bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Notum enhances gastric cancer stem-like cell properties through upregulation of Sox2 by PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Liu Yi , Chen Hui , Xiao Lanshu , Dong Ping , Ma Yanhui , Zhou Yunlan , Yang Junyao , Bian Bingxian , Xie Guohua , Chen Lei , Shen Lisong
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Considerable evidence suggests that tumor cells with stemness features contribute to initiation, progression, recurrence of gastric cancer (GC) and resistance to therapy, but involvement of underlying regulators and mechanisms remain largely unclear. However, the clinical significance and biological function of Notum in GC tumor sphere formation and tumorigenesis remain unclear.

Methods

Bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR, western blot and imunohistochemistry staining were applied to characterize Notum expression in GC specimens. The early diagnostic value of Notum was analyzed by logistic regression analysis method. Cancer stemness assays were used in Notum knockdown and overexpressing cells in vitro and in vivo. RNA-seq was employed to reveal the downstream effectors of Notum.

Results

Notum is highly expressed in early stage of GC patients and stem-like GC cells. For discriminating the early-stage and advanced GC patients, the joint analysis had a better diagnostic value. Overexpression of Notum markedly increased stemness features of GC cells to promote tumor sphere formation and tumorigenesis. Conversely, Notum knockdown attenuated the stem-like cell properties in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, Notum upregulates Sox2 through activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Notum inhibitor Caffeine exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on stemness features by impairing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activity and targeting Sox2.

Conclusion

Our findings confer a comprehensive and mechanistic function of Notum in GC tumor sphere formation and tumorigenesis that may provide a novel and promising target for early diagnosis and clinical therapy of GC.
RFDANet: an FMCW and TOF radar fusion approach for driver activity recognition using multi-level attention based CNN and LSTM network
Authors: Gu Minming , Chen Kaiyu , Chen Zhixiang
Published: September 2023

Dangerous driving behavior is a major contributing factor to road traffic accidents. Identifying and intervening in drivers’ unsafe driving behaviors is thus crucial for preventing accidents and ensuring road safety. However, many of the existing methods for monitoring drivers’ behaviors rely on computer vision technology, which has the potential to invade privacy. This paper proposes a radar-based deep learning method to analyze driver behavior. The method utilizes FMCW radar along with TOF radar to identify five types of driving behavior: normal driving, head up, head twisting, picking up the phone, and dancing to music. The proposed model, called RFDANet, includes two parallel forward propagation channels that are relatively independent of each other. The range-Doppler information from the FMCW radar and the position information from the TOF radar are used as inputs. After feature extraction by CNN, an attention mechanism is introduced into the deep architecture of the branch layer to adjust the weight of different branches. To further recognize driving behavior, LSTM is used. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by actual driving data. The results indicate that the average accuracy of each of the five types of driving behavior is 94.5%, which shows the advantage of using the proposed deep learning method. Overall, the experimental results confirm that the proposed method is highly effective for detecting drivers’ behavior.
Revaluating coal permeability-gas pressure relation under various gas pressure differential conditions
Authors: Wang Chunguang , Wang Hongxu , Elsworth Derek , Cui Guanglei , Li Bingqian , Zhou Meng , Li Wenxin , Zhang Jiyuan
Published: September 2023

Identifying changes in coal permeability with gas pressure and accurately codifying mean effective stresses in laboratory samples are crucial in predicting gas-flow behavior in coal reservoirs. Traditionally, coal permeability to gas is assessed using the steady-state method, where the equivalent gas pressure in the coal is indexed to the average of upstream and downstream pressures of the coal, while ignoring the nonlinear gas pressure gradient along the gas flow path. For the flow of a compressible gas, the traditional method consistently underestimates the length/volume-averaged pressure and overestimates mean effective stress. The higher the pressure differential within the sample, the greater the error between the true mean pressure for a compressible fluid and that assumed as the average between upstream and downstream pressures under typical reservoir conditions. A correction coefficient for the compressible fluid pressure asymptotes to approximately 1.3%, representing that the error in mean pressure and effective stress can be on the order of approximately 30%, particularly for highly pressure-sensitive permeabilities and compressibilities, further amplifying errors in evaluated reservoir properties. We utilized this volume-averaged pressure and effective stress to correct permeability and compressibility data reported in the literature. Both the corrected initial permeability and the corrected pore compressibility were found to be smaller than the uncorrected values, due to the underestimation of the true mean fluid pressure, resulting in an overestimation of reservoir permeability if not corrected. The correction coefficient for the initial permeability ranges from 0.6 to 0.1 (reservoir values are only approximately 40% to 90% of laboratory values), while the correction coefficient for pore compressibility remains at approximately 0.75 (reservoir values are only approximately 25% of laboratory value). Errors between the uncorrected and corrected parameters are quantified under various factors, such as confining pressure, gas sorption, and temperature. By analyzing the evolutions of the initial permeability and pore compressibility, the coupling mechanisms of mechanical compression, adsorption swelling, and thermal expansion on the pore structure of the coal can be interpreted. These findings can provide insights that are useful for assessing the sensitivity of coal permeability to gas pressure as truly representative of reservoir conditions.
Navigating Uncertainty: Multinationals’ Investment Strategies after the Pandemic Shock
Authors: Bellucci Chiara , Rungi Armando
Published: September 2023

Recent debates suggest that the global economy may enter a deglobalization phase accelerated after COVID-19 and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This study investigates the investment decisions by multinational enterprises (MNEs) in 2019–2022. We build on a unique data set of about 2 million parent-affiliate linkages to show that there has been a general reorganization of MNEs’ investment strategies since: (i) a relevant share of divestments ($$33\%$$

33
%

) has not been compensated by new investment decisions ($$14\%$$

14
%

); (ii) domestic subsidiaries are more likely to be established and less likely to be divested; (iii) the average distance of a subsidiary from a parent company has increased; (iv) the number of countries in which the average MNE operates is higher than before. Therefore, after a basic empirical strategy for foreign direct investments and gravity controls, we first confirm a higher revealed preference for domestic investment by MNEs, among others, induced by higher exposure to COVID-19. When we delve deeper into divestment choices at the firm level, we find evidence of reshoring, i.e., when a divestment abroad by a parent company in a specific industry is positively associated with a domestic investment in the same industry.
Unraveling Compacted and Nodular Cast Iron Porosity: Case Studies Approach
Authors: Queirós Ricardo , Domeij Björn , Diószegi Attila
Published: September 2023

Porosity is the culprit for a large fraction of scrap in cast iron foundries, resulting in significant environmental and productivity losses. The present work focuses on characterizing and explaining porosity defects in industrial compacted and nodular graphite cast iron components, utilizing current literature for reference. The goal is to identify existing knowledge gaps in the field, fostering further research work. Complex-shaped castings were sampled from three foundries, weighing between 100 and 300 kg. These were carefully selected to capture recurring defects during stable production. The mechanisms behind these defects were discussed, and the findings were compared to the literature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the inner surfaces of the pores with secondary electron imaging. The surrounding microstructure was captured with optical microscopy in combination with image analysis, where panoramic images and nodularity maps were built. Ultimately, etching based on Si segregation was employed. The results suggest that the understanding of pore surface film formation remains limited, particularly regarding graphite film formation. Notably, the observations reveal a multitude of previously unreported graphite structures within the pores, some with particles in their centers containing Ce, Ca, La and S. These novel structures can provide additional insights regarding pore formation chronology.
A Novel Design and Development of Multilevel Inverters for Parallel Operated PMSG-Based Standalone Wind Energy Conversion Systems
Authors: Palani Anbarasan , Mahendran Venmathi , Vengadakrishnan Krishnakumar , Muthusamy Suresh , Mishra Om Prava , Ramamoorthi Ponarun , Maurya Muni Raj , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar
Published: September 2023

The article presents the new power conversion for parallel-operated wind energy conversion systems. It has been formulated by new multilevel inverter (MLI) topologies with reduced switch counts, lowered conduction losses and a very good output voltage spectrum. The wind energy conversion systems included permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), a diode bridge rectifier, a conventional boost converter and a novel multilevel inverter connected to an isolated load. The power conversion utilizing a novel multilevel DC to AC converter has been proven for its better efficiency, voltage utilization and power quality. The integration of wind energy conversion systems has been explored in MATLAB Simulink, and the hardware setup does the authentication of the MLI structure.
Diversität als demokratische Intervention
Authors: Riede Hannah
Published: September 2023

Diversität ist in den letzten Jahrzehnten zum zentralen Paradigma der Aushandlungen um gesellschaftliche Gleichheit geworden. Mit Maßnahmen sogenannter Diversitätspolitik wird der Versuch unternommen, sozialstrukturelle Differenz institutionell abzubilden und einzubinden. Diese Politiken sind jedoch insbesondere aus feministischen und postkolonialen Perspektiven zunehmend in die Kritik geraten. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird in diesem Beitrag die Frage gestellt, ob das Konzept der Diversität für die Verwirklichung des demokratischen Gleichheitsversprechens zielführend ist. Es wird argumentiert, dass trotz der weitreichenden Kritiken an aktueller Diversitätspolitik, der normative, an Gleichheit orientierten Kern der Diversitätssemantik ernst zu nehmen ist. Hierfür muss eine Politik der Diversität jedoch auf eine umfangreiche Transformation der gesellschaftlichen Strukturen abzielen. Aus diesen Einsichten werden erste Konturen einer Konzeptualisierung von Diversität als demokratische Intervention vorgestellt, die Leerstellen der Repräsentation aufdeckt, die ständige Reflexion komplexer gesellschaftlicher Differenzkonstellationen fordert und diese als Einbruch in die etablierten Paradigmen politischer und sozialer Repräsentation mobilisiert.
Development of an automated flow chemistry affinity-based purification process for DNA-encoded chemistry
Authors: Dinter Robin , Götte Katharina , Gronke Franziska , Justen Leon , Brunschweiger Andreas , Kockmann Norbert
Published: September 2023

An automated flow chemistry platform for DNA-encoded library (DEL) technologies requires the integration of a purification process for DNA-tagged substrates. It facilitates the development of further DEL reactions, building block rehearsal, and library synthesis. Therefore, a recently developed, manual affinity-based batch purification process for DNA-tagged substrates based on dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) was transferred to automated flow chemistry using tailored 3D-printed microfluidic devices and open-source lab automation equipment. The immobilization and purification steps use Watson–Crick base pairing for a compound-encoding single-stranded DNA, which allows for the thorough removal of impurities and contaminations by washing steps and operationally simple recovery of the purified DNA-encoded compounds. This work optimized the annealing step for flow incubation and DNA purification was accomplished by flow DSPE washing/elution steps. The manually performed batch affinity-based purification process was compared with the microfluidic process by determining qualitative and quantitative DNA recovery parameters. It aimed at comparing batch and flow purification processes with regard to DNA recovery and purity to benefit from the high potential for automation, precise process control, and higher information density of the microfluidic purification process for DNA-tagged substrates. Manual operations were minimized by applying an automation strategy to demonstrate the potential for integrating the microfluidic affinity-based purification process for DNA-tagged substrates into an automated DNA-encoded flow chemistry platform.

Graphical Abstract
Chi-squared type test for distributional censored and uncensored validity with numerical assessments and real data applications
Authors: Yousof Haitham M. , Aidi Khaoula , Hamedani G. G. , Ibrahim Mohamed
Published: September 2023

In this work, we introduce a new chi-squared type test the odd Lindley exponentiated gamma distribution. The new test is an extension of the Nikulin–Rao–Robson test. The new test is tailored to fit the right censored data. The performance of the new test, as well as the baseline Nikulin–Rao–Robson test, are evaluated via numerical simulation. The new test, as well as the baseline Nikulin–Rao–Robson test, are also evaluated using the data. Furthermore, we present some characterization results.
Solitary-Wave Solutions of Benjamin–Ono and Other Systems for Internal Waves: II. Dynamics
Authors: Bona Jerry , Durán Angel , Mitsotakis Dimitrios
Published: September 2023

Considered here are two systems of equations modeling the two-way propagation of long-crested, long-wavelength internal waves along the interface of a two-layer system of fluids in the Benjamin–Ono and the Intermediate Long-Wave regime, respectively. These systems were previously shown to have solitary-wave solutions, decaying to zero algebraically for the Benjamin–Ono system, and exponentially in the Intermediate Long-Wave regime. Several methods to approximate solitary-wave profiles were introduced and analyzed by the authors in Part I of this project. A natural continuation of this previous work, pursued here, is to study the dynamics of the solitary-wave solutions of these systems. This will be done by computational means using a discretization of the periodic initial-value problem. The numerical method used here is a Fourier spectral method for the spatial approximation coupled with a fourth-order, explicit Runge–Kutta time stepping. The resulting, fully discrete scheme is used to study computationally the stability of the solitary waves under small and large perturbations, the collisions of solitary waves, the resolution of initial data into trains of solitary waves, and the formation of dispersive shock waves. Comparisons with related unidirectional models are also undertaken.
Advancing into Spaces of Possibility: How the Fridays for Future Movement Intertwines Future-Making Practices with the Creation of Educational Formats
Authors: Jergus Kerstin , Schmidt Melanie
Published: September 2023

The article explores the question of how political and pedagogical programs are intertwined in the process of designing a sustainable future, using the climate change protest movement Fridays for Future (FFF) as an empirical example. Particular attention is payed to the German Public Climate Schools, a collection of educational courses offered by FFF. The FFF movement emphasizes science and education and has created postdigital spaces for climate education. The article outlines the connection between education and the future, describes FFF and its approach to designing a sustainable future, explores the educational spaces developed by the movement via an analysis of some of the movement’s Twitter (now rebranding as ‘X’) feeds and web site, and provides a basis for further reflection and exploration. It is argued that the FFF movement represents a contemporary form of political future practice that is focused on creating a livable and shapeable future within a postdigital context.
“So, we’ve been taken away since forever”: Indigenous Relative Caregivers’ Experiences as a Framework for Uncovering Coloniality in the Child Welfare System
Authors: Waubanascum Cary , Sarche Michelle
Published: September 2023

This study examines to the gravity of the ongoing removal and separation of Indigenous children from their families and nations, the reality of coloniality in the child welfare system, the glaring absence of Indigenous voices and their distinct experiences in the empirical child welfare literature, and dearth of studies that implement Indigenous methodologies. Grounded in Indigenous Storywork methodology, this qualitative study sought to understand (10) Indigenous relative caregivers’ experiences with the child welfare system. Findings identified specific forms of colonial violence inflicted upon Indigenous children and families by the child welfare system, such as ongoing removal and separation, as vehicles for colonization and assimilation. Relative caregivers also exposed how the child welfare system continues to impose the modern colonial gender system, continuing a legacy of government sponsored civilizing educations programs to assimilate through racializing and genderizing Indigenous families to justify violence and maintain power and control. Relatives’ lived experiences provide a framework for uncovering coloniality in child welfare in relation to continued control over family and gender.
Extraction of pure component spectra from ex situ illumination UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Herold Dominik , Kind Jonas , Frieß Florian , Thiele Christina M.
Published: September 2023

Obtaining understanding of a photochemical reaction relies on the observation, identification and quantification of the compounds involved. The photochemical properties of the individual components are of particular importance, and their determination, however, is not always trivial. This is also true for the quantitative measure on the ability to absorb light, the extinction coefficient εi if more than one species i is present and two or more species absorb light of the same wavelength. In this work, it is demonstrated how pure component spectra can be obtained with a simple combination of successive and repeated ex situ illumination, UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopy. From the complementary information accessible, the wavelength-dependent extinction coefficients of all species can be calculated yielding the pure component spectra. A comparison with published data shows excellent agreement and thus proves that this approach is highly reliable.

Graphical abstract
Urban upgrading of slums: Baghdad and London slums as study models for urban rehabilitation
Authors: Abed Ali Dhafer
Published: September 2023

This phenomenon of slums represents one of the most serious problems that Iraqi cities suffer from, especially the city of Baghdad, which has become teeming with a lot of slum buildings that have distorted most of its areas and neighborhoods. Most of the slums are in the form of scattered construction and chaotic gatherings that do not follow any planning standards. This paper aims to present and analyze the mechanisms of urban upgrading of two models of slums in the city of Baghdad and London. The treatment was through the urban development of these slums and the provision and improvement of services to reduce the phenomenon of total removal. The GIS program was used to calculate the urban variables and requirements, the optimal locations for services, and the total and partial removal percentages. The research achieved the lowest percentage of total and partial removal of the actual areas, which amounted to 7.31% in the first model and 14.26% in the second model. The slum area was also provided with all the necessary services in accordance with the urban housing standards specific to each city, to turn it into a residential neighborhood instead of calling it a slum region.
Brain Storm Optimization Algorithm with an Adaptive Parameter Control Strategy for Finding Multiple Optimal Solutions
Authors: Zhang Yuhui , Wei Wenhong , Xie Shaohao , Wang Zijia
Published: September 2023

Real-world optimization problems often have multiple optimal solutions and simultaneously finding these optimal solutions is beneficial yet challenging. Brain storm optimization (BSO) is a relatively new paradigm of swarm intelligence algorithm that has been shown to be effective in solving global optimization problems, but it has not been fully exploited for multimodal optimization problems. A simple control strategy for the step size parameter in BSO cannot meet the need of optima finding task in multimodal landscapes and can possibly be refined and optimized. In this paper, we propose an adaptive BSO (ABSO) algorithm that adaptively adjusts the step size parameter according to the quality of newly created solutions. Extensive experiments are conducted on a set of multimodal optimization problems to evaluate the performance of ABSO and the experimental results show that ABSO outperforms existing BSO algorithms and some recently developed algorithms. BSO has great potential in multimodal optimization and is expected to be useful for solving real-world optimization problems that have multiple optimal solutions.
On Meromorphic Solutions of Non-linear Differential-Difference Equations
Authors: Zhao MingXin , Huang Zhigang
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we investigate the non-existence of transcendental entire solutions for non-linear differential-difference equations of the forms $$\begin{aligned} f^{n}(z)+Q(z,f)=\beta _{1}e^{\alpha _{1}z}+\beta _{2}e^{\alpha _{2}z}+\cdots +\beta _{s}e^{\alpha _{s}z} \end{aligned}$$

f
n

(
z
)

+
Q

(
z
,
f
)

=

β
1

e

α
1

z

+

β
2

e

α
2

z

+
⋯
+

β
s

e

α
s

z

and $$\begin{aligned} f^{n}(z)f^{(k)}(z)+L_d(z,f)=\sum ^{s}_{i=1}p_i(z)e^{\alpha _i{(z)}}, \end{aligned}$$

f
n

(
z
)

f

(
k
)

(
z
)

+

L
d

(
z
,
f
)

=

∑

i
=
1

s

p
i

(
z
)

e

α
i

(
z
)

,

where n,  s are positive integers, $$n\ge s+2,$$

n
≥
s
+
2
,

Q(z, f) is a differential-difference polynomial in f of degree d.
How deep learning influences workflows and roles in virtual surgical planning
Authors: Hofer Beat , Kittler Markus , Laukens Kris
Published: September 2023

Background

Deep learning (DL) has the potential to transform surgical practice, altering workflows and changing the roles of practitioners involved. However, studies have shown that introducing such change requires user acceptance. Following the development and presentation of a visual prototype for planning facial surgery interventions, the project aimed to understand the utility of DL, the implied workflow and role changes it would entail, and the potential barriers to its adoption in practice.

Method

This paper presents a multi-year case study providing insights from developing and introducing a visual prototype. The prototype was co-developed by facial surgeons, DL experts, and business process engineers. The study uses project data involving semi-structured interviews, workgroup results, and feedback from an external practitioner audience exposed to the prototype regarding their views on adopting DL tools in practice.

Findings

The surgeons attested a high utility to the application. However, the data also highlights a perceived need to remain in control, be able to intervene, and override surgical workflows in short intervals. Longer intervals without opportunities to intervene were seen with skepticism, suggesting that the practitioners’ acceptance of DL requires a carefully designed workflow in which humans can still take control of events.

Conclusion

Deep learning can improve and accelerate facial surgery intervention planning. Models from the business and management literature partially explain the acceptance of new technologies. Perceived ease of use seems less relevant than the perceived usefulness of new technology. Involving algorithms in clinical decision-making will change workflows and professional identities.
Shock-induced atomisation of a liquid metal droplet
Authors: Sharma Shubham , Chandra Navin Kumar , Kumar Aloke , Basu Saptarshi
Published: September 2023

The present study uses Galinstan as a test fluid to investigate the shock-induced atomisation of a liquid metal droplet in a high-Weber-number regime

$(We \sim 400\unicode{x2013}8000)$

. Atomisation dynamics is examined for three test environments: oxidizing (Galinstan–air), inert (Galinstan–nitrogen) and conventional fluids (deionised water–air). Due to the readily oxidizing nature of liquid metals, their atomisation in an industrial scale system is generally carried out in inert atmosphere conditions. However, no previous study has considered gas-induced secondary atomisation of liquid metals in inert conditions. Due to experimental challenges associated with molten metals, laboratory scale models are generally tested for conventional fluids like deionised water, liquid fuels, etc. The translation of results obtained from conventional fluid to liquid metal atomisation is rarely explored. Here a direct multiscale spatial and temporal comparison is provided between the atomisation dynamics of conventional fluid and liquid metals under oxidizing and inert conditions. The liquid metal droplet undergoes breakup through the shear-induced entrainment mode for the studied range of Weber number values. The prevailing mechanism is explained based on the relative dominance of droplet deformation and Kelvin–Helmholtz wave formation. The study provides quantitative and qualitative similarities for the three test cases and explains the differences in morphology of fragmenting secondary droplets in the oxidizing test case (Galinstan–air) due to rapid oxidation of the fragmenting ligaments. A phenomenological framework is postulated for predicting the morphology of secondary droplets. The formation of flake-like secondary droplets in the Galinstan air test case is based on the oxidation rate of liquid metals and the properties of the oxide layer formed on the atomizing ligament surface.
Magnitude of undernutrition and its association with dietary diversity among older persons in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis, 2023
Authors: Mezgebu Getachew Sale , Petros Legesse , Alemayew Etaferaw , Abebaw Gashaw , Feleke Fentaw Wassie
Published: September 2023

Undernutrition in elders remains under-detected, under-treated, and under-resourced and leads to further weight loss, increased infections, and delay in recovery from illness as well as increased hospital admissions and length of stay. The reports of the findings were fragmented and inconsistent in Ethiopia. Therefore, the main objective of this meta-analysis was to estimate the pooled prevalence of undernutrition and its association with dietary diversity among older persons in Ethiopia. Online databases (Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct), Google, Google Scholar, and other grey literature were used to search articles until the date of publication. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed. The random effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence; whereas subgroup analysis and meta-regression were performed to identify the probable source of heterogeneity using Stata version 14.0 software. Out of 522 studies accessed, 14 met our criteria and were included in the study. A total of 7218 older people (aged above 60 years old) were included in the study. The pooled proportion of undernutrition among older persons in Ethiopia was 20⋅6 % (95 % CI 17⋅3, 23⋅8). Elders who consumed low dietary diversity scores were strongly associated with undernutrition among older persons. Therefore, promoting appropriate intervention strategies for elders to improve dietary diversity practices and nutritional status is crucial.
The effects of whole grain cereals on tryptophan metabolism and intestinal barrier function: underlying factors of health impact
Authors: Liikonen Vilma , Gomez-Gallego Carlos , Kolehmainen Marjukka
Published: September 2023

This review aims to investigate the relationship between the health impact of whole grains mediated via the interaction with intestinal microbiota and intestinal barrier function with special interest on tryptophan metabolism, focusing on the role of the intestinal microbiota and their impact on barrier function. Consuming various types of whole grains can lead to the growth of different microbiota species, which in turn leads to the production of diverse metabolites, including those derived from tryptophan metabolism, although the impact of whole grains on intestinal microbiota composition results remains inconclusive and vary among different studies. Whole grains can exert an influence on tryptophan metabolism through interactions with the intestinal microbiota, and the presence of fibre in whole grains plays a notable role in establishing this connection. The impact of whole grains on intestinal barrier function is closely related to their effects on the composition and activity of intestinal microbiota, and SCFA and tryptophan metabolites serve as potential links connecting whole grains, intestinal microbiota and the intestinal barrier function. Tryptophan metabolites affect various aspects of the intestinal barrier, such as immune balance, mucus and microbial barrier, tight junction complexes and the differentiation and proliferation of epithelial cells. Despite the encouraging discoveries in this area of research, the evidence regarding the effects of whole grain consumption on intestine-related activity remains limited. Hence, we can conclude that we are just starting to understand the actual complexity of the intestinal factors mediating in part the health impacts of whole grain cereals.
Conservation and indigenous peoples’ struggles for livelihoods: Suba Park (Ethiopia)
Authors: Abate Gutema Gizachew
Published: September 2023

Contested from the early period of Menelik territorial expansion into the hinterlands of Addis Ababa, areas in the vicinity of Suba Park continue to be a bone of political contention in the context of the struggle of Oromo people against the expansion of the central state. A flashpoint is the Oromo protests (2014–2018) against federal state territorial expansion into the Oromo ethnic territory through a new Addis Ababa Master Plan that led to the deposition of Haile Mariam Desalegn and the installation of Abiy Amhed. I investigate how the state environmental policy maintained for extraction and conservation in the Suba forest between the late 1890s and 2018 affected the Tulama modes of land use related to their worldviews and their use of material, social, spiritual and symbolic values of land in the struggle for land and resource rights. I used ethnographic methods that included in-depth and semi-structured interviews, participant observations and document analysis to investigate long-standing and complex land-based conflicts in and around Suba Park. I show how simplifying state narratives of environmental policy entrenched in centralized state administration and exclusionist resource management schemes have reinforced a wider concern about indigenous land and resource rights and decentralized environmental governance.
The ‘imbroglio’ of ecocide: A political economic analysis
Authors: Cusato Eliana , Jones Emily
Published: September 2023

In this article we adopt a political economic lens to analyse the revival of the concept of ecocide in present international legal scholarship and practice. The current campaign to codify the crime of ecocide under international criminal law represents the epitome of a problem-solving approach, which conceives of the law as external to society and as a corrective to its evils. Yet, a large body of critical literature has drawn attention to the constitutive role of international law and to the problems with its depoliticized approach when it comes to tackling global injustices. We build upon this diverse scholarship to illuminate how the technical, acontextual, and ahistorical legal debate on the codification of ecocide ends up normalizing the violent structures of extractive capitalism and its hierarchies. Further, we situate the proposed crime within the wider context of how international law regulates and constitutes the natural world. Drawing on critiques of sustainable development and of business and human rights discourse, we argue that the ‘imbroglio’ of ecocide, in its current legal definition, lies in presenting ecological preservation and devastation as simultaneously legitimate aims. The article ultimately raises the question of the role of international law in progressive political agendas, a question that could not be more pressing in times of entangled socio-ecological-economic disruptions.
Using three consecutive years of farmer survey data to identify prevailing conservation practices in four Midwestern US states
Authors: Guo Tian , Marquart-Pyatt Sandra T. , Robertson G. Philip
Published: September 2023

Granular temporal and spatial scale observations of conservation practices are essential for identifying changes in the production systems that improve soil health and water quality and inform long-term agricultural research and adaptive policy development. In this study, we demonstrate an innovative use of farmer practice survey data and what can be uniquely known from a detailed survey that targets specific farm groups with a regional focus over multiple consecutive years. Using three years of survey data (n= 3914 respondents), we describe prevailing crop rotation, tillage, and cover crop practice use in four Midwestern US states. Like national metrics, the results confirm dominant practices across the landscape, including corn-soybean rotation, little use of continuous no-till, and the limited use of cover crops. Our detailed regional survey further reveals differences by state for no-till and cover crop adoption rates that were not captured in federal datasets. For example, 66% of sampled acreage in the Midwest has corn and soybean rotation, with Illinois having the highest rate (72%) and Michigan the lowest (41%). In 2018, 20% of the corn acreage and 38% of the soybean acreage were in no-till, and 13% of the corn acres and 9% of the soybean acres were planted with a cover crop. Cover crop adoption rates fluctuate from year to year. Results demonstrate the value of a farmer survey at state scales over multiple years in complementing federal statistics and monitoring state and yearly differences in practice adoption. Agricultural policies and industry heavily depend on accurate and timely information that reflects spatial and temporal dynamics. We recommend building an agricultural information exchange and workforce that integrates diverse data sources with complementary strengths to provide a greater understanding of agricultural management practices that provide baseline data for prevailing practices.
Stochastic Model of a Granular Bed Splash
Authors: Łagodowski Z. A. , Gregosiewicz A.
Published: September 2023

Our study aims to shed light on the physics behind the splash phenomenon caused by droplet impact onto a granular bed and to develop a reliable tool for predicting erosion and sediment transport in various natural and industrial settings. To achieve this, we construct a probabilistic model (based on simple physical assumptions) of particle splash resulting from the impact of a liquid droplet or solid intruder on a granular bed. The model is based on integer partition and provides a probability distribution of the number of ejected particles to arbitrary areas around the point of impact. We validate the model's predictions with experimental data to ensure its accuracy and reliability.
Nifuroxazide boosts the anticancer efficacy of palbociclib-induced senescence by dual inhibition of STAT3 and CDK2 in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Wang Xianzhe , Shi Wei , Wang Xumei , Lu Jin-Jian , He Ping , Zhang Hongjie , Chen Xiuping
Published: September 2023

Though palbociclib, a cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor has been approved for treating breast cancer, two major clinical challenges remain: (i) Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) appears to be more resistant to palbociclib, and (ii) Palbociclib-induced senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) has a pro-tumorigenic function. Here we report that combining palbociclib with the STAT3 inhibitor nifuroxazide uncouples SASP production from senescence-associated cell cycle exit. Moreover, we identified nifuroxazide as a CDK2 inhibitor that synergistically promotes palbociclib-induced growth arrest and senescence in TNBC cells. In vitro, the combination of nifuroxazide with palbociclib further inhibited the TNBC cell proliferation and enhanced palbociclib-induced cell cycle arrest and senescence. The modulation of palbociclib-induced SASP by nifuroxazide was associated with the reduction of phosphorylated-STAT3. Nifuroxazide also blocks SASP-dependent cancer cell migration. Furthermore, thermal shift assay and molecular docking of nifuroxazide with STAT3 and CDK2 revealed that it binds to their active sites and acts as a potent dual inhibitor. In vivo, the combination of nifuroxazide with palbociclib suppressed 4T1 tumor growth and lung metastasis. Our data suggest that nifuroxazide enhances the anticancer effects of palbociclib in TNBC by uncoupling SASP production from senescence-associated cell cycle exit and inhibiting CDK2 to promote tumor senescence.
A novel de novo canonical splice site mutation in the PTCH1 gene in a male patient with mild psychomotor retardation and autistic traits: a case report
Authors: Mashayekhi Parisa , Omrani Mir Davood , Tonekaboni Seyed Hasan , Dehghanifard Ali
Published: September 2023

Basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS), or Gorlin syndrome, is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the tumor suppressor gene PTCH1 with complete penetrance and variable expressivity characterized by a broad spectrum of developmental anomalies and a predisposition to neoplasms. Herein, we report a novel de novo splice site mutation in the PTCH1 gene related to mild developmental delay and autistic traits in a 4-year-old male patient.
Deglycosylation of eukaryotic-expressed flagellin restores adjuvanticity
Authors: Khim Koemchhoy , Puth Sao , Radhakrishnan Kamalakannan , Nguyen Tien Duc , Lee Youn Suhk , Jung Che-Hun , Lee Shee Eun , Rhee Joon Haeng
Published: September 2023

Flagellin, the TLR5 agonist, shows potent adjuvant activities in diverse vaccines and immunotherapies. Vibrio vulnificus flagellin B expressed in eukaryotic cells (eFlaB) could not stimulate TLR5 signaling. Enzymatic deglycosylation restored eFlaB’s TLR5 stimulating functionality, suggesting that glycosylation interferes with eFlaB binding to TLR5. Site-directed mutagenesis of N-glycosylation residues restored TLR5 stimulation and adjuvanticity. Collectively, deglycosylated eFlaB may provide a built-in adjuvant platform for eukaryotic-expressed antigens and nucleic acid vaccines.
A twenty-year dataset of high-resolution maize distribution in China
Authors: Peng Qiongyan , Shen Ruoque , Li Xiangqian , Ye Tao , Dong Jie , Fu Yangyang , Yuan Wenping
Published: September 2023

China is the world’s second-largest maize producer, contributing 23% to global production and playing a crucial role in stabilizing the global maize supply. Therefore, accurately mapping the maize distribution in China is of great significance for regional and global food security and international cereals trade. However, it still lacks a long-term maize distribution dataset with fine spatial resolution, because the existing high spatial resolution satellite datasets suffer from data gaps caused by cloud cover, especially in humid and cloudy regions. This study aimed to produce a long-term, high-resolution maize distribution map for China (China Crop Dataset–Maize, CCD-Maize) identifying maize in 22 provinces and municipalities from 2001 to 2020. The map was produced using a high spatiotemporal resolution fused dataset and a phenology-based method called Time-Weighted Dynamic Time Warping. A validation based on 54,281 field survey samples with a 30-m resolution showed that the average user’s accuracy and producer’s accuracy of CCD-Maize were 77.32% and 80.98%, respectively, and the overall accuracy was 80.06% over all 22 provinces.
Varying sex and identity of faces affects face categorization differently in humans and computational models
Authors: Bülthoff Isabelle , Manno Laura , Zhao Mintao
Published: September 2023

Our faces display socially important sex and identity information. How perceptually independent are these facial characteristics? Here, we used a sex categorization task to investigate how changing faces in terms of either their sex or identity affects sex categorization of those faces, whether these manipulations affect sex categorization similarly when the original faces were personally familiar or unknown, and, whether computational models trained for sex classification respond similarly to human observers. Our results show that varying faces along either sex or identity dimension affects their sex categorization. When the sex was swapped (e.g., female faces became male looking, Experiment 1), sex categorization performance was different from that with the original unchanged faces, and significantly more so for people who were familiar with the original faces than those who were not. When the identity of the faces was manipulated by caricaturing or anti-caricaturing them (these manipulations either augment or diminish idiosyncratic facial information, Experiment 2), sex categorization performance to caricatured, original, and anti-caricatured faces increased in that order, independently of face familiarity. Moreover, our face manipulations showed different effects upon computational models trained for sex classification and elicited different patterns of responses in humans and computational models. These results not only support the notion that the sex and identity of faces are processed integratively by human observers but also demonstrate that computational models of face categorization may not capture key characteristics of human face categorization.
The association between dietary mineral intake and the risk of preeclampsia in Chinese pregnant women: a matched case–control study
Authors: Liu Yanhua , Wang Xinyi , Fu Wenjun , Cao Yuan , Dou Weifeng , Duan Dandan , Zhao Xianlan , Ma Shunping , Lyu Quanjun
Published: September 2023

Previous studies on the relationship between dietary minerals and preeclampsia (PE) have given inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to further clarify the relationship between dietary minerals intake and PE in Chinese pregnant women. In this study, 440 pairs of hospital–based preeclamptic and healthy women were matched 1:1. Dietary intake was obtained through a 78–item semi–quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic splines were plotted to evaluate the dose–response relationship between dietary minerals intake and PE. This study found significant inverse associations for dietary intake of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese and zinc and the risk of PE in both univariate and multivariate models (all P- trend < 0.05). After adjusting for possible confounders, compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratio of the highest quartile was 0.74 (95% CI 0.56–0.98) for calcium, 0.63 (95% CI 0.42–0.93) for magnesium, 0.45 (95% CI 0.31–0.65) for phosphorus, 0.44 (95% CI 0.30–0.65) for iron, 0.72 (95% CI 0.53–0.97) for copper, 0.66 (95% CI 0.48–0.91) for manganese and 0.38 (95% CI 0.25–0.57) for zinc. In addition, a reverse J–shaped relationship between dietary minerals intake and PE risk was observed (P–overall association < 0.05). In Chinese pregnant women, a higher intake of dietary minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc was associated with a lower odds of PE.
Impacts of the North Atlantic biases on the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere over the extratropical North Pacific
Authors: Joshi Rajat , Zhang Rong
Published: September 2023

The winter upper troposphere/lower stratosphere temperature/vertical motion response over the extratropical North Pacific induced by North Atlantic changes is not well understood. Here, using robust diagnostic calculations conducted in a fully coupled high-resolution climate model, we correct the North Atlantic ocean circulation biases and show that during wintertime, the North Atlantic cold surface temperature biases lead to a warmer upper troposphere/lower stratosphere over the extratropical North Pacific. In the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere over the extratropical North Pacific, this winter warming temperature response is linked to the vertical motion response through a simple leading order thermodynamic relationship between changes in the horizontal advection and adiabatic heating. The upper troposphere/lower stratosphere vertical motion response, which is also associated with the North Atlantic induced Walker circulation response over the tropical North Pacific, can provide a rough estimation of the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere warming response over the extratropical North Pacific.
Colorectal cancer risk stratification on histological slides based on survival curves predicted by deep learning
Authors: Höhn Julia , Krieghoff-Henning Eva , Wies Christoph , Kiehl Lennard , Hetz Martin J. , Bucher Tabea-Clara , Jonnagaddala Jitendra , Zatloukal Kurt , Müller Heimo , Plass Markus , Jungwirth Emilian , Gaiser Timo , Steeg Matthias , Holland-Letz Tim , Brenner Hermann , Hoffmeister Michael , Brinker Titus J.
Published: September 2023

Studies have shown that colorectal cancer prognosis can be predicted by deep learning-based analysis of histological tissue sections of the primary tumor. So far, this has been achieved using a binary prediction. Survival curves might contain more detailed information and thus enable a more fine-grained risk prediction. Therefore, we established survival curve-based CRC survival predictors and benchmarked them against standard binary survival predictors, comparing their performance extensively on the clinical high and low risk subsets of one internal and three external cohorts. Survival curve-based risk prediction achieved a very similar risk stratification to binary risk prediction for this task. Exchanging other components of the pipeline, namely input tissue and feature extractor, had largely identical effects on model performance independently of the type of risk prediction. An ensemble of all survival curve-based models exhibited a more robust performance, as did a similar ensemble based on binary risk prediction. Patients could be further stratified within clinical risk groups. However, performance still varied across cohorts, indicating limited generalization of all investigated image analysis pipelines, whereas models using clinical data performed robustly on all cohorts.