bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reciprocal interplay between OTULIN–LUBAC determines genotoxic and inflammatory NF-κB signal responses
Authors: Li Mingqi , Li Ling , Asemota Sarah , Kakhniashvili David , Narayanan Ramesh , Wang Xusheng , Liao Francesca-Fang
Published: August 2022

Targeting nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) represents a highly viable strategy against chemoresistance in cancers as well as cell death. Ubiquitination, including linear ubiquitination mediated by the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC), is emerging as a crucial mechanism of overactivated NF-κB signaling. Ovarian tumor family deubiquitinase OTULIN is the only linear linkage–specific deubiquitinase; however, the molecular mechanisms of how it counteracts LUBAC-mediated NF-κB activation have been largely unknown. Here, we identify Lys64/66 of OTULIN for linear ubiquitination facilitated in a LUBAC-dependent manner as a necessary event required for OTULIN–LUBAC interaction under unstressed conditions, which becomes deubiquitinated by OTULIN itself in response to genotoxic stress. Furthermore, this self-deubiquitination of OTULIN occurs intermolecularly, mediated by OTULIN dimerization, resulting in the subsequent dissociation of OTULIN from the LUBAC complex and NF-κB overactivation. Oxidative stress induces OTULIN dimerization via cysteine-mediated covalent disulfide bonds. Our study reveals that the status of the physical interaction between OTULIN and LUBAC is a crucial determining factor for the genotoxic NF-κB signaling, as measured by cell survival and proliferation, while OTULIN loss of function resulting from its dimerization and deubiquitination leads to a dissociation of OTULIN from the LUBAC complex. Of note, similar molecular mechanisms apply to the inflammatory NF-κB signaling in response to tumor necrosis factor α. Hence, a fuller understanding of the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the disruption of the OTULIN–LUBAC interaction will be instrumental for developing future therapeutic strategies against cancer chemoresistance and necroptotic processes pertinent to numerous human diseases.
Reconstitution of the
S. aureus agr
quorum sensing pathway reveals a direct role for the integral membrane protease MroQ in pheromone biosynthesis
Authors: Zhao Aishan , Bodine Steven P. , Xie Qian , Wang Boyuan , Ram Geeta , Novick Richard P. , Muir Tom W.
Published: August 2022

In
Staphylococcus aureus,
virulence is under the control of a quorum sensing (QS) circuit encoded in the accessory gene regulator (
agr
) genomic locus. Key to this pathogenic behavior is the production and signaling activity of a secreted pheromone, the autoinducing peptide (AIP), generated following the ribosomal synthesis and posttranslational modification of a precursor polypeptide, AgrD, through two discrete cleavage steps. The integral membrane protease AgrB is known to catalyze the first processing event, generating the AIP biosynthetic intermediate, AgrD (1–32) thiolactone. However, the identity of the second protease in this biosynthetic pathway, which removes an N-terminal leader sequence, has remained ambiguous. Here, we show that membrane protease regulator of
agr
QS (MroQ), an integral membrane protease recently implicated in the
agr
response, is directly involved in AIP production. Genetic complementation and biochemical experiments reveal that MroQ proteolytic activity is required for AIP biosynthesis in
agr
specificity group I and group II, but not group III. Notably, as part of this effort, the biosynthesis and AIP-sensing arms of the QS circuit were reconstituted together in vitro. Our experiments also reveal the molecular features guiding MroQ cleavage activity, a critical factor in defining
agr
specificity group identity. Collectively, our study adds to the molecular understanding of the
agr
response and
Staphylococcus aureus
virulence.
Structures of the mannose-6-phosphate pathway enzyme, GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase
Authors: Gorelik Alexei , Illes Katalin , Bui Khanh Huy , Nagar Bhushan
Published: August 2022

The mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) pathway is responsible for the transport of hydrolytic enzymes to lysosomes. N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase (GNPT) catalyzes the first step of tagging these hydrolases with M6P, which when recognized by receptors in the Golgi diverts them to lysosomes. Genetic defects in the GNPT subunits, GNPTAB and GNPTG, cause the lysosomal storage diseases mucolipidosis types II and III. To better understand its function, we determined partial three-dimensional structures of the GNPT complex. The catalytic domain contains a deep cavity for binding of uridine diphosphate-
N
-acetylglucosamine, and the surrounding residues point to a one-step transfer mechanism. An isolated structure of the gamma subunit of GNPT reveals that it can bind to mannose-containing glycans in different configurations, suggesting that it may play a role in directing glycans into the active site. These findings may facilitate the development of therapies for lysosomal storage diseases.
Elucidation of the tyrosinase/O2/monophenol ternary intermediate that dictates the monooxygenation mechanism in melanin biosynthesis
Authors: Kipouros Ioannis , Stańczak Agnieszka , Ginsbach Jake W. , Andrikopoulos Prokopis C. , Rulíšek Lubomír , Solomon Edward I.
Published: August 2022

Melanins are highly conjugated biopolymer pigments that provide photoprotection in a wide array of organisms, from bacteria to humans. The rate-limiting step in melanin biosynthesis, which is theortho-hydroxylation of the amino acid L-tyrosine to L-DOPA, is catalyzed by the ubiquitous enzyme tyrosinase (Ty). Ty contains a coupled binuclear copper active site that binds O2to form a μ:η2:η2-peroxide dicopper(II) intermediate (oxy-Ty), capable of performing the regioselective monooxygenation ofpara-substituted monophenols to catechols. The mechanism of this critical monooxygenation reaction remains poorly understood despite extensive efforts. In this study, we have employed a combination of spectroscopic, kinetic, and computational methods to trap and characterize the elusive catalytic ternary intermediate (Ty/O2/monophenol) under single-turnover conditions and obtain molecular-level mechanistic insights into its monooxygenation reactivity. Our experimental results, coupled with quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics calculations, reveal that the monophenol substrate docks in the active-site pocket of oxy-Ty fully protonated, without coordination to a copper or cleavage of the μ:η2:η2-peroxide O-O bond. Formation of this ternary intermediate involves the displacement of active-site water molecules by the substrate and replacement of their H bonds to the μ:η2:η2-peroxide by a single H bond from the substrate hydroxyl group. This H-bonding interaction in the ternary intermediate enables the unprecedented monooxygenation mechanism, where the μ-η2:η2-peroxide O-O bond is cleaved to accept the phenolic proton, followed by substrate phenolate coordination to a copper site concomitant with its aromaticortho-hydroxylation by the nonprotonated μ-oxo. This study provides insights into O2activation and reactivity by coupled binuclear copper active sites with fundamental implications in biocatalysis.
Targeted RNA editing in brainstem alleviates respiratory dysfunction in a mouse model of Rett syndrome
Authors: Sinnamon John R. , Jacobson Michael E. , Yung John F. , Fisk Jenna R. , Jeng Sophia , McWeeney Shannon K. , Parmelee Lindsay K. , Chan Chi Ngai , Yee Siu-Pok , Mandel Gail
Published: August 2022

Rett syndrome is a neurological disease due to loss-of-function mutations in the transcription factor, Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2). Because overexpression of endogenous MECP2 also causes disease, we have exploited a targeted RNA-editing approach to repair patient mutations where levels of MECP2 protein will never exceed endogenous levels. Here, we have constructed adeno-associated viruses coexpressing a bioengineered wild-type ADAR2 catalytic domain (Editase
wt
) and either
Mecp2
-targeting or nontargeting
gfp
RNA guides. The viruses are introduced systemically into male mice containing a guanosine to adenosine mutation that eliminates MeCP2 protein and causes classic Rett syndrome in humans. We find that in the mutant mice injected with the
Mecp2
-targeting virus, the brainstem exhibits the highest RNA-editing frequency compared to other brain regions. The efficiency is sufficient to rescue MeCP2 expression and function in the brainstem of mice expressing the
Mecp2
-targeting virus. Correspondingly, we find that abnormal Rett-like respiratory patterns are alleviated, and survival is prolonged, compared to mice injected with the control
gfp
guide virus. The levels of RNA editing among most brain regions corresponds to the distribution of guide RNA rather than Editase
wt
. Our results provide evidence that a targeted RNA-editing approach can alleviate a hallmark symptom in a mouse model of human disease.
Impactful scientists have higher tendency to involve collaborators in new topics
Authors: Zeng An , Fan Ying , Di Zengru , Wang Yougui , Havlin Shlomo
Published: August 2022

In scientific research, collaboration is one of the most effective ways to take advantage of new ideas, skills, and resources and for performing interdisciplinary research. Although collaboration networks have been intensively studied, the question of how individual scientists choose collaborators to study a new research topic remains almost unexplored. Here, we investigate the statistics and mechanisms of collaborations of individual scientists along their careers, revealing that, in general, collaborators are involved in significantly fewer topics than expected from a controlled surrogate. In particular, we find that highly productive scientists tend to have a higher fraction of single-topic collaborators, while highly cited—i.e., impactful—scientists have a higher fraction of multitopic collaborators. We also suggest a plausible mechanism for this distinction. Moreover, we investigate the cases where scientists involve existing collaborators in a new topic. We find that, compared to productive scientists, impactful scientists show strong preference of collaboration with high-impact scientists on a new topic. Finally, we validate our findings by investigating active scientists in different years and across different disciplines.
Discourse approaches to the study of dialogue and culture(s)
Authors: Okulska Urszula
Published: August 2022

As an Introduction to the present issue, this article explores the workings of discourse and dialogue in communicatingunityanddiversitythrough language in vast social and cultural contexts. In what follows, discourse analysis is presented as a dialogue-oriented field that arose at the crossroads of linguistics and social sciences to overcome the limitations of traditional, autonomous linguistics. The dialogic profile of discourse analysis is demonstrated along three exploratory vectors that recognise dialogism as an inseparable criterion in the study of discourse. Accordingly, it will be shown that dialogicity is what lies at the core of discourse organization, discourse practice and discourse worlds. The discussion of the dialogic provenance and orientation of discourse (analysis) is closed by the volume presentation.
Political dialogues in Argentina
Authors: Granato Luisa , Móccero María Leticia
Published: August 2022

This study addresses positioning in dissention fragments in political interviews in the Argentine media. The aim is to disclose how participants position themselves and others, and the consequences this has on meaning making in the interaction. From a dialogic perspective and a discourse pragmatic approach, we use the tenets of Positioning Theory and the Appraisal framework in the analysis of the data. We base our research on an exploratory-interpretive paradigm that provides qualitative results. To examine the position of the interactants, our attention focuses on the interrelated components of positioning, and on the linguistic resources used by the participants. The results reveal the implications of positioning for the communication of diversity, the relationship between participants, and the building of tense or relaxed atmospheres.
Helminth-induced reprogramming of the stem cell compartment inhibits type 2 immunity
Authors: Karo-Atar Danielle , Ouladan Shaida , Javkar Tanvi , Joumier Loick , Matheson Macy K. , Merritt Sydney , Westfall Susan , Rochette Annie , Gentile Maria E. , Fontes Ghislaine , Fonseca Gregory J. , Parisien Marc , Diatchenko Luda , von Moltke Jakob , Malleshaiah Mohan , Gregorieff Alex , King Irah L.
Published: August 2022

Enteric helminths form intimate physical connections with the intestinal epithelium, yet their ability to directly alter epithelial stem cell fate has not been resolved. Here we demonstrate that infection of mice with the parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri (Hpb) reprograms the intestinal epithelium into a fetal-like state marked by the emergence of Clusterin-expressing revival stem cells (revSCs). Organoid-based studies using parasite-derived excretory-secretory products reveal that Hpb-mediated revSC generation occurs independently of host-derived immune signals and inhibits type 2 cytokine–driven differentiation of secretory epithelial lineages that promote their expulsion. Reciprocally, type 2 cytokine signals limit revSC differentiation and, consequently, Hpb fitness, indicating that helminths compete with their host for control of the intestinal stem cell compartment to promote continuation of their life cycle.
Practical guidelines for personal monitoring and estimation of effective dose and dose to the lens of the eye in interventional procedures
Authors: Askounis Panagiotis , Torras Gonzalez Anna , Ginjaume Merce , Carinou Eleftheria
Published: August 2022

Estimation of effective dose and dose to the lens of the eye for workers involved in interventional procedures is challenging. The interventional procedures in question involve high doses and, due to this, workers need to wear protective garments. As a result, various methodologies have been developed to assess the effective dose and dose to the lens of the eye. In the present study, measurements from four European dosimetry services, over and under protective garments, have been collected and analysed in order to provide practical guidelines based on the routine use of personal dosemeters from staff in interventional workplaces. The advantages and limitations of using one or two dosemeters are discussed.
Modeling of nonuniform thermal deformation and high thermal stability design method for precision instruments
Authors: Wang Yong-Jun , Li Rui-Jun , Yao Pan , Cheng Zhen-Ying , Pan Qiao-Sheng
Published: August 2022

Structural deformations caused by environmental temperature changes are the main reason affecting the accuracy of high-precision instruments. A model of nonuniform thermal deformation is established. In addition, a new high thermal stability design method based on the developed model is proposed in this paper. The mechanism of nonuniform thermal deformation is investigated based on the principle of molecular dynamics. A mathematical model of nonuniform thermal deformation is established through the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator. The proposed design method is applied to a laser collimation system. Stability contrast experiments for the original as well as the optimized laser collimation systems are also carried out. The stability of the optimized laser collimation systems is improved by approximately 60% with a temperature change of 10 °C. The experimental results indicate that the established model of nonuniform thermal deformation and the high thermal stability design method are effective and inexpensive, and can be applied to improve the thermal stability of other precision instruments.
Rolling bearing fault diagnosis by Markov transition field and multi-dimension convolutional neural network
Authors: Lei Chunli , Xue Linlin , Jiao Mengxuan , Zhang Huqiang , Shi Jiashuo
Published: August 2022

Safe and reliable operation of mechanical equipment depends on timely and accurate fault diagnosis. When the actual working conditions are complex and variable and the available sample data set is small, recognition accuracy of the rolling bearing fault diagnosis model is low. To solve this problem, a novel method based on Markov transition field (MTF) and multi-dimension convolutional neural network (MDCNN) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the original vibration signals are converted into two-dimensional images containing temporal correlation by MTF. Then, a neural network model is constructed by using multi-dimension attention and E-rectified linear units (E-Relu) activation function to fully extract fault feature information. Finally, the MTF images are input into the model and the data is normalized using the group normalization method. The MDCNN model is validated on two different data sets, and the results show that compared with other intelligent fault diagnosis methods, the MDCNN has higher fault diagnosis accuracy and stronger robustness under both variable working conditions and small sample data sets conditions.
Promoting radio astronomy in Ghana through school visits and Astronomy Clubs
Authors: Okwei E T-O , Forson A , Proven-Adzri E , Ahenkora-Duodu K , Kalognia J , Abotsi-Masters S , Andorful F
Published: August 2022

The Promoting Radio Astronomy in Ghana through School visits and Astronomy Clubs (PRAGSAC) project was an intervention to promote astronomy education in schools in Ghana. It was initiated by a group of enthusiastic students who were trained in radio astronomy and astrophysics under a Royal Society/Newton Fund UK project termed Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy. The team’s aim is to expose school children to astronomy and to increase their interest in the sciences. Approximately 800 school children from seven junior high schools were positively impacted by this project. Astronomy clubs were formed in the selected schools with practical astronomy lessons taught. The kids visited the largest single radio telescope in Africa at Kuntunse in Accra and were amazed about the engineering and the science that it undertakes. For the patrons of the clubs, a teacher training workshop was organised for them, so as to equip them to manage the clubs. The feedback from students and teachers was exceptionally positive, implying that the PRAGSAC project has helped inspire more students to pursue courses and consider careers within the sciences.
Falling beads on a falling rod
Authors: Lindén Johan , Anttu Nicklas
Published: August 2022

The falling rod paradox, i.e. the fact that the tip of an almost horizontal rod falls with an acceleration ‘higher than g’, when the other end is hinged or supported, is a popular physics demonstration. It can be visualized by placing e.g. a coin on the tip of the rod and fixing a cup next to the coin. When the rod is released the free-falling coin is left behind and, if the vertical projection of its position is well aimed, the coin ends up in the cup. In this work we aim at visualizing the falling-rod paradox using a high speed camera and experimentally determine the point on the rod where the acceleration

a
=
g

for various setups. To enhance the visualization we use evenly spaced beads on top of the rod. The experiments can be performed by pupils in the upper secondary school. Theoretical understanding may require first-year university classes in mechanics.
A novel multichannel deep learning model for fast denoising of Monte Carlo dose calculations: preclinical applications
Authors: van Dijk Robert H W , Staut Nick , Wolfs Cecile J A , Verhaegen Frank
Published: August 2022

Objective. In preclinical radiotherapy with kilovolt (kV) x-ray beams, accurate treatment planning is needed to improve the translation potential to clinical trials. Monte Carlo based radiation transport simulations are the gold standard to calculate the absorbed dose distribution in external beam radiotherapy. However, these simulations are notorious for their long computation time, causing a bottleneck in the workflow. Previous studies have used deep learning models to speed up these simulations for clinical megavolt (MV) beams. For kV beams, dose distributions are more affected by tissue type than for MV beams, leading to steep dose gradients. This study aims to speed up preclinical kV dose simulations by proposing a novel deep learning pipeline. Approach. A deep learning model is proposed that denoises low precision (∼106 simulated particles) dose distributions to produce high precision (109 simulated particles) dose distributions. To effectively denoise the steep dose gradients in preclinical kV dose distributions, the model uses the novel approach to use the low precision Monte Carlo dose calculation as well as the Monte Carlo uncertainty (MCU) map and the mass density map as additional input channels. The model was trained on a large synthetic dataset and tested on a real dataset with a different data distribution. To keep model inference time to a minimum, a novel method for inference optimization was developed as well. Main results. The proposed model provides dose distributions which achieve a median gamma pass rate (3%/0.3 mm) of 98% with a lower bound of 95% when compared to the high precision Monte Carlo dose distributions from the test set, which represents a different dataset distribution than the training set. Using the proposed model together with the novel inference optimization method, the total computation time was reduced from approximately 45 min to less than six seconds on average. Significance. This study presents the first model that can denoise preclinical kV instead of clinical MV Monte Carlo dose distributions. This was achieved by using the MCU and mass density maps as additional model inputs. Additionally, this study shows that training such a model on a synthetic dataset is not only a viable option, but even increases the generalization of the model compared to training on real data due to the sheer size and variety of the synthetic dataset. The application of this model will enable speeding up treatment plan optimization in the preclinical workflow.
Nonlinear vibrations of Timoshenko nanobeam using stress driven nonlocal theory
Authors: Haghani Ahmad , Jahangiri Mehdi , Ghaderi Reza
Published: August 2022

As properties of nonlinear systems can introduce particular responses not present in linear systems, results from linear models can be inaccurate or misleading. Therefore, studying nonlinear vibrations is of extreme importance in structural vibration analysis. Nonlinear vibrations of a Timoshenko nanobeam were analyzed for the first time using the stress driven nonlocal theory (SDM) and the strain gradient theory (SGT). Nonlinear equations of motion were solved for simply supported- simply supported, clamped-clamped and clamped- simply supported beams using the homotopy analysis method. The results indicated that as the dimensionless characteristic parameter increased, the nonlinear natural frequency increased accordingly. High agreement was observed between the results from a linear frequency of Timoshenko beam model based on the SGT and those from previous research.
Cross-sections of photonuclear reactions 65Cu(γ, n)64Cu and 63Cu(γ, xn)63−xCu in the energy range E

γmax = 35–94 MeV
Authors: Deiev O. S. , Timchenko I. S. , Olejnik S. M. , Potin S. M. , Kushnir V. A. , Mytrochenko V. V. , Perezhogin S. A. , Shramenko B. I.
Published: August 2022

The flux-averaged cross-sections

for the reactions

,

,

, and

have been measured within the bremsstrahlung end-point energy

range of 35–94 MeV. The experiments were performed with the electron beam from the NSC KIPT linear accelerator LUE-40 with the use of the activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric techniques. Theoretical calculation of the flux-average cross-sections

was conducted using the cross-section

values from the TALYS1.95 code, run with default options. It is shown that the experimental average cross-sections for the reactions

,

, and

are systematically higher than the theoretical estimates based on the TALYS1.95 code. The obtained

values supplement the data of different laboratories for the

and

reactions of

and

. For the reaction

, the values of

were measured for the first time.
Effects of a global monopole on the thermodynamic phase transition of a charged AdS black hole*
Authors: Luo Zhi , Yu Hao , Li Jin
Published: August 2022

We study the dynamical properties of the thermodynamic phase transition (PT) of a charged AdS black hole (BH) with a global monopole via the Gibbs free energy landscape and reveal the effects of the global monopole on the kinetics of thermodynamic PTs. First, we briefly review the thermodynamics of a charged AdS BH with a global monopole. Then, we introduce the Gibbs free energy landscape to investigate the thermodynamic stability of the BH states. Because of thermal fluctuations, the small black hole (SBH) state can transit to a large black hole (LBH) state, and vice versa. Further, we use the Fokker-Planck equation with the reflecting boundary condition to study the probability evolution of the BH state with and without a global monopole separately. It is found that for both the SBH and LBH states, the global monopole could slow down the evolution of the BH state. In addition, we obtain the relationship between the first passage time and the monopole parameter η. The result shows that as the monopole parameter η increases, the mean first passage time becomes longer for both the SBH and LBH states.
Exclusive π
0 production at EIC of China within handbag approach*
Authors: Goloskokov S.V. , Xie Ya-Ping , Chen Xurong
Published: August 2022

Exclusive

electroproduction is analyzed within the handbag approach based on Generalized Parton Distribution (GPDs) factorization. We consider the leading-twist contribution together with the transversity effects. It is shown that the transversity GPDs

and

are essential in the description of the

cross section. Predictions for the future Electron-Ion Collider of China (EicC) energy range are provided. It is found that transversity dominance

, observed at low energies, is valid up to the EicC energy range.
An SEU fault injection platform for radiation-harden design debugging in the FPGA
Authors: Zhang F. , Zhou Z. , Wang Y. , Wang D. , Wu M. , Zhu L.
Published: August 2022

An SEU fault injection platform was designed to ease the debugging of radiation-harden design in FPGA. The platform includes the FPGA being tested, the functional firmware being debugged, the essential-bit extraction algorithm based on Python, and the random fault injection algorithm. The platform can inject single-bit SEU failures, adjacent two-bit SEU failures, and three-bit SEU failures. It works in two modes: normal injection mode and essential-bit injection mode. Functional failure rate is the performance metric which used to evaluate the development. It is the probability of triggering a DUT function failure. In this experiment, the SEU fault injection platform is verified by measuring whether TCP/IP communication links are disconnected due to SEU faults. Experimental results show that the probability of TCP/IP link disconnection in normal injection mode is 0.13%, 0.23% and 0.25% respectively when random injection of single-bit SEU failure, adjacent two-bit SEU failure and multi-bit SEU failure occurs 10,000 times. In the essential-bit injection mode, the probability of TCP/IP link disconnection caused by single-bit SEUs failure, adjacent two-bit SEUs failure and three-bit SEUs failure is 0.87%, 6.97% and 11.76% respectively, indicating a significant increase in the functional failure rates. This shows that the essential-bit injection mode can be used to expose problems more quickly and accelerate the debugging process of FPGA radiation-harden design.
The effect of cholesterol on highly curved membranes measured by nanosecond Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy
Authors: Vishvakarma Vicky , Engberg Oskar , Huster Daniel , Maiti Sudipta
Published: August 2022

Small lipid vesicles (with diameter ≤100 nm) with their highly curved membranes comprise a special class of biological lipid bilayers. The mechanical properties of such membranes are critical for their function, e.g. exocytosis. Cholesterol is a near-universal regulator of membrane properties in animal cells. Yet measurements of the effect of cholesterol on the mechanical properties of membranes have remained challenging, and the interpretation of such measurements has remained a matter of debate. Here we show that nanosecond fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) can directly measure the ns-microsecond rotational correlation time (τ
r) of a lipid probe in high curvature vesicles with extraordinary sensitivity. Using a home-built 4-Pi fluorescence cross-correlation spectrometer containing polarization-modulating elements, we measure the rotational correlation time (τ
r) of Nile Red in neurotransmitter vesicle mimics. As the cholesterol mole fraction increases from 0 to 50%, τ
r increases from 17 ± 1 to 112 ± 12 ns, indicating a viscosity change of nearly a factor of 7. These measurements are corroborated by solid-state NMR results, which show that the order parameter of the lipid acyl chains increases by about 50% for the same change in cholesterol concentration. Additionally, we measured the spectral parameters of polarity-sensitive fluorescence dyes, which provide an indirect measure of viscosity. The green/red ratio of Nile Red and the generalized polarization of Laurdan show consistent increases of 1.3× and 2.6×, respectively. Our results demonstrate that rotational FCS can directly measure the viscosity of highly curved membranes with higher sensitivity and a wider dynamic range compared to other conventional techniques. Significantly, we observe that the viscosity of neurotransmitter vesicle mimics is remarkably sensitive to their cholesterol content.
Anisotropic deformation of colloidal particles under 4 MeV Cu ions irradiation
Authors: Dawi E A , Mustafa E , Siahaan T
Published: August 2022

Anisotropic deformation of colloidal particles was investigated under ion irradiation with 4 MeV Cu ions. In this study, 0.5 μm-diameter colloidal silica particles, 0.5 μm-diameter Au-silica core–shell particles, and 15 nm-diameter Au colloids embedding in a planar Si/SiO2 matrix were irradiated with 4 MeV Cu ions at room temperature and normal incidence. In colloidal silica particles, ion beam irradiation causes dramatic anisotropic deformation; silica expands perpendicular to the beam and contracts parallel, whereas Au cores elongate. Au colloids in a planar SiO2 matrix were anisotropically transformed from spherical colloids to elongated nanorods by irradiating them with 4 MeV Cu ions. The degree of anisotropy varied with ion flux. Upon irradiating the embedded Au colloids, dark-field light scattering experiments revealed a distinct color shift to yellow, which indicates a shift in surface plasmon resonance. A surface plasmon resonance measurement reveals the plasmon resonance bands are split along the arrays of Au colloids. Our measurements have revealed resonance shifts that extend into the near-infrared spectrum by as much as 50 nm.
Coordinately assisted distillation of quantum coherence in multipartite system
Authors: Wang Huang-Qiu-Chen , Luo Qi , Su Qi-Ping , Sun Yong-Nan , Zhou Nengji , Yu Li , Sun Zhe
Published: August 2022

We investigate the issue of assisted coherence distillation in the asymptotic limit, by coordinately performing the identical local operations on the auxiliary systems of each copy. When we further restrict the coordinate operations to projective measurements, the distillation process branches into many sub-processes. Finally, a computable measure of the assisted distillable coherence is derived as the maximal average coherence of the residual states with the maximization taken over all the projective measurements on the auxiliary. The measure can be conveniently used to evaluate the assisted distillable coherence in experiments, especially suitable for the case that the system and its auxiliary are in mixed states. By using the measure, we for the first time study the assisted coherence distillation in multipartite systems. Monogamy-like inequalities are derived to constrain the distribution of the assisted distillable coherence in the subsystems. Taking a three-qubit system for example, we experimentally prepare two types of tripartite correlated states, i.e., the W-type and GHZ-type states in a linear optical setup, and experimentally test the assisted distillable coherence. Theoretical and experimental results agree well to verify the distribution inequalities given by us. Three measures of multipartite quantum correlation are also considered. The close relationship between the assisted coherence distillation and the multipartite correlation is revealed.
Superacid Treatment on Transition Metal Dichalcogenides
Authors: Kiriya Daisuke , Lien Der-Hsien
Published: August 2022

Superacids are strong acids with an acidity higher than pure sulfuric acid. Recently, superacid treatment of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) flakes, such as MoS2 and WS2, has shown a dramatic enhancement of optical properties, such as photoluminescence (PL) intensity. The superacid molecule is bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide (TFSI). In this review paper, we summarize and discuss the recent works and the current understanding of the TFSI treatment, and finally, we describe the outlook of the treatment on monolayer TMDCs.
Meteorological and geographical factors associated with dry lightning in central and northern California
Authors: Kalashnikov Dmitri A , Abatzoglou John T , Nauslar Nicholas J , Swain Daniel L , Touma Danielle , Singh Deepti
Published: August 2022

Lightning occurring with less than 2.5 mm of rainfall—typically referred to as ‘dry lightning’—is a major source of wildfire ignition in central and northern California. Despite being rare, dry lightning outbreaks have resulted in destructive fires in this region due to the intersection of dense, dry vegetation and a large population living adjacent to fire-prone lands. Since thunderstorms are much less common in this region relative to the interior West, the climatology and drivers of dry lightning have not been widely investigated in central and northern California. Using daily gridded lightning and precipitation observations (1987–2020) in combination with atmospheric reanalyses, we characterize the climatology of dry lightning and the associated meteorological conditions during the warm season (May–October) when wildfire risk is highest. Across the domain, nearly half (∼46%) of all cloud-to-ground lightning flashes occurred as dry lightning during the study period. We find that higher elevations (>2000 m) receive more dry lightning compared to lower elevations (<1000 m) with activity concentrated in July-August. Although local meteorological conditions show substantial spatial variation, we find regionwide enhancements in mid-tropospheric moisture and instability on dry lightning days relative to background climatology. Additionally, surface temperatures, lower-tropospheric dryness, and mid-tropospheric instability are increased across the region on dry versus wet lightning days. We also identify widespread dry lightning outbreaks in the historical record, quantify their seasonality and spatial extent, and analyze associated large-scale atmospheric patterns. Three of these four atmospheric patterns are characterized by different configurations of ridging over the continental interior and offshore troughing. Understanding the meteorology of dry lightning across this region can inform forecasting of possible wildfire ignitions and is relevant for assessing changes in dry lightning and wildfire risk in climate projections.
Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Utilization of Race and Ethnicity in Major Epidemiology Journals, 1995–2018: A Systematic Review
Authors: Martinez Rae Anne M , Andrabi Nafeesa , Goodwin Andrea N , Wilbur Rachel E , Smith Natalie R , Zivich Paul N
Published: August 2022

Despite repeated calls by scholars to critically engage with the concepts of race and ethnicity in US epidemiologic research, the incorporation of these social constructs in scholarship may be suboptimal. This study characterizes the conceptualization, operationalization, and utilization of race and ethnicity in US research published in leading journals whose publications shape discourse and norms around race, ethnicity, and health within the field of epidemiology. We systematically reviewed randomly selected articles from prominent epidemiology journals across 5 periods: 1995–1999, 2000–2004, 2005–2009, 2010–2014, and 2015–2018. All original human-subjects research conducted in the United States was eligible for review. Information on definitions, measurement, coding, and use in analysis was extracted. We reviewed 1,050 articles, including 414 (39%) in our analyses. Four studies explicitly defined race and/or ethnicity. Authors rarely made clear delineations between race and ethnicity, often adopting an ethnoracial construct. In the majority of studies across time periods, authors did not state how race and/or ethnicity was measured. Top coding schemes included “Black, White” (race), “Hispanic, non-Hispanic” (ethnicity), and “Black, White, Hispanic” (ethnoracial). Most often, race and ethnicity were deemed “not of interest” in analyses (e.g., control variables). Broadly, disciplinary practices have remained largely the same between 1995 and 2018 and are in need of improvement.
Transhumanism, Motion, and Human Perfection
Authors: Mason Jordan
Published: August 2022

Transhumanism’s ideology is marked by a commitment to the “progress” or “perfection” of the human species through technological means. What transhumanists are after is not just therapeutic intervention or optimization of current human capabilities, but an ontological change from human to posthuman. In this article, I critique transhumanist ideology on the grounds that it fundamentally misunderstands human moral perfection as resulting from forces acting upon us (i.e., technological interventions), rather than an internal change of character. This misunderstanding reflects an impoverished view of the concept of motion brought about by the rise of modern science, which entails certain ontological commitments that are not Christian in nature. I conclude transhumanism is untenable because it rests on a shaky foundation of Newtonian physics, and reduces the world to mere matter and forces. Furthermore, Christian transhumanism is especially flawed, because it is complicit in this severing of creation from its sacramental ontology, from the Being of God.
Reconstruction of cascading failures in dynamical models of power grids
Authors: Corso Alessandra , Gambuzza Lucia Valentina , Malizia Federico , Russo Giovanni , Latora Vito , Frasca Mattia
Published: August 2022

In this article, we propose a method to reconstruct the active links of a power network described by a second-order Kuramoto model and subject to dynamically induced cascading failures. Starting from the assumption (realistic for power grids) that the structure of the network is known, our method reconstructs the active links from the evolution of the relevant dynamical quantities of the nodes of the system, that is, the node phases and angular velocities. We find that, to reconstruct the temporal sequence of the faults, it is crucial to use time series with a small number of samples, as the observation window should be smaller than the temporal distance between subsequent events. This requirement is in contrast with the need of using larger sets of data in the presence of noise, such that the number of samples to feed in the algorithm has to be selected as a trade-off between the prediction error and temporal resolution of the active link reconstruction.
Prevalence and prognostic implications of myocardial injury in patients with influenza
Authors: Nordenskjöld Anna M , Johansson Niklas , Sunnefeldt Erik , Athlin Simon , Fröbert Ole
Published: August 2022

Aims

Influenza may cause myocardial injury and trigger acute cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and prognostic implications of elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in patients with influenza.

Methods and results

In this prospective cohort study, we consecutively enrolled patients with influenza-like illness from two emergency departments in Sweden during three seasons of influenza, 2017–20. Ongoing Influenza infection was diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction and blood samples were collected for later analysis of hs-cTnI. All patients were followed-up for a composite endpoint of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke within 1 year. Of the 466 patients with influenza-like symptoms, 181 (39%) were positive for influenza. Fifty (28%) patients were hospitalized. High-sensitivity cTnI was elevated in 11 (6%) patients and 8 (4%) experienced MACE. In univariate analyses, MACE was associated with age [hazard ratio (HR): 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–1.23], hypertension (HR 5.56, 95%CI: 1.12–27.53), estimated glomerular filtration rate (HR: 0.94, 95%CI: 0.91–0.97), and elevated hs-cTnI (HR: 18.29, 95%CI: 4.57–73.24), N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (HR: 14.21, 95%CI: 1.75–115.5), hs-CRP (HR: 1.01, 95%CI: 1.00–1.02), and white blood cell count (HR: 1.12, 95%CI: 1.01–1.25). In multivariate analysis, elevated hs-cTnI was independently associated with MACE (HR: 4.96, 95%CI: 1.10–22.41).

Conclusion

The prevalence of elevated hs-cTnI is low in unselected patients with influenza. Elevated hs-cTnI was associated with poor prognosis. A limitation is that the estimated associations are uncertain due to few events.
Management and treatment of cardiotoxicity due to anticancer drugs: 10 questions and answers
Authors: Chianca Michela , Fabiani Iacopo , Del Franco Annamaria , Grigoratos Chrysanthos , Aimo Alberto , Panichella Giorgia , Giannoni Alberto , Castiglione Vincenzo , Gentile Francesco , Passino Claudio , Cipolla Carlo Maria , Cardinale Daniela Maria , Emdin Michele
Published: August 2022

Since the introduction of anthracyclines into clinical practice in the 1960s, chemotherapy has always been associated with cardiotoxicity. Patients on cardiotoxic drugs can develop a wide range of cardiovascular diseases, including left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and heart failure (HF), arrhythmias, hypertension, and coronary artery disease (CAD). The rising number of cancer patients, population ageing, and the frequent overlap of cardiovascular and oncological diseases have highlighted the importance of close collaboration between cardiologists and oncologists. As a result, in 1995, cardiologists at the IEO (European Institute of Oncology) coined the term cardioncology, a new discipline focused on the dynamics of cardiovascular disease in cancer patients. Given the complex scenario characterized by a constant dialogue between the oncological condition and cardiovascular comorbidity, it is essential for the clinician to get the knowledge to properly fulfill the needs of the oncological patient under cardiotoxic treatment. Through the answer to 10 questions, we aim to describe the complex issue of cardiotoxicity by addressing the main critical points and current evidence related to the assessment, management, treatment, and surveillance of cancer patients under chemotherapy.
The effect of dissolved char on microbial activity in an extract from the forest floor
Authors: de Nijs Evy A , van Hall Rutger L , Tietema Albert
Published: August 2022

Climate change is associated with an increased risk in the occurrence of wildfires. Forests store large amounts of carbon (C), which are threatened by these wildfires. Pyrogenic material produced after a wildfire constitutes an important part of the soil organic carbon pool in forest soils. Microorganisms play an important role in the cycling of C. This study investigated microbial activity in dissolved char from burned wood from two tree species in different stages of decay. The char from branches of beech and Norway spruce was produced under laboratory fire conditions and extracted in water after which microbial activity was measured for a 4-week period. Further stages of decay resulted in increased flammability with higher peak temperatures and combustion completeness. For the beech samples, further decay also resulted in a decrease of extractable C but a higher proportion of stable C. Further decay resulted in less respiration for beech and more for Norway spruce. With less C being respired, this points towards an increased C sequestration potential in the form of microbial C and microbial derived products for beech compared to Norway spruce. This study provided a workflow to assess the effects of dissolved char on microbial activity by mimicking natural fire conditions. It also indicated the need for future research to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms explaining why fire-originated dissolved char of wood in different decay stages influences microbial respiration with diverging effects per species.
Para-constitutional engineering and federalism: Informal constitutional change through intergovernmental agreements
Authors: Poirier Johanne , Hartery Jesse
Published: August 2022

This article explores the phenomenon of informal constitutional change with a particular focus on the role played by intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) concluded between members of a federation. It has two objectives. The first is to add IGAs to the catalogue of methods through which constitutions are altered without recourse to formal amendment procedures. Using Canada as a case study, we highlight a paradox: by rendering unconstitutional certain legislative initiatives meant to circumvent formal rules of constitutional amendment, courts are actually inviting political actors, notably the executive branches, to resort to even more fluid and informal methods of altering the Constitution. Second, we bring the concept of “para-constitutionality” into the broader literature on informal constitutional change. Para-constitutionality captures two distinct dimensions of informal constitutional change which are often conflated. “Para” in the Greek sense signifies “circumvention.” The focus here is on effectivity, on the impact of mechanisms (such as IGAs) on the overall constitutional order. By contrast, “para” in the Latin sense means “against.” It is concerned with constitutional (in)validity. We seek to underscore that even when strategies are not found to be unconstitutional, they may nevertheless have a transformative impact on the overall federal architecture. In conclusion, we suggest that an implicit commitment to intergovernmental transactions and compromise, both inherent to federalism, may explain judicial benevolence in the face of negotiated para-constitutional engineering mechanisms, in contrast to unilateral legislative attempts at informal constitutional change.
Constitutional identity, expressivism, and constitutional change through judicial interpretation: The Indonesian LGBT case as a case study
Authors: Nugraha Ignatius Yordan
Published: August 2022

Constitutional change can be produced through judicial interpretation when a particular dictum becomes informally entrenched and creates a new constitutional meaning without the need for a formal amendment. However, scholarship has not yet scrutinized the form of legal reasoning that may be used to push for such a change. The purpose of this article is to analyze the role of expressivism in justifying constitutional change through judicial interpretation. For this purpose, I have developed the expressivist framework into what I call “operationalized expressivism,” which refers to constitutional courts interpreting references to constitutional identity in the constitution such as to create a juridical effect. I then use the dissenting opinion in the Indonesian LGBT case as a case study of how operationalized expressivism can initiate a constitutional change. I have selected this particular opinion because of its potential to radically transform the constitutional landscape of Indonesia, as the dissenting judges have declared the Indonesian Constitution as a “Godly” Constitution that requires all laws to be consistent with religious values.