bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lactate drives CD38 signaling to promote Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition through Snail induction in non‐small cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Lu Yating , Yang Yang , Chang Tao , Jiang Qiyun , Yang Chenfeng , Fu Chunzhe , Wei Huijun , He Yuanpeng , Wu Zhihao
Published: February 2024

CD38 is the main NADase in mammalian cells. It regulates the homeostasis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and extracellular nucleotides. Its function plays an important role in infection and aging. However, its potential functions in tumor cells have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we demonstrated that lactate, which is derived from tumor metabolism remodeling, upregulates the expression of CD38 through OXPHOS‐driven Hippo‐TAZ pathway. The highly expressed CD38 converts NAD + to adenosine through the CD203a/CD73 complex and adenosine binds and activates its receptor A2AR, inducing the expression of Snail and promoting the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer cells. This finding elucidates a new perspective on the interplay between NAD + metabolism and glycolysis in tumor development.
Political violence in far‐right memory: Fratelli d'Italia's remembrance of the Primavalle arson
Authors: Marchese Maeve , Tortola Pier Domenico
Published: February 2024

The relationship between the (populist) far right and the past is the subject of increasing scholarly interest. The deployment, reassessment and at times manipulation of historical memory, in particular, is an important factor in the politics and mainstreaming of the European far right. The latter has a lot to gain from any shifts in collective memory placing nations' dark and shameful past in a more benevolent light. At the same time, far‐right actors play an active role in such shifts, by routinely (ab)using the memory of the past for electoral gain. This article contributes to the research agenda on the memory politics of the far right by examining how Fratelli d'Italia – Italy's foremost far‐right party – remembers and narrates the ‘years of lead’, a tumultuous and hotly contested chapter in the country's political history. More precisely, our analysis zooms in on the powerful trope of ‘secular martyrdom’ attached to the memory of that period, and looks at how this idea is mobilised by Fratelli d'Italia via the examination of a particularly tragic episode of the years of lead, namely, the 1973 Primavalle arson.
Preparation of a bis‐triazolyl bridged β‐cyclodextrin stationary phase and its application for enantioseparation of chiral compounds by HPLC
Authors: Zeng Qingli , Huang Zhiqin , Li Dan , Li Laisheng
Published: February 2024

A novel bis‐triazolyl bridged β‐cyclodextrin was first synthesized by the Click reaction between azido‐β‐cyclodextrin and 1,6‐heptadiyne. Then it was bonded onto silica gel to obtain a bis‐triazolyl bridged β‐cyclodextrin‐based chiral stationary phase (BCDP). After structure characterization, the HPLC performance of BCDP was systematically evaluated by using different types of compounds as probes. The results showed that BCDP could well separate 18 kinds of achiral aromatic compounds (homologues, positional isomers, etc.) and 35 kinds of chiral drugs or pesticides, such as triazoles (Rs = 1.33–3.15), flavanones (Rs = 1.49–2.62), dansyl amino acids (Rs = 0.96–1.99), and β‐blocker drugs (Rs = 0.68–2.78). BCDP could separate a wider range of compounds (53 kinds); especially, some chiral substance pairs that were difficult to be resolved on the ordinary cyclodextrin CSPs, including triazoles containing two chiral carbons (triadimenol, bitertanol, metconazole, and triticonazole), strongly ionized amino acids (acidic Asp, alkalic Arg, and polar Thr) and β‐blockers with bulky groups (carvedilol, propranolol, and pindolol). Obviously, the unique synergistic inclusion effect of bridged cyclodextrin with double cavities and the bis‐triazole bridging group could provide multiple action sites, such as hydrogen bonding, π‐π stacking and acid–base action sites, thus improving its chiral chromatographic performance.
Synthesis and absolute configuration of cyclic synthetic cathinones derived from α‐tetralone
Authors: Paškan Martin , Dobšíková Kristýna , Kuchař Martin , Setnička Vladimír , Kohout Michal
Published: February 2024

The emergence of new synthetic cathinones continues to be a matter of public health concern. In fact, already known products (drugs) are being rapidly replaced by new structurally related alternatives, whereby modifications in the basic cathinone structure are used by manufacturers to circumvent the legislation. On the other hand, some derivatives of synthetic cathinones represent important pharmaceuticals with antidepressant properties. In the search for pharmaceutically relevant analogs, the main goal of the present study was to design and characterize novel cyclic α‐tetralone‐based derivatives of synthetic cathinones. We synthesized a series of derivatives and verified their chemical structure. Subsequently, chiral separation has been accomplished by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a circular dichroism (CD) detector, which directly provided CD spectra of the enantiomers of the analyzed substances at 252 nm. Using density functional theory calculations, we have obtained stable conformers of selected enantiomers in solution and their relative abundances, which we used to simulate their spectra. The experimental and calculated data have been used to assign the absolute configuration of six as‐yet unknown synthetic cathinones.
Shaping futures: A dialogue on chemical engineering education
Authors: Chintalapati Pranav , Evans Greg , Gladwin Derek , Jamieson Marnie , Ellis Naoko
Published: February 2024

Engineering as a discipline, profession, practice, and area of study continues to add substantial value in an increasingly complex world. With continually evolving complexity around the planet, such as the need for massive energy transition, global health technologies, or sustainable food systems, how might engineering education practices and theory be considered within these rapid and necessary changes? This paper presents an experiment of co‐creation through experiential reflection about the state of chemical engineering education. Four chemical engineering professors engaged in a dialogue, facilitated by a researcher in education, through collaborative and actionable research. This dialogue uncovered innovative possibilities, educational themes, experiences, and opportunities for others in the profession to consider. The process of dialogue also encouraged the development of an imaginative future sense‐making, known as futuring, through a collective experience. The findings reveal instructive perspectives on the shape of chemical engineering education that should be of value not only to engineers, but also other professionals, practitioners, or those in various science, technology, and math fields.
Hydrogen Bonds in Perovskite for Efficient and Stable Photovoltaic†
Authors: Wang Tian‐yun , Hao Yang‐yang , Zhu Ming‐zhe , Cao Guo‐rui , Zhou Zhong‐min
Published: February 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Owing to their distinctive optical and physical properties, organic‐inorganic hybrid perovskite materials have gained significant attention in the field of electronic devices, especially solar cells. The achievement of high‐performance solar cells hinges upon the utilization of top‐notch perovskite thin films. Nevertheless, the fabrication process involving solutions and the polycrystalline nature of perovskite result in the emergence of numerous defects within the perovskite films, consequently exerting a deleterious influence on the overall performance and stability of the devices. Improving the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells by additive engineering to suppress/passivate defects is a viable approach, which involves hydrogen bond interactions in these device engineering processes. This review explores the intrinsic hydrogen bonds in methylammonium and formamidium lead triiodide, while also considering cation rotations, phase transitions, and stability. Moreover, the review classifies additives into distinct categories, including organic small molecules, polymers, nanodots, classical salts, ionic liquids, and molten salts. The various forms and characterization techniques of hydrogen bonds are discussed, as well as their potential synergistic effects in conjunction with other chemical interactions. Furthermore, this review offers insights into the potential utilization of hydrogen bonds to further enhance the performance and stability of devices.

Key Scientists

In 2009, Tsutomu Miyasaka et al. prepared the first perovskite solar cell, which kicked off the research on perovskite light‐absorbing materials. However, the use of liquid electrolytes led to device instability. The transition to all‐solid‐state perovskite solar cells was realized by Nam‐Gyu Park's team in 2012, which was the beginning of high‐efficiency perovskite solar cells. Subsequently, a number of scientists have innovated the preparation ground process. Methods such as two‐step deposition by Michael Grätzel in 2013 and anti‐solvent extraction by Sang II Seok's team in 2014 were instrumental in advancing the development of perovskite. Liyuan Han's team then increased the cell's working area to 1 cm2 without compromising performance, making it possible to compare the performance metrics of perovskite solar cells with those of other types of solar cells on the same scale. Recently, You's team and Pan's team kept updating the world record by obtaining certified efficiencies of 25.6% and 25.8% in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Insights into the Overcoming EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S Mutation: A Perspective on the 2‐Aryl‐4‐aminothienopyrimidine Backbone
Authors: Zhang Xuan , He Jie , Xu Shidi , Fu Li , Zheng Pengwu , Xu Shan , Pan Qingshan , Zhu Wufu
Published: February 2024

The epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway has been proposed to benefit non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. In this manuscript, we investigated the modification of 2‐aryl‐4‐aminoquinazoline, the classical backbone of the fourth‐generation EGFR inhibitors, in addition to obtaining a series of novel 2‐aryl‐4‐aminothienopyrimidine derivatives (A1~A45), we also gained further understanding of the modification of this framework. Derivatives were tested for cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines (cervical cancer cell line Hela, lung cancer cell lines A549, H1975, and PC‐9, Ba/F3‐EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S cells, and human normal hepatocytes LO2) as well as for the derivative‘s inhibitory activity against EGFRWT, EGFRL858R/T790M, and EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S kinase inhibitory activities. The results showed that most of the target compounds showed moderate to excellent activity against one or more cancer cell lines. Among them, the antitumor activity (IC50) of the most promising A9 against A549 and H1975 cell lines was 0.77±0.08 μM, 6.90±0.83 μM, respectively. At concentration of 10 μM, A9 can be employed as the fourth‐generation of EGFR inhibitors with the ability to overcome the C797S drug resistance since it can suppress EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S cells and kinase by 98.90 % and 85.88 %, respectively. Moreover, the tumor‐bearing nude mice experiment further shows that A9 can significantly inhibit the growth of tumor in vivo, with the tumor inhibition rate (TIR) of 55.92 %, which was equivalent to the positive group. After that, from the result of HE staining experiment and blood biochemical analysis experiment, A9 show low toxicity and good safety, which is worthy of further research and development.
Time to Be Launched 1 auXiliary Risk strat1fier in marginal zone lymphoma transformation: TBL1XR1
Authors: Tzankov Alexandar , Tatarczuch Maciej
Published: February 2024

The genetic profile of lymphomas has an increasing role in diagnosis, prognostication, and therapeutic decision making. In this issue of Cancer, Li and colleagues provide insights into the genomic landscape of high‐grade transformation of marginal zone lymphoma compared with both indolent marginal zone lymphoma and de novo diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma.
Examining crossover and postprotocol therapies in first‐line immunotherapy trials in non–small cell lung cancer
Authors: Desai Aakash , Smith Caleb J. , Pritchett Joshua C. , Leventakos Konstantinos , West Howard (Jack)
Published: February 2024

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has led to significant improvement in outcomes for patients with nononcogene‐driven advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The rate of crossover and receipt of postprotocol ICI in frontline trials for advanced NSCLC has not been systematically evaluated.

Methods

ClinicalTrials.gov was used to identify phase 3 studies evaluating the use of immunotherapy or combination chemoimmunotherapy against chemotherapy alone in the frontline management of advanced NSCLC. Data on outcomes, rate of crossover and/or subsequent post‐protocol receipt of immunotherapy, and the start dates of these clinical trials were then extracted.

Results

Twenty‐three frontline trials in nononcogene‐driven advanced NSCLC were identified. Six trials with ICI monotherapy/dual ICI therapy and 17 trials evaluating chemotherapy/ICI in first‐line advanced NSCLC were included in the analysis. The crossover rate ranged 0% to 54% in ICI monotherapy/dual ICI trials and 0% to 52% in chemotherapy/ICI trials. Nineteen of 23 trials provided information on subsequent postprotocol therapies. Among the trials not allowing crossover, postprotocol ICI was administered to 17% to 45.8% of patients. Information regarding the eventual receipt of ICI therapy was available for 22 of 23 trials. Of 6631 patients, 2507 (37.8%) randomized to the control arm eventually received ICI therapy.

Conclusion

The rate of crossover and postprotocol ICI use was low in frontline trials for first‐line NSCLC incorporating ICI. Given the proven improved overall survival of ICI in a broad population, there is a need to ensure availability of this life‐prolonging therapy in future trials, either by crossover treatment or postprotocol administration.
Chemotherapy‐induced cognitive impairment in breast cancer survivors: A systematic review of studies from 2000 to 2021
Authors: Amani Omid , Mazaheri Mohammad Ali , Moghani Mona Malekzadeh , Zarani Fariba , Choolabi Rasool Hamidi
Published: February 2024

Background

Studies have indicated that apart from enhancing patient survival, chemotherapy has adverse side effects on the psychological, social, and cognitive functions of breast cancer survivors.

Aims

This study was conducted to understand chemotherapy's impact on breast cancer survivors' cognitive functions.

Methods and Results

Our study is a systematic review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement. We searched English databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, and Persian databases, such as Irandoc and Elmnet, using Persian keywords of cancer, breast cancer, chemotherapy, cognitive functions, executive functions, and neuropsychological functions. Two reviewers independently evaluated the full text of the articles according to predefined criteria. Among the 937 available studies, 26 were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, of which 17 (65%) were longitudinal and 9 (35%) were cross‐sectional. The findings indicated a significant relationship between the use of chemotherapy and cognitive impairments, most notably attention, working and short‐term memory, and executive functions. However, the studies differed in their findings regarding the long‐term persistence of cancer‐related cognitive impairment (CRCI), which could be due to the wide range of tools used, different methods to measure cognitive functions, and the difference in the sample size of the studies.

Conclusion

Chemotherapy, affecting cortical and subcortical brain structures, causes a set of cognitive impairments that can lead to impairments in social responsibility acceptance, daily functioning, and quality of life of women. Therefore, rigorous and extensive research design is required to understand the causes and consequences of CRCI using standardized and sensitive measures of cognitive functions. Specifically, studies comparing the effects of different chemotherapy regimens on cognition and potential mechanisms and/or moderators of CRCI would be instrumental in designing more effective therapy regimens and evaluating the efficacy and cost‐effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation and supportive care programs.
Real‐time XFEL data analysis at SLAC and NERSC: A trial run of nascent exascale experimental data analysis
Authors: Blaschke Johannes P. , Brewster Aaron S. , Paley Daniel W. , Mendez Derek , Bhowmick Asmit , Sauter Nicholas K. , Kröger Wilko , Shankar Murali , Enders Bjoern , Bard Deborah
Published: February 2024

X‐ray scattering experiments using free electron lasers (XFELs) are a powerful tool to determine the molecular structure and function of unknown samples (such as COVID‐19 viral proteins). XFEL experiments are a challenge to computing in two ways: (i) due to the high cost of running XFELs, a fast turnaround time from data acquisition to data analysis is essential to make informed decisions on experimental protocols; (ii) data‐collection rates are growing exponentially, requiring new scalable algorithms. Here we report our experiences analyzing data from two experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) during September 2020. Raw data were analyzed on NERSC's Cori XC40 system, using the Superfacility paradigm: our workflow automatically moves raw data between LCLS and NERSC, where it is analyzed using the software package CCTBX. We achieved real time data analysis with a turnaround time from data acquisition to full molecular reconstruction in as little as 10 min—sufficient time for the experiment's operators to make informed decisions. By hosting the data analysis on Cori, and by automating LCLS‐NERSC interoperability, we achieved a data analysis rate which matches the data acquisition rate. Completing data analysis within 10 min is a first for XFEL experiments and an important milestone if we are to keep up with data‐collection trends.
Distributed low‐latency broadcast scheduling for multi‐channel duty‐cycled wireless IoT networks
Authors: Long Peng , Wu Yuhang , Chen Quan , Cheng Lianglun
Published: February 2024

Data broadcast is a fundamental communication pattern in wireless IoT networks, in which the messages are disseminated from a source node to the entire network. The problem of minimum latency broadcast scheduling (MLBS) which is aimed to generate a quick and conflict‐free broadcast schedule has not been extensively explored in duty‐cycled networks. The existing works either work in a centralized scheme or rely on a fixed tree for broadcasting. Additionally, they all employ a strict premise that each node can only utilize one channel for both transmitting and receiving messages. Thus, to address the issues mentioned above, we examine the first distributed broadcasting algorithm in multi‐channel duty‐cycled wireless IoT networks, without relying on a predetermined tree. First, the MLBS problem in such networks is defined and proved to be NP‐hard. Then, in order to avoid transmission conflicts between different links locally, two efficient data structures are designed to help compute the earliest time and channel of receiving messages without conflicts. Based on the above data structures, we introduce an efficient distributed broadcasting algorithm, which can generate a latency‐sensitive broadcast tree while calculating a collision‐free broadcast schedule, simultaneously. Finally, the theoretical analysis and simulations demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Copper Single Atoms Chelated on Ligand‐Modified Carbon for Ullmann‐Type C−O Coupling
Authors: Ruta Vincenzo , Di Liberto Giovanni , Moriggi Francesco , Ivanov Yurii P. , Divitini Giorgio , Bussetti Gianlorenzo , Barbera Vincenzina , Bajada Mark A. , Galimberti Maurizio , Pacchioni Gianfranco , Vilé Gianvito
Published: February 2024

Invited for this month's cover is the group of Gianvito Vilé at the Politecnico di Milano. The ChemSusChem cover image depicts in an artistic manner the concept of ligand entrapping of isolated metals to design single‐atom catalysts. The Research Article itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.202301529.
Synchronous hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma: A cytological marvel
Authors: Selvaraj Sivaranjani , Dharmalingam Priya , Alashetty Soumya , Amirtham Usha
Published: February 2024

Multiple primary synchronous tumours have always created an inquisitiveness among clinicians, radiologists and pathologists. The diagnosis invariably proposes a challenge to diagnosticians. The coexistence of a primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is exceedingly rare, with countable number of cases being reported in literature. We report a pioneer case of 75‐year‐old male, having chronic hepatitis B, diagnosed with synchronous primary RCC and HCC in by fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and confirmed by immunohistochemistry.
Metabolically healthy obesity, transition from metabolic healthy to unhealthy status, and carotid atherosclerosis
Authors: Huang Qin , Liu Zeyu , Wei Minping , Feng Jie , Huang Qing , Liu Yunhai , Liu Zunjing , Li XiaoJun , Yin Li , Xia Jian
Published: February 2024

Background

Evidence of the effects of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) on atherosclerosis is limited; the transition effects of metabolic health and obesity phenotypes have been ignored. We examined the association between metabolic health and the transition to atherosclerosis risk across body mass index (BMI) categories in a community population.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was based on a national representative survey that included 50,885 community participants aged ≥40 years. It was conducted from 01 December 2017 to 31 December 2020, in 13 urban and 13 rural regions across Hunan China. Metabolic health was defined as meeting less than three abnormalities in blood pressure, glucose, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, or waist circumference. The participants were cross‐classified at baseline based on their metabolic health and obesity. In addition, the relationship between atherosclerosis and transitions in metabolic health status based on 4733 participants from baseline to the second survey after 2 years was considered. The relationship between metabolic health status and the risk of transition to Carotid atherosclerosis (CA) was assessed using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses.

Results

In this study, the mean age of the participants was 60.7 years (standard deviation [SD], 10.91), 53.0% were female, and 51.2% had CA. As compared with metabolically healthy normal weight (MHN), those with MHO phenotype (odd ratio [OR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.21), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.19–1.35), metabolically unhealthy overweight (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.33–1.48), and metabolically unhealthy obese (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.44–1.64) had higher risk for CA. However, during the follow‐up of 2 years, almost 33% of the participants transitioned to a metabolically unhealthy status. As compared with stable healthy normal weight, transition from metabolically healthy to unhealthy status (hazard ratios [HR] 1.21, 95% [CI] 1.02–1.43) and stable metabolically unhealthy overweight or obesity (MUOO) (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.17–1.48) were associated with higher risk of CA.

Conclusions

In the community population, obesity remains a risk factor for CA despite metabolic health. However, the risks were highest for metabolically unhealthy status across all BMI categories. A large proportion of metabolically healthy overweight or participants with obesity converts to an unhealthy phenotype over time, which is associated with an increased risk of CA.
Envisioning an improved research strategy for detecting moderators/mediators in intervention studies: A commentary on McClure et al.
Authors: Kraemer Helena Chmura
Published: February 2024

The goal of moderator/mediator research in treatment evaluation is to provide guidance to clinicians to choose the best treatment for each patient with a disorder (moderators), and to advise on its optimal protocol or implementation (mediators): personalized/precision medicine. McClure et al. report a systematic review of studies addressing moderators/mediators of the treatment effect of digital interventions for eating disorders, finding no robust moderators or mediators. They attribute this failure to methodological problems, an assessment with which I concur. The focus of this discussion is to clarify which methodological approaches are not likely to be successful, and to envision a research strategy encompassing both hypothesis‐generating (exploratory) and hypothesis‐testing approaches likely to produce better results not only for eating disorders, but also for all medical treatments.
Individual recognition of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) by their tail patterns using a computer‐assisted pattern‐identification algorithm
Authors: Dytkowicz Margarete , Tania Marcello , Hinds Rachel , Megill William M. , Buttschardt Tillmann K. , Rosell Frank
Published: February 2024

Individual recognition of animals is an important aspect of ecological sciences. Photograph‐based individual recognition options are of particular importance since these represent a non‐invasive method to distinguish and identify individual animals. Recent developments and improvements in computer‐based approaches make possible a faster semi‐automated evaluation of large image databases than was previously possible. We tested the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) algorithm, which extracts distinctive invariant features of images robust to illumination, rotation or scaling of images. We applied this algorithm to a dataset of 800 tail pattern images from 100 individual Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) collected as part of the Norwegian Beaver Project (NBP). Images were taken using a single‐lens reflex camera and the pattern of scales on the tail, similar to a human fingerprint, was extracted using freely accessible image processing programs. The focus for individual recognition was not on the shape or the scarring of the tail, but purely on the individual scale pattern on the upper (dorsal) surface of the tail. The images were taken from two different heights above ground, and the largest possible area of the tail was extracted. The available data set was split in a ratio of 80% for training and 20% for testing. Overall, our study achieved an accuracy of 95.7%. We show that it is possible to distinguish individual beavers from their tail scale pattern images using the SIFT algorithm.
stelfi: An R package for fitting Hawkes and log‐Gaussian Cox point process models
Authors: Jones‐Todd Charlotte M. , van Helsdingen Alec B. M.
Published: February 2024

Modelling spatial and temporal patterns in ecology is imperative to understand the complex processes inherent in ecological phenomena. Log‐Gaussian Cox processes are a popular choice among ecologists to describe the spatiotemporal distribution of point‐referenced data. In addition, point pattern models where events instigate others nearby (i.e., self‐exciting behaviour) are becoming increasingly popular to infer the contagious nature of events (e.g., animal sightings). While there are existing R packages that facilitate fitting spatiotemporal point processes and, separately, self‐exciting models, none incorporate both. We present an R package, stelfi, that fits spatiotemporal self‐exciting and log‐Gaussian Cox process models using Template Model Builder through a range of custom‐written C++ templates. We illustrate the use of stelfi's functions fitting models to Sasquatch (bigfoot) sightings data within the USA. The structure of these data is typical of many seen in ecology studies. We show, from a temporal Hawkes process to a spatiotemporal self‐exciting model, how the models offered by the package enable additional insights into the temporal and spatial progression of point pattern data. We present extensions to these well‐known models that include spatiotemporal self‐excitation and joint likelihood models, which are better suited to capture the complex mechanisms inherent in many ecological data. The package stelfi offers user‐friendly functionality, is open source, and is available from CRAN. It offers the implementation of complex spatiotemporal point process models in R for applications even beyond the field of ecology.
Light–dark cycles may influence in situ soil bacterial networks and diurnally‐sensitive taxa
Authors: Fickling Nicole W. , Abbott Catherine A. , Brame Joel E. , Cando‐Dumancela Christian , Liddicoat Craig , Robinson Jake M. , Breed Martin F.
Published: February 2024

Soil bacterial taxa have important functional roles in ecosystems (e.g. nutrient cycling, soil formation, plant health). Many factors influence their assembly and regulation, with land cover types (e.g. open woodlands, grasslands), land use types (e.g. nature reserves, urban green space) and plant–soil feedbacks being well‐studied factors. However, changes in soil bacterial communities in situ over light–dark cycles have received little attention, despite many plants and some bacteria having endogenous circadian rhythms that could influence soil bacterial communities. We sampled surface soils in situ across 24‐h light–dark cycles (at 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, 18:00) at two land cover types (remnant vegetation vs. cleared, grassy areas) and applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to investigate changes in bacterial communities. We show that land cover type strongly affected soil bacterial diversity, with soils under native vegetation expressing 15.4%–16.4% lower alpha diversity but 4.9%–10.6% greater heterogeneity than soils under cleared vegetation. In addition, we report time‐dependent and site‐specific changes in bacterial network complexity and between 598–922 ASVs showing significant changes in relative abundance across times. Native site node degree (bacterial interactions) at the phylum level was 16.0% higher in the early morning than in the afternoon/evening. Our results demonstrate for the first time that light–dark cycles have subtle yet important effects on soil bacterial communities in situ and that land cover influences these dynamics. We provide a new view of soil microbial ecology and suggest that future studies should consider the time of day when sampling soil bacteria.
The invasive legume Lupinus polyphyllus has minor site‐specific impacts on the composition of soil bacterial communities
Authors: Mousavi Seyed Abdollah , Ramula Satu
Published: February 2024

Plant invasions can have major impacts on ecosystems, both above‐ and belowground. In particular, invasions by legumes, which often host nitrogen‐fixing symbionts (rhizobia), are known to modify soil bacterial communities. Here, we examined the effect of the invasive herbaceous legume Lupinus polyphyllus on the alpha diversity and community composition of soil bacteria. We also explored the relationships between these bacterial communities and vegetation cover, the cover of other (non‐invasive) legumes, or the number of vascular plants present. For this, we sampled rhizosphere soil and surveyed vegetation from ten paired sites (uninvaded versus invaded more than 10 years ago) in southwestern Finland, and identified bacterial DNA using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The presence of the plant invader and the three vegetation variables considered had no effect on the alpha diversity of soil bacteria in terms of bacterial richness or Shannon and Inverse Simpson diversity indices. However, the composition of soil bacterial communities differed between invaded and uninvaded soils at four out of the ten sites. Interestingly, the relative abundances of the top bacterial families in invaded and uninvaded soils were inconsistent across sites, including for legume‐associated rhizobia in the family Bradyrhizobiaceae. Other factors—such as vegetation cover, legume cover (excluding L. polyphyllus), number of plant species—also explained a small proportion of the variation in bacterial community composition. Our findings indicate that L. polyphyllus has the potential to modify the composition of local soil bacterial community, at least in sites where it has been present for more than a decade.
Probabilistic genetic identification of wild boar hybridization to support control of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa)
Authors: Smyser Timothy J. , Pfaffelhuber Peter , Giglio Rachael M. , DeSaix Matthew G. , Davis Amy J. , Bowden Courtney F. , Tabak Michael A. , Manunza Arianna , Bâlteanu Valentin Adrian , Amills Marcel , Iacolina Laura , Walker Pamela , Lessard Carl , Piaggio Antoinette J.
Published: February 2024

The rapid expansion of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) throughout the United States has been fueled by unlawful introductions, with invasive populations causing extensive crop losses, damaging native ecosystems, and serving as a reservoir for disease. Multiple states have passed laws prohibiting the possession or transport of wild pigs. However, genetic and phenotypic similarities between domestic pigs and invasive wild pigs—which overwhelmingly represent domestic pig and wild boar hybrids—pose a challenge for the enforcement of such regulations. We sought to exploit wild boar ancestry as a common attribute among the vast majority of invasive wild pigs as a means of genetically differentiating wild pigs from breeds of domestic pig found within the United States. We organized reference high‐density single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes (1039 samples from 33 domestic breeds and 382 samples from 16 wild boar populations) into five genetically cohesive reference groups: mixed‐commercial breeds, Durocs, heritage breeds, primitive breeds, and wild boar. Building upon well‐established genetic clustering approaches, we structured the test statistic to describe the difference in the likelihood of a given genotype's ancestry vectors (sensu genetic clustering analysis) if derived strictly from the four described domestic pig reference groups versus allowing for admixture from the wild boar group. By fitting statistical distributions to test statistics of reference domestic pigs, we characterized the distribution of the null hypothesis that a given genotype descends strictly from domestic pig reference groups. We tested the approach with simulated genotypes and empirical data from an additional 29 breeds of domestic pig represented by 435 unique genotypes; all associated test statistics for simulated and empirical domestic pig challenge sets fell within the distribution of reference domestic pigs. We then evaluated 6566 invasive wild pigs sampled across the contiguous United States, of which 63% exceeded the maximum threshold for domestic pigs and could be statistically classified as possessing wild boar ancestry. This approach provides a scientific foundation to enforce regulations prohibiting the possession of this destructive invasive species. Further, this computationally efficient and generalizable approach could be readily adapted to quantify gene flow among ecological systems of conservation or management concern.
Institutional acknowledgement of the chosen trauma in the background of its denial: A field experiment across conflicting groups
Authors: Andrighetto Luca , Halabi Samer , Kosic Ankica , Petrović Nebojša , Prelić Nedim , Pecini Chiara , Nadler Arie
Published: February 2024

Reconciliation research revealed that the institutional acknowledgement of the group's sufferings does not always improve fractured intergroup relations. To get a better understanding of this issue, through a field experiment we explored whether its effectiveness could be dependent on the collective background against which it is provided. That is, we involved citizens (N = 975) from societies entrapped in recent or ongoing conflicts (i.e., Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Palestinian, Israel) and examined the effects of the institutional acknowledgement of a chosen trauma when its denial by the majority (vs. minority) of outgroup members was made salient. Results revealed that the salience of the acknowledgement was effective in increasing the trust towards outgroup representatives. Instead, such an acknowledgement was ineffective in improving people's willingness to reconcile and hope for change, which was mainly dependent on the levels of denial by outgroup members. However, for these latter variables, relevant differences emerged depending on the conflictual versus post‐conflictual context. Implications of our findings for intergroup reconciliation are discussed.
Analytical solutions for viscoelectric effects in electrokinetic nanochannels
Authors: Ma Kunlin , Ramachandran Ashwin , Santiago Juan G.
Published: February 2024

Understanding electrokinetic transport in nanochannels and nanopores is essential for emerging biological and electrochemical applications. The viscoelectric effect is an important mechanism implicated in the increase of local viscosity due to the polarization of a solvent under a strong electric field. However, most analyses of the viscoelectric effect have been limited to numerical analyses. In this work, we present a set of analytical solutions applicable to the physical description of viscoelectric effects in nanochannel electrokinetic systems. To achieve such closed‐form solutions, we employ the Debye–Hückel approximation of small diffuse charge layer potentials compared to the thermal potential. We analyze critical parameters, including electroosmotic flow profiles, electroosmotic mobility, flow rate, and channel conductance. We compare and benchmark our analytical solutions with published predictions from numerical models. Importantly, we leverage these analytical solutions to identify essential thermophysical and nondimensional parameters that govern the behavior of these systems. We identify scaling parameters and relations among surface charge density, ionic strength, and nanochannel height.
Cytogenotoxicity effects in addicts with multidrug consumption
Authors: González‐Santiago Ana Elizabeth , Gómez‐Cabrera Alejandro Salvador , Baptista‐Rosas Raúl Cuauhtémoc , Zúñiga‐González Guillermo Moisés , Gómez‐Meda Belinda Claudia , Navarro Ana Alondra Sobrevilla , Sánchez‐Parada María Guadalupe
Published: February 2024

Drug abuse is considered a global health problem with serious social impact. In recent decades, changes in drug consumption patterns have shown a clear rising trend in the use of multiple drugs. Although the buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay has evaluated cytotoxicity in drug abuse, there has not been an approach that takes into account this pattern of multiple drug use. Therefore, in this study, we evaluate for the first time the cytogenotoxic effects in multidrug users, and its correlation with the amount consumed and years of abuse. This study was conducted on 166 individuals by the BMCyt assay. A total of 83 individuals with a history of multiple licit (alcohol and tobacco) and at least one illicit drug abuse (marijuana, methamphetamines, cocaine, and/or inhalants), and 83 healthy individuals, non‐drug abusers were analyzed. The results showed that drug abusers had higher frequencies of nuclear abnormalities nuclear buds, binucleated cells, pyknotic nuclei (PNs), karyorrhexis (KX), and abnormally condensed chromatin when compared with healthy controls. Moreover, results suggests that the use of licit and illicit drugs is related to cytogenotoxic damage, as was shown by an upward trend in the frequency of nuclear abnormalities identified in groups 1 (alcohol + tobacco + at least one illicit drug) and 2 (tobacco + at least one illicit drug). Furthermore, a positive correlation was found in the different groups, between the years and the amount of consumption of some drugs (alcohol, methamphetamine, and tobacco) with cytotoxicity markers such as KL, KX, and PNs.
Integrated Concentrating Solar/Photovoltaic Hybrid Concepts—Technological Discussion, Energy Yield, and Cost Considerations
Authors: Ruhwedel Moritz , Gehrke Kai , Lüpfert Eckhard , Sutter Florian , Heller Peter , Pitz‐Paal Robert
Published: February 2024

Concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies are a sustainable way to produce high‐temperature heat. Four concepts of integrating photovoltaics (PV) into CST plants, namely Rear‐PV, PV‐Mirror, bifacial PV‐Mirror and Spillage‐concentrating PV (CPV), are compared and the technological and economic outcome is discussed. The concepts are presented for the use with solar tower systems, but can also be applied to other configurations. In this work, parameters for each concept to quantify annual energy production and investment costs are derived. It is determined that implementing Rear‐PV, PV‐Mirror, bifacial PV‐Mirror, and Spillage‐CPV in a concentrating solar power tower plant leads to an additional energy yield as high as 23%, 29%, 40%, and 36%, respectively, on the same mirror aperture size. For the concepts of the Rear‐PV, PV‐Mirror, and bifacial PV‐Mirror, maximum allowable cost per aperture area can be 3.0, 4.8, and 5.7 times the cost of conventional mirrors, to reach a break‐even of the specific investment cost per annually produced energy. Such values are considered to be achievable for PV‐Mirror and bifacial PV‐Mirror, but not for Rear‐PV. For Spillage‐CPV, a break‐even of investment cost can be achieved if installed in areas with spillage radiation flux exceeding ≈350 kWm−2at peak.
Movement of sediments across a gently sloping muddy coast: Wave‐ and current‐supported gravity flows
Authors: Yu Qian , Peng Yun , Du Zhiyun , Wang Li , Wang Yunwei , Gao Shu
Published: February 2024

Wave‐ and current‐supported gravity flows (WCSGFs) represent a primary mechanism responsible for the transport of sediment along gentle coastal and continental slopes. However, due to limited in situ measurements, the dynamic processes involved in the downslope movement of WCSGFs along such slopes remain poorly understood. Here, tripods were strategically deployed on a muddy coastal slope in central Jiangsu, China. We found that WCSGFs occurred following a wave event, particularly during tidal slack periods. In instances where WCSGF events coincide with low slack water, the observed time lags between break and toe sites align with expectations based on gravity‐driven velocities and distances, thereby corroborating the gravitationally induced sediment transport across the gently sloping coast. Comparatively, WCSGF events during high slack water were suggested to originate from the upper tidal flat of the cross‐shore profile and were unable to reach the toe site. Waves are crucial in supporting the downslope transport of WCSGFs. In addition to sustaining the cross‐shore movement of WCSGFs, currents suspend sediments from the high‐concentration layer, dispersing them into the overlying water column. This suspension helps extinguishing WCSGFs. The local slope at the toe site lacks the necessary gravitational force to propel high‐concentration layers further offshore, as evidenced by the abnormally low drag coefficient (CD) derived from the theoretical WCSGF model. Despite their short‐lived nature and limited travel distance, the WCSGFs examined in this study make a significant contribution to cross‐shore sediment transport. This study contributes to a better understanding of WCSGF dynamics and their importance in coastal sediment transport.
Surface soil microbiome changes in Grain for Green Project accelerates organic carbon mineralization on the Loess Plateau in China
Authors: Zhang Yi , Liu Xiaojun , Li Peng , Wang Xing , Xiao Lie , Zhou Shixuan
Published: February 2024

Increasing amounts of greenhouse gases, such as CO2, released into the atmosphere have a profound impact on global climate change. Understanding how soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization changes as a result of land‐use change can shed light on the mechanisms by which SOC mineralization occurs, thus illuminating pathways to achieve global C neutrality targets. Accordingly, the Grain for Green Project (GGP) on the Loess Plateau was used as the starting point to observe how microorganisms affect SOC mineralization through field sampling and laboratory incubation experiments. We found a significant increase in SOC mineralization rates resulting from the GGP, though only at the soil surface (0.47–6.40 mg·kg−1 soil·day−1). We also found that soil microorganisms had a significant effect on different types of C sources, and Proteobacteria and Ascomycota/Mortierellomycota were the dominant bacterial and fungal groups at the GGP sites. The factors limiting SOC mineralization varied with farmland conversion to other land‐use types, and the direct and interactive contributions of these factors were quantified. The explanatory power examined in terms of land‐use ability to directly predict SOC mineralization rates was as follows: farmland (0.82), grassland (0.76), shrubland (0.41), and forestland (0.29). Along the increasing vegetative complexity gradient from farmland to forestland, the individual variable explanatory values decreased, while the relative importance of the interactive effects between variables increased. Our research demonstrates that the GGP increased soil biological activity and improved microbial community ability to metabolize C sources, thereby accelerating SOC mineralization. This will provide a scientific basis for decisions to enhance global semidrought recovery.
Culturally responsive evaluation and emergence: Shifting power through data that is humanizing, liberatory, and healing
Authors: McBride Dominica , Garcia Gabriela , Christian Scott
Published: February 2024

In the process of developing a complicated, community‐driven evaluation initiative, Dr. Stafford Hood indicated the importance of allowing the project to “unfold as it should.” This indication of emergence is too often missing in the dialogue of what it means to do Culturally Responsive Evaluation. This chapter explores and elucidates the concept of emergence and presents two examples of how it has influenced evaluation practice and enhanced the ongoing application of culturally responsive frameworks. The authors provide examples rooted in Dr. Hood's childhood home community while showcasing the power of simple interactions, fluidity, and attending to contextual and human nuances.
An absolute environmental sustainability assessment of food
Authors: Goss Megan A. , Sherwood James
Published: February 2024

The food sector is a major user of land and freshwater and a source of considerable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This puts pressure on Earth systems and jeopardizes the future of food production. The environmental impact of foods is well understood, but our interpretation lacks the context to judge whether those impacts are sufficiently small to describe a food as environmentally sustainable or not. In this work, we describe a metric that converts the environmental impact of foods into a quantitative environmental sustainability scale (performance‐weighted environmental sustainability, PwES). Land use, freshwater use, and GHG emission impacts of common foods have been weighted by their nutritional content and normalized so that values greater than 100% are considered unsustainable. Our findings concur with the conventional wisdom that the high impact of meat is unsustainable, whereas vegetables are typically produced sustainably. Further to this, the PwES metric was used to establish rational targets for sustainable food supply and design nutritious and environmentally sustainable meal plans. It was found that without reductions to the environmental impact of food, it is very difficult to eat sustainably. A high‐bread vegan diet could be found that provided minimum nutritional requirements and was environmentally sustainable.