bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In situ fabrication of S-type BiOI
x
Br
y
heterojunction with metallic Bi for boosting photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction
Authors: Wang Yun , Zhang Tao , Abulizi Abulikemu , Tursun Yalkunjan
Published: August 2023

Heterojunction construction and morphology control have always been considered effective ways to promote the capability of photocatalysts. In this work, BiOI
x
Br
y
, S-type heterojunction photocatalysts with metallic Bi nanoparticles, were synthesized in situ using a solvothermal method, and the influence of reaction temperature (180 °C–220 °C) and dopant doping amount on the catalysts’ microscopic morphology, structure, and catalytic properties were researched. Study results revealed the 1:1 BiOI
x
Br
y
synthesized at 200 °C exhibited the optimum behavior in CO2 reduction. Its catalytic CO2 reduction to CH3OH was 932.88 μmol gcat
−1 and C2H5OH was 324.46 μmol gcat
−1 under the analog light source for 8 h, which was approximately 1.92 and 1.49 times higher than that of BiOI-200 °C, respectively. The reinforced catalytic properties are probably attributed to the synergistic effect between metallic Bi nanoparticles and BiOI
x
Br
y
heterojunction. Thanks to the SPR effect of in situ metallic Bi, the catalysts’ photocarrier separation efficiency is facilitated. Additionally, the heterojunction formation contributes to that trend and more importantly, preserves the charge carriers with strong redox capacity in BiOI
x
Br
y
, proving product selectivity. We also present a potential electron transfer mechanism involved in the BiOI
x
Br
y
photocatalytic CO2 reduction based on the characterization analysis and experimental results.
Effects of plasma radiation on the nonlinear evolution of neo-classical tearing modes in tokamak plasmas with reversed magnetic shear
Authors: Jiang 姜 Shuai 帅 , Wang 王 Zheng-Xiong 正汹 , Wei 魏 Lai 来 , Liu 刘 Tong 桐
Published: August 2023

Effects of plasma radiation on the nonlinear evolution of neo-classical double tearing modes (NDTMs) in tokamak plasmas with reversed magnetic shear are numerically investigated based on a set of reduced magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations. Cases with different separations Δ
rs = |r
s2–r
s1| between the two same rational surfaces are considered. In the small Δ
rs cases, the plasma radiation destabilizes the NDTMs and makes the kinetic energy still grow gradually in the late nonlinear phase. Moreover, the NDTM harmonics with high mode numbers reach a high level in the presence of plasma radiation, forming a broad spectrum of MHD perturbations that induces a radially broadened region of MHD turbulence. As a result, the profiles of safety factors also enter a nonlinear oscillation phase. In the intermediate Δ
rs case, the plasma radiation can advance the explosive burst of kinetic energy that results from the fast driven reconnection between the two rational surfaces, because it can further promote the destabilizing effects of bootstrap current perturbation on the magnetic island near the outer rational surfaces. In the large Δ
rs case, through destabilizing the outer islands significantly, the plasma radiation can even induce the explosive burst in the reversed magnetic shear configuration where the burst cannot be induced in the absence of plasma radiation.
A Revised Graduated Cylindrical Shell Model and its Application to a Prominence Eruption
Authors: Zhang Qing-Min , Hou Zhen-Yong , Bai Xian-Yong
Published: August 2023

In this paper, the well-known graduated cylindrical shell (GCS) model is slightly revised by introducing longitudinal and latitudinal deflections of prominences originating from active regions (ARs). Subsequently, it is applied to the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of an eruptive prominence in AR 13110, which produced an M1.7 class flare and a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) on 2022 September 23. It is revealed that the prominence undergoes acceleration from ∼246 to ∼708 km s−1. Meanwhile, the prominence experiences southward deflection by 15° ± 1° without longitudinal deflection, suggesting that the prominence erupts non-radially. Southward deflections of the prominence and associated CME are consistent, validating the results of fitting using the revised GCS model. Besides, the true speed of the CME is calculated to be 1637 ± 15 km s−1, which is ∼2.3 times higher than that of prominence. This is indicative of continuing acceleration of the prominence during which flare magnetic reconnection reaches maximum beneath the erupting prominence. Hence, the reconstruction using the revised GCS model could successfully track a prominence in its early phase of evolution, including acceleration and deflection.
New Cases of Superflares on Slowly Rotating Solar-type Stars and Large Amplitude Superflares in G- and M-type Main Sequence Stars
Authors: Althukair A. K. , Tsiklauri D.
Published: August 2023

In our previous work, we searched for superflares on different types of stars while focusing on G-type dwarfs using entire Kepler data to study statistical properties of the occurrence rate of superflares. Using these new data, as a by-product, we found 14 cases of superflare detection on 13 slowly rotating Sun-like stars with rotation periods of 24.5–44 days. This result supports the earlier conclusion by others that the Sun may possibly undergo a surprise superflare. Moreover, we found 12 and seven new cases of detection of exceptionally large amplitude superflares on six and four main sequence stars of G- and M-type, respectively. No large-amplitude flares were detected in A, F or K main sequence stars. Here we present preliminary analysis of these cases. The superflare detection, i.e., an estimation of flare energy, is based on a more accurate method compared to previous studies. We fit an exponential decay function to flare light curves and study the relation between e-folding decay time, τ, versus flare amplitude and flare energy. We find that for slowly rotating Sun-like stars, large values of τ correspond to small flare energies and small values of τ correspond to high flare energies considered. Similarly, τ is large for small flare amplitudes and τ is small for large amplitudes considered. However, there is no clear relation between these parameters for large amplitude superflares in the main sequence G- and M-type stars, as we could not establish clear functional dependence between the parameters via standard fitting algorithms.
Decoding neural activity to assess individual latent state in ecologically valid contexts
Authors: Gordon Stephen M , McDaniel Jonathan R , King Kevin W , Lawhern Vernon J , Touryan Jonathan
Published: August 2023

Objective. Currently, there exists very few ways to isolate cognitive processes, historically defined via highly controlled laboratory studies, in more ecologically valid contexts. Specifically, it remains unclear as to what extent patterns of neural activity observed under such constraints actually manifest outside the laboratory in a manner that can be used to make accurate inferences about latent states, associated cognitive processes, or proximal behavior. Improving our understanding of when and how specific patterns of neural activity manifest in ecologically valid scenarios would provide validation for laboratory-based approaches that study similar neural phenomena in isolation and meaningful insight into the latent states that occur during complex tasks. Approach. Domain generalization methods, borrowed from the work of the brain-computer interface community, have the potential to capture high-dimensional patterns of neural activity in a way that can be reliably applied across experimental datasets in order to address this specific challenge. We previously used such an approach to decode phasic neural responses associated with visual target discrimination. Here, we extend that work to more tonic phenomena such as internal latent states. We use data from two highly controlled laboratory paradigms to train two separate domain-generalized models. We apply the trained models to an ecologically valid paradigm in which participants performed multiple, concurrent driving-related tasks while perched atop a six-degrees-of-freedom ride-motion simulator. Main Results. Using the pretrained models, we estimate latent state and the associated patterns of neural activity. As the patterns of neural activity become more similar to those patterns observed in the training data, we find changes in behavior and task performance that are consistent with the observations from the original, laboratory-based paradigms. Significance. These results lend ecological validity to the original, highly controlled, experimental designs and provide a methodology for understanding the relationship between neural activity and behavior during complex tasks.
Evaluation of True Random Number Sequences Generated by Utilizing Timing Jitters in Superconducting Integrated Circuits
Authors: Sato Kenta , Sega Naonori , Shimada Hiroshi , Mizugaki Yoshinao
Published: August 2023

A Hardware Random Number Generator (HRNG), which generates true random number sequences, is studied. In superconducting Single Flux Quantum (SFQ) circuitry, HRNGs that utilized timing jitters in trigger signals have been demonstrated. In this paper, we propose an HRNG with two oscillators to enhance stability against variation of oscillator frequencies. We investigate the characteristics of random numbers generated with the proposed HRNG not only by numerical simulation but also by experiments using Nb test circuits. In the numerical simulation, the probability of “1” in random number sequences has a local minimum of “1” output probability at conditions where fclk
(the clock oscillator frequency) and fgate
(the gate oscillator frequency) are approximately equal (fclk
≈ fgate
) for fclk
≤ 60 GHz. It is also found that pass rates for the FIPS140-2 random number tests are little affected by variations of fclk
at fgate
= 69.2 GHz. The random number generation rate for fclk
= 60 GHz and fgate
= 43 GHz reaches 3.98 GHz. In experimental measurements, random numbers of 1 Mbits generated by a test circuit pass the SP800-22 random number tests at fclk
= 48.79 GHz and fgate
= 19.81 GHz.
Fundamental Study of the Removal of Microplastic Fibers Using Swirling Flow and Magnetic Field
Authors: Fujii Satoshi , Akiyama Yoko , Manabe Yuichiro , Sato Fuminobu
Published: August 2023

Microplastic fibers (MPFs) derived from laundry wastewater and fishing nets, etc. have been found in the environment around the world, raising concerns about their ecological impact. Particularly for laundry wastewater, some of the MPFs are not removed by sewage plants, and are discharged into the environment. We have studied the removal method of MPFs by magnetic separation in sewage plants, but there were some problems for practical applications such as the desorption of magnetite from MPFs and blockage of magnetic filters. To solve the problems, we proposed a novel magnetic separation system combining swirling flow and opposing magnets. In this study, we investigated whether MPFs can be concentrated by particle trajectory simulations and lab-scale experiments. The simulations and experiments showed similar trends that MPFs can be concentrated by the proposed magnetic separation system. The magnetic separation performance will be improved by using a higher magnetic field of opposed superconducting bulk magnets.
NEXT-CRAB-0: a high pressure gaseous xenon time projection chamber with a direct VUV camera based readout
Authors: Byrnes N.K. , Parmaksiz I. , Adams C. , Asaadi J. , Baeza-Rubio J. , Bailey K. , Church E. , González-Díaz D. , Higley A. , Jones B.J.P. , Mistry K. , Moya I.A. , Nygren D.R. , Oyedele P. , Rogers L. , Stogsdill K. , Almazán H. , Álvarez V. , Aparicio B. , Aranburu A.I. , Arazi L. , Arnquist I.J. , Ayet S. , Azevedo C.D.R. , Ballester F. , del Barrio-Torregrosa M. , Bayo A. , Benlloch-Rodríguez J.M. , Borges F.I.G.M. , Bounasser S. , Cárcel S. , Carrión J.V. , Cebrián S. , Cid L. , Conde C.A.N. , Contreras T. , Cossío F.P. , Dey E. , Díaz G. , Dickel T. , Elorza M. , Escada J. , Esteve R. , Fahs A. , Felkai R. , Fernandes L.M.P. , Ferrario P. , Ferreira A.L. , Foss F.W. , Freitas E.D.C. , Freixa Z. , Generowicz J. , Goldschmidt A. , Gómez-Cadenas J.J. , González R. , Grocott J. , Guenette R. , Haefner J. , Hafidi K. , Hauptman J. , Henriques C.A.O. , Hernando Morata J.A. , Herrero-Gómez P. , Herrero V. , Hervés Carrete C. , Ho J. , Ho P. , Ifergan Y. , Labarga L. , Larizgoitia L. , Lebrun P. , Lopez F. , Lopez Gutierrez D. , López-March N. , Madigan R. , Mano R.D.P. , Marques A.P. , Martín-Albo J. , Martínez-Lema G. , Martínez-Vara M. , Meziani Z.E. , Miller R.L. , Monrabal F. , Monteiro C.M.B. , Mora F.J. , Muñoz Vidal J. , Navarro K.E. , Novella P. , Nuñez A. , Oblak E. , Odriozola-Gimeno M. , Palacio J. , Palmeiro B. , Para A. , Pelegrin J. , Pérez Maneiro M. , Querol M. , Redwine A.B. , Renner J. , Rivilla I. , Rodríguez J. , Rogero C. , Romeo B. , Romo-Luque C. , Santos F.P. , dos Santos J.M.F. , Simón A. , Soleti S.R. , Sorel M. , Stanford C. , Teixeira J.M.R. , Toledo J.F. , Torrent J. , Usón A. , Veloso J.F.C.A. , Vuong T.T. , Waiton J. , White J.T.
Published: August 2023

The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) remains one of the most compelling experimental avenues for the discovery in the neutrino sector. Electroluminescent gas-phase time projection chambers are well suited to 0νββsearches due to their intrinsically precise energy resolution and topological event identification capabilities. Scalability to ton- and multi-ton masses requires readout of large-area electroluminescent regions with fine spatial resolution, low radiogenic backgrounds, and a scalable data acquisition system. This paper presents a detector prototype that records event topology in an electroluminescent xenon gas TPC via VUV image-intensified cameras. This enables an extendable readout of large tracking planes with commercial devices that reside almost entirely outside of the active medium. Following further development in intermediate scale demonstrators, this technique may represent a novel and enlargeable method for topological event imaging in 0νββ.
Wildfire activity in northern Rocky Mountain subalpine forests still within millennial-scale range of variability
Authors: Clark-Wolf Kyra , Higuera Philip E , Shuman Bryan N , McLauchlan Kendra K
Published: August 2023

Increasing area burned across western North America raises questions about the precedence and magnitude of changes in fire activity, relative to the historical range of variability (HRV) that ecosystems experienced over recent centuries and millennia. Paleoecological records of past fire occurrence provide context for contemporary changes in ecosystems characterized by infrequent, high-severity fire regimes. Here we present a network of 12 fire-history records derived from macroscopic charcoal preserved in sediments of small subalpine lakes within a c. 10 000 km2 landscape in the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains (Northern Rockies). We used this network to characterize landscape-scale burning over the past 2500 yr, and to evaluate the precedence of widespread regional burning experienced in the early 20th and 21st centuries. We further compare the Northern Rockies fire history to a previously published network of fire-history records in the Southern Rockies. In Northern Rockies subalpine forests, widespread fire activity was strongly linked to seasonal climate conditions, in contemporary, historical, and paleo records. The average estimated fire rotation period (FRP) over the past 2500 yr was 164 yr (HRV: 127–225 yr), while the contemporary FRP from 1900 to 2021 CE was 215 yr. Thus, extensive regional burning in the early 20th century (e.g. 1910 CE) and in recent decades remains within the HRV of recent millennia. Results from the Northern Rockies contrast with the Southern Rockies, which burned with less frequency on average over the past 2500 yr, and where 21st-century burning has exceeded the HRV. Our results support expectations that Northern Rockies fire activity will continue to increase with climatic warming, surpassing historical burning if more than one exceptional fire year akin to 1910 occurs within the next several decades. The ecological consequences of climatic warming in subalpine forests will depend, in large part, on the magnitude of fire-regime changes relative to the past.
20 years of change in tundra NDVI from coupled field and satellite observations
Authors: Huemmrich K Fred , Gamon John , Campbell Petya , Mora Marianna , Vargas Z Sergio , Almanza Brenda , Tweedie Craig
Published: August 2023

In 2022 we resampled normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) along a 100 m transect in tundra near Utqiagvik, AK that had been previously measured through the 2000–2002 growing seasons, providing an opportunity to examine a 20 year NDVI change at a 1 m resolution in a region that is experiencing increased warming and precipitation over this period. Multidecadal NDVI change was spatially variable across the transect with nearly half of the transect showing greening, about a third not showing conclusive change, and about 20% browning. In wet areas, greening (increased NDVI) was associated with increased green leaf area index, while in drier areas greening was related to changes in species cover. Browning was not related to change in species cover and appeared to be due to increased coverage of standing dead material in graminoid dominated canopies. These types of detailed observations provide insights into the interpretation of satellite based NDVI trends and emphasize the importance of microtopography and hydrology in mediating vegetation change in a warming Arctic.
Bone on-a-chip: a 3D dendritic network in a screening platform for osteocyte-targeted drugs
Authors: Lipreri Maria Veronica , Di Pompo Gemma , Boanini Elisa , Graziani Gabriela , Sassoni Enrico , Baldini Nicola , Avnet Sofia
Published: August 2023

Age-related musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, are frequent and associated with long lasting morbidity, in turn significantly impacting on healthcare system sustainability. There is therefore a compelling need to develop reliable preclinical models of disease and drug screening to validate novel drugs possibly on a personalized basis, without the need of in vivo assay. In the context of bone tissue, although the osteocyte (Oc) network is a well-recognized therapeutic target, current in vitro preclinical models are unable to mimic its physiologically relevant and highly complex structure. To this purpose, several features are needed, including an osteomimetic extracellular matrix, dynamic perfusion, and mechanical cues (e.g. shear stress) combined with a three-dimensional (3D) culture of Oc. Here we describe, for the first time, a high throughput microfluidic platform based on 96-miniaturized chips for large-scale preclinical evaluation to predict drug efficacy. We bioengineered a commercial microfluidic device that allows real-time visualization and equipped with multi-chips by the development and injection of a highly stiff bone-like 3D matrix, made of a blend of collagen-enriched natural hydrogels loaded with hydroxyapatite nanocrystals. The microchannel, filled with the ostemimetic matrix and Oc, is subjected to passive perfusion and shear stress. We used scanning electron microscopy for preliminary material characterization. Confocal microscopy and fluorescent microbeads were used after material injection into the microchannels to detect volume changes and the distribution of cell-sized objects within the hydrogel. The formation of a 3D dendritic network of Oc was monitored by measuring cell viability, evaluating phenotyping markers (connexin43, integrin alpha V/CD51, sclerostin), quantification of dendrites, and responsiveness to an anabolic drug. The platform is expected to accelerate the development of new drug aimed at modulating the survival and function of osteocytes.
Hydrothermal treatment of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) stalks for enhanced microfibrillated cellulose production
Authors: Roziafanto Achmad Nandang , Lazuardi Dimas Reza , Ghozali Muhammad , Sofyan Nofrijon , Chalid Mochamad
Published: August 2023

Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) derived from natural fibers has gained significant interest as an environmentally friendly material for economic and ecological reasons. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), a widely cultivated crop that generates waste during bioethanol production, holds the potential for producing MFC and can be used for enhancing polymer’s performance, particularly in terms of crystallinity. The hydrothermal treatments aimed to unbundle lignocellulose networks into MFC with reduced amorphous content and enhanced crystallinity The hydrothermal treatments, necessitating specialized apparatuses and exhibiting limited scalability, can be effectively replaced by the domestic pressure cooker, an alternative intriguing vessel for the simple, cheap, and economical hydrothermal reactor. Hydrothermal treatments using pressurized steaming methods were performed at different durations (5, 25, and 60 min), in which the fibers were positioned above the water level to enable targeted interaction with the steam. Characterization of the treated fibers namely chemical composition, morphology, crystallinity index, and thermal stability were analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy, FE-SEM, XRD, and TGA. The results demonstrate the removal of binding materials, such as amorphous hemicellulose and lignin, from the sorghum fibers, leading to fiber defibrillation and producing MFC size range from 12.2 to 19.4 μm. Hydrothermal treated fiber started to decompose at Tinitial around 275 °C–282 °C higher than fiber untreated Tinitial = 229 °C. The 5 min treatment has generated the highest crystallinity index (52%) and the highest maximum peak temperature (365.26 °C). Additionally, the treatments have increased the fibers’ crystallinity index and thermal stability, highlighting the potential use of sorghum fiber as a reinforcement candidate in natural fiber polymer composites.
Study on UV aging characteristics of low-grade asphalt in the desert climate
Authors: Song Liang , Hou Lulu , Tu Pengcheng , Fan Peng , Gao Jie
Published: August 2023

The Taklamakan Desert in China’s Xinjiang region faces severe heat conditions that cause rutting in asphalt pavements. In order to combat this issue, local construction management has been advocating for the utilization of low-grade asphalt with penetration levels between 20 and 50, to enhance the pavement’s resistance to rutting. However, there is limited research on the durability of low-grade asphalt under intense UV irradiation in the region. To this end, a multiscale investigation was conducted, examining three different types of asphalt (30#, 50#, and 70#), under various conditions such as virgin, UV aging, and Pressure Aging Vessel aging. Analytical techniques such as Atomic Force Microscope, Gel Permeation Chromatography, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Dynamic Shear Rheology, and Bending Beam Rheometer were employed. The results revealed that the surface roughness of the three types of asphalt increased by 15.50% (30#), 5.99% (50#), and 2.70% (70#) after UV aging, compared to the virgin samples. Furthermore, the adhesion properties of lower-grade asphalt were less affected by UV aging. Weight-average molecular weight of the three types of asphalt increased significantly after UV aging, with a 26.96% increase in 30#, 51.92% increase in 50#, and 43.76% increase in 70# compared to the samples prior to UV aging. The 30# asphalt with higher large molecule content exhibited slower UV aging. The 30# asphalt also exhibited the smallest increase of C=O and S=O after UV aging among the three types of asphalt. The study also found that UV aging had a lesser effect on the high- and low-temperature performance of asphalt, compared to PAV aging. Overall, the effects of UV irradiation on various properties of 30# asphalt were less pronounced than those of 50# and 70# asphalt. These findings offer valuable insights into aging resistance in the Taklamakan Desert, benefiting road contractors and the academic community.
Authenticity and Adaptation: Reflections on the Association of Adaptation Studies Conference 2023, University of Birmingham
Authors: Borochovitz Ryan
Published: August 2023

Conference report for the 2023 Association of Adaptation Studies (AAS) conference, held at the University of Birmingham, on the theme of Authenticity and Adaptation.
Cancer drug response prediction with surrogate modeling-based graph neural architecture search
Authors: Oloulade Babatounde Moctard , Gao Jianliang , Chen Jiamin , Al-Sabri Raeed , Wu Zhenpeng
Published: August 2023

Motivation

Understanding drug–response differences in cancer treatments is one of the most challenging aspects of personalized medicine. Recently, graph neural networks (GNNs) have become state-of-the-art methods in many graph representation learning scenarios in bioinformatics. However, building an optimal handcrafted GNN model for a particular drug sensitivity dataset requires manual design and fine-tuning of the hyperparameters for the GNN model, which is time-consuming and requires expert knowledge.

Results

In this work, we propose AutoCDRP, a novel framework for automated cancer drug–response predictor using GNNs. Our approach leverages surrogate modeling to efficiently search for the most effective GNN architecture. AutoCDRP uses a surrogate model to predict the performance of GNN architectures sampled from a search space, allowing it to select the optimal architecture based on evaluation performance. Hence, AutoCDRP can efficiently identify the optimal GNN architecture by exploring the performance of all GNN architectures in the search space. Through comprehensive experiments on two benchmark datasets, we demonstrate that the GNN architecture generated by AutoCDRP surpasses state-of-the-art designs. Notably, the optimal GNN architecture identified by AutoCDRP consistently outperforms the best baseline architecture from the first epoch, providing further evidence of its effectiveness.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/BeObm/AutoCDRP.
SPRY4-dependent ERK negative feedback demarcates functional adult stem cells in the male mouse germline
Authors: Luo Yanyun , Yamada Makiko , N’Tumba-Byn Thierry , Asif Hana , Gao Meng , Hu Yang , Marangoni Pauline , Liu Ying , Evans Todd , Rafii Shahin , Klein Ophir D , Voss Henning U , Hadjantonakis Anna-Katerina , Elemento Olivier , Martin Laura A , Seandel Marco
Published: August 2023

Niche-derived growth factors support self-renewal of mouse spermatogonial stem and progenitor cells through ERK MAPK signaling and other pathways. At the same time, dysregulated growth factor-dependent signaling has been associated with loss of stem cell activity and aberrant differentiation. We hypothesized that growth factor signaling through the ERK MAPK pathway in spermatogonial stem cells is tightly regulated within a narrow range through distinct intracellular negative feedback regulators. Evaluation of candidate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-responsive genes known to dampen downstream signaling revealed robust induction of specific negative feedback regulators, including Spry4, in cultured mouse spermatogonial stem cells in response to glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor or fibroblast growth factor 2. Undifferentiated spermatogonia in vivo exhibited high levels of Spry4 mRNA. Quantitative single-cell analysis of ERK MAPK signaling in spermatogonial stem cell cultures revealed both dynamic signaling patterns in response to growth factors and disruption of such effects when Spry4 was ablated, due to dysregulation of ERK MAPK downstream of RAS. Whereas negative feedback regulator expression decreased during differentiation, loss of Spry4 shifted cell fate toward early differentiation with concomitant loss of stem cell activity. Finally, a mouse Spry4 reporter line revealed that the adult spermatogonial stem cell population in vivo is demarcated by strong Spry4 promoter activity. Collectively, our data suggest that negative feedback-dependent regulation of ERK MAPK is critical for preservation of spermatogonial stem cell fate within the mammalian testis.
Mouse primary follicles experience slow growth rates after activation and progressive increases that influence the duration of the primary follicle phase
Authors: Richard Sharon , Anderson Nicholas J , Zhou Yiran , Pankhurst Michael W
Published: August 2023

There are conflicting estimates of the duration of mouse primary follicle development. An accurate determination is needed for studies examining preantral follicle survival and mathematical modeling of folliculogenesis. Primary follicle granulosa cell proliferation rates are low and variable, which may explain the variation in duration estimates. In the present study, female C57Bl6/J mice were exposed to bromodeoxyuridine for 48 hours, to label the proliferating granulosa cells in a large proportion of primary follicles. The bromodeoxyuridine-containing water was then withdrawn and replaced with drug-free water and the mice were euthanized at 0, 1, 3, 6, 10, or 13 days post-bromodeoxyuridine withdrawal. Granulosa cells were bromodeoxyuridine labeled in 48% of primary follicles at day 0, but this decreased to 5% over the 13-day period, as the labeled primary follicles progressed to the secondary follicle stage. Curve-fitting estimated that the last of the bromodeoxyuridine-labeled primary follicles would progress to the secondary stage by 13.7 days. Mathematical models that assumed constant rates of primary follicle proliferation were fitted to the data, but the observed pattern of bromodeoxyuridine-labeled primary follicle disappearance could not be replicated. The level of immunoreactivity for bromodeoxyuridine and proliferating-cell nuclear antigen in primary follicles revealed follicles with no granulosa cell proliferation during the 48-h bromodeoxyuridine-exposure period had resumed proliferation 1 or 3 days later. Therefore, primary follicle granulosa cells proliferate after follicle activation, but proliferation rates gradually increase as the follicle develops. Prior estimates of primary follicle duration are inaccurate due to the assumption that follicles develop at a constant rate.
Artificial intelligence for the recognition of key anatomical structures in laparoscopic colorectal surgery
Authors: Kitaguchi Daichi , Harai Yuriko , Kosugi Norihito , Hayashi Kazuyuki , Kojima Shigehiro , Ishikawa Yuto , Yamada Atsushi , Hasegawa Hiro , Takeshita Nobuyoshi , Ito Masaaki
Published: August 2023

Lay Summary

To prevent intraoperative organ injury, surgeons strive to identify anatomical structures as early and accurately as possible during surgery. The objective of this prospective observational study was to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based real-time automatic organ recognition models in laparoscopic surgery and to compare its performance with that of surgeons. The time taken to recognize target anatomy between AI and both expert and novice surgeons was compared. The AI models demonstrated faster recognition of target anatomy than surgeons, especially novice surgeons. These findings suggest that AI has the potential to compensate for the skill and experience gap between surgeons.
Widespread priming of transcriptional regulatory elements by incipient accessibility or RNA polymerase II pause in early embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Authors: Arenas-Mena Cesar , Akin Serhat
Published: August 2023

Transcriptional regulatory elements (TREs) are the primary nodes that control developmental gene regulatory networks. In embryo stages, larvae, and adult differentiated red spherule cells of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, transcriptionally engaged TREs are detected by Precision Run-On Sequencing (PRO-seq), which maps genome-wide at base pair resolution the location of paused or elongating RNA polymerase II (Pol II). In parallel, TRE accessibility is estimated by the Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using Sequencing (ATAC-seq). Our analysis identifies surprisingly early and widespread TRE accessibility in 4-cell cleavage embryos that is not necessarily followed by concurrent or subsequent transcription. TRE transcriptional differences identified by PRO-seq provide more contrast among embryonic stages than ATAC-seq accessibility differences, in agreement with the apparent excess of accessible but inactive TREs during embryogenesis. Global TRE accessibility reaches a maximum around the 20-hour late blastula stage, which coincides with the consolidation of major embryo regionalizations and peak histone variant H2A.Z expression. A transcriptional potency model based on labile nucleosome TRE occupancy driven by DNA sequences and the prevalence of histone variants is proposed in order to explain the basal accessibility of transcriptionally inactive TREs during embryogenesis. However, our results would not reconcile well with labile nucleosome models based on simple A/T sequence enrichment. In addition, a large number of distal TREs become transcriptionally disengaged during developmental progression, in support of an early Pol II paused model for developmental gene regulation that eventually resolves in transcriptional activation or silencing. Thus, developmental potency in early embryos may be facilitated by incipient accessibility and transcriptional pause at TREs.
An endolysin gene fromCandidatusLiberibacter asiaticus confers dual resistance to huanglongbing and citrus canker
Authors: Xu Lanzhen , Mo Kaiqing , Ran Danlu , Ma Juanjuan , Zhang Lehuan , Sun Yijia , Long Qin , Jiang Guojin , Zhao Xiaochun , Zou Xiuping
Published: August 2023

The most damaging citrus diseases are Huanglongbing (HLB) and citrus canker, which are caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CaLas) and Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc), respectively. Endolysins from bacteriophages are a possible option for disease resistance in plant breeding. Here, we report improvement of citrus resistance to HLB and citrus canker using the LasLYS1 and LasLYS2 endolysins from CaLas. LasLYS2 demonstrated bactericidal efficacy against several Rhizobiaceae bacteria and Xcc, according to inhibition zone analyses. The two genes, driven by a strong promoter from Cauliflower mosaic virus, 35S, were integrated into Carrizo citrange via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. More than 2 years of greenhouse testing indicated that LasLYS2 provided substantial and long-lasting resistance to HLB, allowing transgenic plants to retain low CaLas titers and no obvious symptoms while also clearing CaLas from infected plants in the long term. LasLYS2 transgenic plants with improved HLB resistance also showed resistance to Xcc, indicating that LasLYS2 had dual resistance to HLB and citrus canker. A microbiome study of transgenic plants revealed that the endolysins repressed Xanthomonadaceae and Rhizobiaceae populations in roots while increasing Burkholderiaceae and Rhodanobacteraceae populations, which might boost the citrus defense response, according to transcriptome analysis. We also found that Lyz domain 2 is the key bactericidal motif of LasLYS1 and LasLYS2. Four endolysins with potential resistance to HLB and citrus canker were found based on the structures of LasLYS1 and LasLYS2. Overall, the work shed light on the mechanisms of resistance of CaLas-derived endolysins, providing insights for designing endolysins to develop broad-spectrum disease resistance in citrus.
Grapevine plantlets respond to different monochromatic lights by tuning photosynthesis and carbon allocation
Authors: Liu Menglong , Zhao Yan , Fan Peige , Kong Junhua , Wang Yongjian , Xu Xiaobo , Xu Meilong , Wang Lijun , Li Shaohua , Liang Zhenchang , Duan Wei , Dai Zhanwu
Published: August 2023

The quality of planting materials is the foundation for productivity, longevity, and berry quality of perennial grapevines with a long lifespan. Manipulating the nursery light spectrum may speed up the production of healthy and high-quality planting vines but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, the effects of different monochromatic lights (green, blue, and red) on grapevine growth, leaf photosynthesis, whole-plant carbon allocation, and transcriptome reprograming were investigated with white light as control. Results showed that blue and red lights were favorable for plantlet growth in comparison with white light. Blue light repressed excessive growth, significantly increased the maximum net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of leaves by 39.58% and leaf specific weight by 38.29%. Red light increased the dry weight of the stem by 53.60%, the starch content of the leaf by 53.63%, and the sucrose content of the stem by 230%. Green light reduced all photosynthetic indexes of the grape plantlet. Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD)/Ci–Pn curves indicated that blue light affected photosynthetic rate depending on the light intensity and CO2 concentration. RNA-seq analysis of different organs (leaf, stem, and root) revealed a systematic transcriptome remodeling and VvCOP1 (CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1), VvHY5 (ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5), VvHYH (HY5 HOMOLOG), VvELIP (early light-induced protein) and VvPIF3 (PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 3) may play important roles in this shoot-to-root signaling. Furthermore, the correlation network between differential expression genes and physiological traits indicated that VvpsbS (photosystem II subunit S), Vvpsb28 (photosystem II subunit 28), VvHYH, VvSUS4 (sucrose synthase 4), and VvALDA (fructose-bisphosphate aldolase) were pertinent candidate genes in responses to different light qualities. Our results provide a foundation for optimizing the light recipe of grape plantlets and strengthen the understanding of light signaling and carbon metabolism under different monochromatic lights.
Response of the meso- and macro-zooplankton community to long-term environmental changes in the southern North Sea
Authors: Marques R , Otto S A , Di Pane J , Boersma M , Meunier C L , Wiltshire K H , Möllmann C , Renz J
Published: August 2023

The North Sea (NS) is changing rapidly. Temporal variations in fishing intensity and eutrophic conditions, along with the ongoing impact of climate change, act in synergy resulting in modifications in marine communities. Although zooplankton has been extensively investigated, studies often ignore the large-sized meso- and macro-zooplankton (>500 µm), including holoplankton and meroplankton taxa. Here, we examined changes in abundances and community structure of these organisms between 1975 and 2018, using univariate and multivariate analysis, at different taxonomic levels. Abrupt changes in the abundances of (sub)communities occurred during different time periods and resulted in a significant restructuration of the entire community in 2006. These changes were consistent with the regime shifts reported in the NS and were a consequence of the environmental pressures on the whole community or on specific subcommunities. In the long term, the community shifted from higher abundances of hydrozoans and holoplankton taxa to an increasing abundance of decapods. Furthermore, we reveal the environmental variables that most explain the variability in the community dynamics, highlighting the importance of temperature and top-down processes. Our study underlines the relevance of investigations at different taxonomic levels, which elucidates how distinct responses to environmental changes ultimately shape the entire community structure.
A brief review of online education resources on gamification in addressing antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Waruingi Daniel , Hamza Hafeez , Babuya Jonathan
Published: August 2023

Background

The burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is projected to be highest in Africa, with a mortality of 99 per 100 000 deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop education resources to raise awareness and improve understanding of AMR.

Aims

The aim of this review was to evaluate selected games, and inform regarding their suitability, and that of gamification in general in promoting education, and inspiring action against AMR.

Objective

This brief review of online education resources seeks to inform on the use of games in promoting education on AMR by exploring different aspects of gamification such as accessibility, usability and playability with the delivery of desired learning outcomes. The insights obtained from the game helped inform recommendations and conclusions on how to best utilize gamification to deliver AMR education to target audiences.

Methods

The games to be reviewed were selected using search terms ‘AMR Game’, ‘Antimicrobial Resistance Game’, ‘Antibiotic Resistance Game’, ‘ABR Game’, ‘Drug Resistance Game’ and ‘Superbugs Game’ in Google Play Store and Apple App Store search engines, given their positioning as suitable application software that house game applications. After applying a selection criterion, the number of selected games was narrowed to two: Micro-Combat and Terebra.

Results

The games were analysed through four key factors: accessibility, usability, playability and learning outcomes. Both games were found to apply visual, written and aural game mechanics but Terebra had an increased touch with reality, enhancing its playability, due to the emphasis on aural triggers positioning AMR as a dire health threat. On the other hand, Micro-Combat was found to be more educative, and learning-oriented but less associated with reality, which negatively influenced its playability.

Conclusions

In overall, gamification was found to be a good online resource to promote education on AMR through the review conducted on the two games, Terebra and Micro-Combat. Coupling gamification and conventional education mechanisms can go a long way in promoting the awareness and knowledge level of AMR among diverse populations The two games, Terebra and Micro-Combat, are great pilot AMR gamification projects that have set a good pace for utilization of games in AMR education. There is a need to develop AMR educational games that portray the reality in low- and middle-income countries, which was a bit lacking in the two games.
The Escazú Agreement Contribution to Environmental Justice in Latin America: An Exploratory Empirical Inquiry through the Lens of Climate Litigation
Authors: Medici-Colombo Gastón , Ricarte Thays
Published: August 2023

In many jurisdictions, procedural rules and arrangements that govern litigation are not necessarily well-suited to the protection of collective interests, such as the environment. This idea has been flagged for a while by scholars and practitioners from different jurisdictions and was part of the reason for promoting specific regulations on access to justice in environmental matters. The protection of the climate adds a new layer of complexity, as it is increasingly clear that, even in jurisdictions where a strong rule of law is presumed to exist, barriers to access to justice remain. We depart from the idea of a mismatch between procedural rules and climate protection through courts to explore the interface between two convergent phenomena in the Latin American region: the Escazú Agreement’s implementation and climate litigation. Based on data gathered through interviews with 11 legal practitioners involved in climate cases in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Mexico, this article identifies procedural barriers that plaintiffs face in the courtroom and discusses if and how the implementation of the Escazú Agreement could overcome them for the improvement of access to justice in climate matters in the region. In doing that, it highlights relevant experiences in Latin America that could be of interest to those seeking to overcome procedural hurdles in other regions.
CDKN2A mutations have equivalent prognostic significance to homozygous deletion in IDH-mutant astrocytoma
Authors: Yokoda Raquel T , Cobb William S , Yong Raymund L , Crary John F , Viapiano Mariano S , Walker Jamie M , Umphlett Melissa , Tsankova Nadejda M , Richardson Timothy E
Published: August 2023

Homozygous deletion of CDKN2A/B is currently considered a molecular signature for grade 4 in IDH-mutant astrocytomas, irrespective of tumor histomorphology. The 2021 WHO Classification of CNS Tumors does not currently include grading recommendations for histologically lower-grade (grade 2–3) IDH-mutant astrocytoma with CDKN2A mutation or other CDKN2A alterations, and little is currently known about the prognostic implications of these alternative CDKN2A inactivating mechanisms. To address this, we evaluated a cohort of institutional and publicly available IDH-mutant astrocytomas, 15 with pathogenic mutations in CDKN2A, 47 with homozygous CDKN2A deletion, and 401 with retained/wildtype CDKN2A. The IDH-mutant astrocytomas with mutant and deleted CDKN2A had significantly higher overall copy number variation compared to those with retained/wildtype CDKN2A, consistent with more aggressive behavior. Astrocytoma patients with CDKN2A mutation had significantly worse progression-free (p = 0.0025) and overall survival (p < 0.0001) compared to grade-matched patients with wildtype CDKN2A, but statistically equivalent progression-free survival and overall survival outcomes to patients with CDKN2A deletion. No significant survival difference was identified between CDKN2A mutant cases with or without loss of the second allele. These findings suggest that CDKN2A mutation has a detrimental effect on survival in otherwise lower-grade IDH-mutant astrocytomas, similar to homozygous CDKN2A deletion, and should be considered for future grading schemes.
Successful repair of left ventricular rupture with pseudoaneurysm: a case report
Authors: Tiruneh Abraham G , Bekele Admikew , Asrat Yidnekachew , Tsegaye Qaleab , Tesfaye Workneh , Bezabih Abebe
Published: August 2023

Ventricular rupture with pseudoaneurysm is a rare phenomenon that usually occurs after myocardial infarction, previous cardiac surgery and infectious or inflammatory conditions. To prevent rupture of the pseudoaneurysm, urgent repair is recommended. We report successful open surgical repair of a 46-year-old man, who presented with pseudoaneurysm communicating with left ventricle.
Constraining gas metal mixing strength in simulations using observations of the Milky Way’s disc
Authors: Sarrato-Alós J , Brook C , Di Cintio A
Published: August 2023

This work explores the mixing rate of metals in the interstellar medium (ISM), comparing observational constraints from our solar neighbourhood to high resolution cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of Milky Way (MW)-like galaxies. The mixing rate, described by the coefficient C, is varied in simulations between 0 and 0.05, with resultant simulated galaxies compared to observations of metallicity dispersion in young star clusters, H ii regions and neutral gas in the disc of the MW. A value of C between 0.003125 and 0.0125 is found to self-consistently match a range of observables, with a best estimate of C = 0.0064 ± 0.0004. We demonstrate that the relationship between metal dispersion in young stars, H ii regions and neutral gas, versus the coefficient C, can be described by a power law. These constrained mixing rates infer a comparatively well-mixed ISM in the solar neighbourhood, at odds with some recent observations that have reported a highly inhomogeneous ISM. The degree of mixing suggested by this work is lower than what often employed in many hydrodynamical simulations. Our results have implications for studying the metallicity distribution of stars as well as of gas in the interstellar and circum-galactic media.