preventing the hoarding of resources by specific clones. Thus, viruses facilitate the release and degradation of dissolved organic matter in the ocean, which may lead to better ecosystem functioning by linking top-down to bottom-up control. By maintaining this equilibrium, viruses act as a key element of the adaptation of marine microbes to their environment and likely behave as a single evolutionary unit.
Double-Higgs Production
Authors: Gouskos Loukas , Leney Katharine J.C.
Published: July 2024

A major focus in particle physics has been on understanding the interactions of the Higgs boson. Tremendous progress has been made in determining the strength of the couplings of the Higgs boson to fermions and vector bosons, but its self-interaction has yet to be established. Understanding the Higgs self-coupling and the form of the potential function of the Higgs field will illuminate the process by which the Higgs boson acquires a vacuum expectation value and could provide insight into the early Universe and, perhaps, its eventual fate. The most natural way to probe the Higgs self-interaction is via searches for Higgs boson pair (HH) production. Since the Standard Model makes a definite prediction for the Higgs self-coupling, enhanced rates and modified kinematic properties of HH production are a smoking-gun signature for new physics. This article reviews the current experimental status of HH searches, discusses the experimental challenges and limitations, and provides an outlook for the future of the field.
Disease Management in Regenerative Cropping in the Context of Climate Change and Regulatory Restrictions
Authors: Newton A.C. , Creissen H.E. , Erreguerena I.A. , Havis N.D.
Published: July 2024

Regenerative agriculture as a term and concept has gained much traction over recent years. Many farmers are convinced that by adopting these principles they will be able to address the triple crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change, and food security. However, the impact of regenerative agriculture practices on crop pathogens and their management has received little attention from the scientific community. Significant changes to cropping systems may result in certain diseases presenting more or less of a threat. Shifts in major diseases may have significant implications regarding optimal integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that aim to improve profitability and productivity in an environmentally sensitive manner. In particular, many aspects of regenerative agriculture change risk levels and risk management in ways that are central to effective IPM. This review outlines some of the challenges, gaps, and opportunities in our understanding of appropriate approaches for managing crop diseases in regenerative cropping systems.
Managing Trade-Offs Between Communities’ Welfare and Nature Conservation: The Case of Wildlife Management Systems in and Outside Protected Areas in Africa
Authors: Muchapondwa Edwin , Ntuli Herbert
Published: July 2024

Successfully analyzing and managing trade-offs between community welfare and wildlife conservation are complex tasks that require a multidisciplinary approach and consideration of various factors. Bioeconomic modeling provides a structured quantitative framework for understanding and evaluating the complex interactions between biological systems and economic activities, aiding in the crafting of more effective and sustainable conservation and rural development strategies. Combined with results from other methods such as economic valuation, institutional analysis, impact evaluation, and framed-field experiments, they can provide guidance on reaching the social planner's optimum. The literature suggests significant roles for comanagement, benefit-sharing, and sustainable financing of conservation as the key ingredients for managing the trade-offs between communities’ welfare and nature conservation in Africa. However, comprehensive research tackling multiple problems simultaneously is required to fully understand and manage the trade-offs. Further, mainstreaming gender and climate change in studies of the trade-offs is increasingly becoming an obligation.
Diverse Antiphage Defenses Are Widespread Among Prophages and Mobile Genetic Elements
Authors: Getz Landon J. , Maxwell Karen L.
Published: July 2024

Bacterial viruses known as phages rely on their hosts for replication and thus have developed an intimate partnership over evolutionary time. The survival of temperate phages, which can establish a chronic infection in which their genomes are maintained in a quiescent state known as a prophage, is tightly coupled with the survival of their bacterial hosts. As a result, prophages encode a diverse antiphage defense arsenal to protect themselves and the bacterial host in which they reside from further phage infection. Similarly, the survival and success of prophage-related elements such as phage-inducible chromosomal islands are directly tied to the survival and success of their bacterial host, and they also have been shown to encode numerous antiphage defenses. Here, we describe the current knowledge of antiphage defenses encoded by prophages and prophage-related mobile genetic elements.
Population-Based Study of Gastric Cancer Survival and Associations in Rural Western Honduras
Authors: Dominguez Ricardo L. , Montalvan-Sanchez Eleazar E. , Norwood Dalton A. , Rodriguez-Murillo Aida , Dominguez Lucia , Estevez Ordoñez Dagoberto , Beasley Timothy , Bravo Luis E. , Morgan Douglas R.
Published: July 2024

Background:

Two-thirds of global cancers occur in low/middle income countries (LMIC). Northern Central America is the largest LMIC region in the Western Hemisphere and lack cancer registries to guide cancer control. We conducted a gastric cancer survival study in rural Western Honduras, characterized as having among the highest gastric cancer incidence rates in Latin America.

Methods:

The cohort of incident gastric cancer diagnosed between 2002 and 2015 was studied with active follow-up with household visits. The regional gastric cancer registry was primary for case identification, with completeness examination with hospital data and national death certificates. Cox regression models were used for survival calculations.

Results:

Survival follow-up was achieved in 741/774 patients (95.7%). Household interviews were conducted in 74.1% (n = 549); 65.7% were male, median age at diagnosis was 64 years, 24.5% were <55 years; 43.9% of tumors had pyloric obstruction; 45.2%, 43.2%, and 7.3% of histology was intestinal, diffuse, and mixed, respectively. A total of 24.7% patients received treatment. The 5-year survival rates were 9.9% for both males and females, 7.7% for age <45, and 7.9% for diffuse gastric cancer. Median survival time was 4.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.2–5.6]. In the final Cox regression model including age, sex, Lauren subtype, and poverty index, only treatment was significantly associated with survival (hazard ratio = 2.43, 95% CI, 1.8–3.2).

Conclusions:

Markedly low gastric cancer 5-year survival rates are observed in rural Central America. The majority of patients present with advanced disease and a minority have access to therapy.

Impact:

The findings have implications for cancer control in the Central America LMICs and for US Latino populations.

See related commentary by Riquelme and Abnet, p. 1550
Data from CD70-Targeted Allogeneic CAR T-Cell Therapy for Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Pal Sumanta K. , Tran Ben , Haanen John B.A.G. , Hurwitz Michael E. , Sacher Adrian , Tannir Nizar M. , Budde Lihua E. , Harrison Simon J. , Klobuch Sebastian , Patel Sagar S. , Meza Luis , Dequeant Mary-Lee , Ma Anna , He Qiuling Ally , Williams Leah M. , Keegan Alissa , Gurary Ellen B. , Dar Henia , Karnik Sushant , Guo Changan , Heath Heidi , Yuen Rachel R. , Morrow Phuong K. , Agarwal Neeraj , Srour Samer A.
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Therapeutic approaches for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain limited; however, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies may offer novel treatment options. CTX130, an allogeneic CD70-targeting CAR T-cell product, was developed for the treatment of advanced or refractory ccRCC. We report that CTX130 showed favorable preclinical proliferation and cytotoxicity profiles and completely regressed RCC xenograft tumors. We also report results from 16 patients with relapsed/refractory ccRCC who received CTX130 in a phase I, multicenter, first-in-human clinical trial. No patients encountered dose-limiting toxicity, and disease control was achieved in 81.3% of patients. One patient remains in a durable complete response at 3 years. Finally, we report on a next-generation CAR T construct, CTX131, in which synergistic potency edits to CTX130 confer improved expansion and efficacy in preclinical studies. These data represent a proof of concept for the treatment of ccRCC and other CD70+ malignancies with CD70− targeted allogeneic CAR T cells.

Significance: Although the role of CAR T cells is well established in hematologic malignancies, the clinical experience in solid tumors has been disappointing. This clinical trial demonstrates the first complete response in a patient with RCC, reinforcing the potential benefit of CAR T cells in the treatment of solid tumors.

See corresponding author Sumanta K. Pal discuss this research article, published simultaneously at the AACR Annual Meeting 2024: https://vimeo.com/932606570/887520f9cb
Data from CD70-Targeted Allogeneic CAR T-Cell Therapy for Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Pal Sumanta K. , Tran Ben , Haanen John B.A.G. , Hurwitz Michael E. , Sacher Adrian , Tannir Nizar M. , Budde Lihua E. , Harrison Simon J. , Klobuch Sebastian , Patel Sagar S. , Meza Luis , Dequeant Mary-Lee , Ma Anna , He Qiuling Ally , Williams Leah M. , Keegan Alissa , Gurary Ellen B. , Dar Henia , Karnik Sushant , Guo Changan , Heath Heidi , Yuen Rachel R. , Morrow Phuong K. , Agarwal Neeraj , Srour Samer A.
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Therapeutic approaches for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain limited; however, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies may offer novel treatment options. CTX130, an allogeneic CD70-targeting CAR T-cell product, was developed for the treatment of advanced or refractory ccRCC. We report that CTX130 showed favorable preclinical proliferation and cytotoxicity profiles and completely regressed RCC xenograft tumors. We also report results from 16 patients with relapsed/refractory ccRCC who received CTX130 in a phase I, multicenter, first-in-human clinical trial. No patients encountered dose-limiting toxicity, and disease control was achieved in 81.3% of patients. One patient remains in a durable complete response at 3 years. Finally, we report on a next-generation CAR T construct, CTX131, in which synergistic potency edits to CTX130 confer improved expansion and efficacy in preclinical studies. These data represent a proof of concept for the treatment of ccRCC and other CD70+ malignancies with CD70− targeted allogeneic CAR T cells.

Significance: Although the role of CAR T cells is well established in hematologic malignancies, the clinical experience in solid tumors has been disappointing. This clinical trial demonstrates the first complete response in a patient with RCC, reinforcing the potential benefit of CAR T cells in the treatment of solid tumors.
Data from The Pan-RAF–MEK Nondegrading Molecular Glue NST-628 Is a Potent and Brain-Penetrant Inhibitor of the RAS–MAPK Pathway with Activity across Diverse RAS- and RAF-Driven Cancers
Authors: Ryan Meagan B. , Quade Bradley , Schenk Natasha , Fang Zhong , Zingg Marshall , Cohen Steven E. , Swalm Brooke M. , Li Chun , Özen Ayşegül , Ye Chaoyang , Ritorto Maria Stella , Huang Xin , Dar Arvin C. , Han Yongxin , Hoeflich Klaus P. , Hale Michael , Hagel Margit
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Alterations in the RAS–MAPK signaling cascade are common across multiple solid tumor types and are a driver for many cancers. NST-628 is a potent pan-RAF–MEK molecular glue that prevents the phosphorylation and activation of MEK by RAF, overcoming the limitations of traditional RAS–MAPK inhibitors and leading to deep durable inhibition of the pathway. Cellular, biochemical, and structural analyses of RAF–MEK complexes show that NST-628 engages all isoforms of RAF and prevents the formation of BRAF–CRAF heterodimers, a differentiated mechanism from all current RAF inhibitors. With a potent and durable inhibition of the RAF–MEK signaling complex as well as high intrinsic permeability into the brain, NST-628 demonstrates broad efficacy in cellular and patient-derived tumor models harboring diverse MAPK pathway alterations, including orthotopic intracranial models. Given its functional and pharmacokinetic mechanisms that are differentiated from previous therapies, NST-628 is positioned to make an impact clinically in areas of unmet patient need.

Significance: This study introduces NST-628, a molecular glue having differentiated mechanism and drug-like properties. NST-628 treatment leads to broad efficacy with high tolerability and central nervous system activity across multiple RAS- and RAF-driven tumor models. NST-628 has the potential to provide transformative clinical benefits as both monotherapy and vertical combination anchor.
Novel modified Chernobyl disaster optimizer for controlling DC motor
Authors: Aribowo Widi , Shehadeh Hisham A.
Published: July 2024

This article presents the modified Chernobyl disaster optimizer (CDO) method for DC motor control to find the optimal proportional integral derivative (PID) settings. DC motors are widely used machinery. DC motors are also simple to use. The detonation of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor core served as the inspiration for the idea and guiding principles of the CDO. CDO has limitations in the stability of exploration and exploitation areas. This research aims to obtain a new balance of exploration and exploitation. This study suggests incorporating the levy flight and chaotic algorithm (CA) techniques to enhance the CDO method. This study was conducted with the MATLAB/Simulink software. A comparative technique, which included the marine predator algorithm (MPA), golden jackal optimization (GJO), and CDO, was utilized to determine the performance of the MCDO method. According to the study’s findings, the MCDO method’s overshoot value outperformed all other approaches.
Sustainable energy harvesting system for low-power underwater sensing devices
Authors: Salagare Sahana , Sudha Pattipati Naga , Palani Karthik
Published: July 2024

In marine scientific research, ocean monitoring is crucial where the battery powered sensor devices are placed under the water to collect different information like temperature, pressure, and turbidity in underwater sensor networks (UWSNs). Thus, keeping these devices active for longer periods is challenging. In the last decades, the piezoelectric transducer (PZT) material has been used widely for constructing more environmentally friendly energy harvesting systems. The PZT harvester offers a promising solution by eliminating the need for batteries for running devices in the future with less maintenance. The PZT harvester allows the system to generate higher voltage to run low-power devices. This paper designed and developed a new renewable energy harvester system using PZT transducers for running different types of underwater sensor devices like temperature, turbidity, and obstacle sensors. The proposed PZT-based energy harvester employs a two stage amplification model for generating higher voltage and current to run multiple devices. The sensing information collected from these sensors is transmitted to the cloud which is later utilized for analysis and decision making. Experiment results show the proposed PZT-based energy harvester can generate a voltage of 13 volts (V) and a current of 43.3 milliampere (mA) equivalent to 562 milliwatt (mW) which is very good to run multiple low-power underwater sensor devices.
Performance evaluation of PV configurations considering degradation rate and hot spots
Authors: Asadi Suresh Kumar , Sreeranganayakulu Jinka , Kshatri Sainadh Singh , Mohammad Karimulla Syed
Published: July 2024

The rapid emergence and evolution of renewable energy sources such as solar energy has become a vital component of the global effort to meet the energy needs of the future. The major concerns for continuous solar photovoltaic (PV) generation are degradation rate, hot spots. These factors lead to the negative impact on PV mismatch losses, fill factor, maximum power and efficiency. To improve the performance of PV system, the simplest solution is PV panel configuration hence in this paper spider web tie (SWT) based PV Panel configuration in proposed. The proposed configuration is implemented on KC200GT PV Panel of 5×5 size PV panels considering degradation rate, hot spot. The performance of SWT configuration is compared with series-parallel (SP), bridge-link (BL), triple tied (TT), and photovoltaic (PV) panel configurations and performance parameters such as Vmp, Imp, Pmp, Voc, Isc. FF, ∆Pml, and η are calculated in all the cases. In all the cases the proposed SWT configuration exhibited the improved performance.
Improvement of electromagnetic torque of BLDC motor for electrical cutter application
Authors: Kahar Muhammad Izanie , Raja Othman Raja Nor Firdaus Kashfi , Khamis Aziah , Karim Kasrul Abdul , Abdul Shukor Fairul Azhar , Ab Ghani Ahmad Fuad , Rejab Rofizal Mat
Published: July 2024

As the advancement of brushless direct current (BLDC) motor is rising, it has been an advantage to use the motor for a wide range of applications. Its robustness and torque development have benefited small applications, such as the agriculture cutter. However, dropping performances of conventional BLDC are affected by the shape of the rotor that has unused magnetic flux. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze the electromagnetic torque by reducing the unused flux from an electromagnetic point of view. Two BLDC models with different slot-pole numbers and rotor types were modeled and simulated with equal permanent magnet volume, and magnetomotive force (MMF). Finite element method (FEM) software was used to compute back electromotive force (BEMF), cogging torque, electromagnetic torque, and magnetic flux density of the BLDC models. As a result, 9/8 slot-pole with zero ferromagnetic underneath the permanent magnet had the highest BEMF and torque produced compared to the conventional type, with a percentage difference of 27%. In conclusion, this research presents the motor that had an improvement of electromagnetic torque for electrical cutter application.