bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ASYMPTOTICS FOR TIME-VARYING VECTOR MA(
$\infty $
) PROCESSES
Authors: Yan Yayi , Gao Jiti , Peng Bin
Published: January 2024

This paper introduces a new class of time-varying vector moving average processes of infinite order. These processes serve dual purposes: (1) they can be used to model time-varying dependence structures, and (2) they can be used to establish asymptotic theories for multivariate time series models. To illustrate these two points, we first establish some fundamental asymptotic properties and use them to infer the trending term of a vector moving average infinity process. We then investigate a class of time-varying VARX models. Finally, we demonstrate the empirical relevance of the theoretical results using extensive simulated and real data studies.
Boosted income, busted environment: a tradeoff in the wider economic impacts of transport corridor investments?
Authors: Melecky Martin , Sharma Siddharth , Subhash Hari
Published: January 2024

The literature on the impacts of transport corridors points to a tradeoff between income and environmental quality. We estimate the impacts of India's Golden Quadrilateral and North-South-East-West highways on income and environmental quality to test this tradeoff hypothesis. Applying the difference-in-difference method to district level data, we find that the highways increased both local income and particulate matter air pollution. The estimated increase in air pollution is robust to using an instrumental variables approach, while that in income is not. Examining heterogeneity in these impacts, we find that the income–environment tradeoff was less steep in districts with initially higher educational attainment rates because they experienced a smaller increase in air pollution due to the highways.
Recommendations for healthy aging as documented by health professionals: a summative content analysis of health records
Authors: Nivestam Anna , Haak Maria , Westergren Albert
Published: January 2024

Aim:

To identify what type of recommendations were recorded in older adults’ health records by health professionals during preventive home visits.

Background:

To promote health and prevent ill health, health professionals can give support and recommendations to older adults. The preventive home visit for older adults is one example of an intervention where health professionals such as nurses, social workers, and assistant nurses can give recommendations. By exploring what recommendations are recorded and within what areas, we can also gain knowledge about areas where provision of recommendations seems lacking. This knowledge would provide health professionals with guidance in their counseling with the older adult.

Methods:

Records from preventive home visits (n = 596; mean age 78.71) were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed.

Findings:

The most frequently recorded recommendations were related to physical or mental illness, falls, and then nutrition. The results showed that recommendations could be sorted into ten sub-categories related to physical or mental illness, falls, nutrition, physical activity, preparation for the future, social participation, finances, getting help from others, municipal services, and security at home. These ten sub-categories were classified into the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health categories body functions & structure (including one sub-category), activity (including four sub-categories), participation (including three sub-categories), and environmental factors (including two sub-categories). From the results, we could conclude that the major focus was on risk prevention and less focus was on health promotion. Thus, the visitor’s recommendations most likely mirror the older adult’s explicit needs ‘here and now’ to a great extent. However, health visitors also need to focus on intrinsic capacities to promote health. Besides recommendations relating to the person’s intrinsic capacities, environmental aspects should be focused upon, to improve healthy aging.
TheSharing of theProfits of theCarrera deIndias: The Actors of the Hispanic Colonial Trade and Their Monopolistic Practices in the Second Half of the Eighteenth Century
Authors: Bartolomei Arnaud
Published: January 2024

TheCarrera de Indias, considered as a set of circuits connecting Hispanic America to world markets, does not appear as a “monopoly” reserved solely for the Spanish merchants of Cadiz, but rather as a complex commercial system, structured into three autonomous segments, each of them dominated by a mercantile corporation, more or less formalized. In the central part, which linked the two shores of the Atlantic, the merchants registered in the Consulado of the Indies of Cadiz (cargadores) obviously dominated the market. However, these were in turn dominated by the merchants from the consulates of Mexico and Lima in the inland trade (comercio de tierra adentro), which linked the great American ports and fairs with the markets of the interior of the continent, and by the foreign merchants of Cadiz, structured into “nations,” in the exchanges that linked the Andalusian port with the rest of Europe and the world. Thus, the beneficiaries of the Spanish colonial trade in the second half of the eighteenth century were neither onlycargadores, nor foreign “smugglers” enjoying the weakness of the Spanish empire as the historiography of theCarrera de Indiashas traditionally postulated, but those three groups of traders.

After highlighting this singular structure of colonial trade in the Spanish Atlantic, we will consider the different institutional and relational factors that could explain it. Obviously, it is because the different groups of actors involved in these exchanges had a specific social, relational, cultural, and institutional capital that they had a comparative advantage over their rivals in certain segments of theCarrera de Indiascircuits, and that they were able to obtain the dominant position that we observe.
Effect of Horizontal Resolution on a Meso‐β‐Scale Vortex Simulation in an Extreme Rainstorm on 22 May 2020 Over South China: A Contrastive Study Based on Different‐Resolution Ensembles
Authors: Zhang Guanshun , Zhang Xubin , Yang Zhaoli
Published: January 2024

A transient extreme rainstorm that occurred over Guangzhou city, China, on 22 May 2020, has been investigated based on two ensemble prediction systems (EPSs), one with 9‐km (TRAMS9km‐EPS) and the other with 3‐km (TRAMS3km‐EPS) grid spacings, respectively. The results show that the better performance in the rainstorm event of TRAMS3km‐EPS than that of TRAMS9km‐EPS has been attributed to the reasonable simulation of an eastward propagating meso‐β‐scale convective vortex (MβCV). The composite evolution of the good‐performing members for the two EPSs has verified the important role of the MβCV in modulating the structure of low‐level jet (LLJ) to converge toward the Guangzhou city, facilitating the formation of the rainstorm. In comparison to the gravity wave disturbance when LLJ passed through the mountains in TRAMS3km‐EPS, the topographic effect induced the moist air to ascend deeply in TRAMS9km‐EPS, which directly led to earlier outbreaks of convection and rainstorm processes and affected the structural intensity of the upstream MβCV. Quantitative PV diagnosis has demonstrated that the dispersedly strong high‐PV systems in TRAMS3km‐EPS were caused by positive feedback effect between meso‐scale convective systems and diabatic heating, and were favorable for the entire cyclonic development of MβCV. The unsymmetrical PV tendency around the moving MβCV under the combined effect of diabatic heating and advection process in TRAMS9km‐EPS resulted in a rapid propagation of this system. However, the symmetrically developed PV system within the MβCV in TRAMS3km‐EPS allowed the enhanced cyclonic circulation to persistently affect Guangzhou city, inducing extreme rainstorms similar to the observations.
Mafic Alkaline Magmatism and Rare Earth Element Mineralization in the Mojave Desert, California: The Bobcat Hills Connection to Mountain Pass
Authors: Watts K. E. , Miller D. M. , Ponce D. A.
Published: January 2024

Occurrences of alkaline and carbonatite rocks with high concentrations of rare earth elements (REE) are a defining feature of Precambrian geology in the Mojave Desert of southeastern California. The most economically important occurrence is the carbonatite stock at Mountain Pass, which constitutes the largest REE deposit in the United States. A central scientific goal is to understand the genesis of the carbonatite ore body in the context of widespread REE‐rich igneous activity. A swarm of mafic alkaline (shonkinite) dikes has been mapped and sampled at Bobcat Hills, 65 km southeast of the Mountain Pass mine. Whole‐rock geochemistry and zircon geochronology demonstrate a clear affinity to the ca. 1.4 Ga Mountain Pass intrusive system. Bobcat Hills dikes have comparably high REE concentrations (La ∼1,000× chondritic) and an error‐weighted mean 207Pb/206Pb zircon crystallization age of 1,426 ± 2 Ma (2σ). Unlike the alkaline intrusions at Mountain Pass, which have abundant inherited zircon from Paleoproterozoic basement rocks and crustally influenced oxygen isotope compositions (δ18Ozircon = 6.5–7.5‰), the Bobcat Hills dikes lack any evidence of crustal assimilation and have oxygen isotope values that overlap a mantle range (Bobcat Hills average δ18Ozircon = 5.6 ± 0.3‰). The dikes were a high‐temperature, early center of mafic alkaline magmatism in the Mojave Desert that serve as a snapshot of melt generation from a spatially extensive, metasomatized mantle source. We propose that modification of the crust over many tens of Myr at Mountain Pass created an environment that favored crustal assimilation and enabled ascent of late‐stage, REE‐rich carbonatite magmas.
On the Vertical Structure and Propagation of Marine Heatwaves in the Eastern Pacific
Authors: Köhn Eike E. , Vogt Meike , Münnich Matthias , Gruber Nicolas
Published: January 2024

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) have been recognized as a serious threat to marine life, yet, most studies so far have focused on the surface only. Here, we investigate the vertical dimension and propagation of surface MHWs in the Eastern Pacific (EP) using results from a high‐resolution hindcast simulation (1979–2019), performed with the Regional Ocean Modeling System. We detect MHWs using a seasonally varying percentile threshold on a fixed baseline and track their vertical propagation across the upper 500 m. We find that nearly a third (∼29%) of the MHWs extend beyond the surface mixed layer depth (MLD). On average, these deep‐reaching MHWs (dMHWs) extend to 110 m below the MLD and last five times longer than MHWs that are confined to the mixed layer (184 vs. 36 days). The dMHWs can cause stronger temperature anomalies at depth than at the surface (maximum intensity of 5.0 vs. 1.9°C). This general subsurface MHW intensification even holds when scaling the temperatures with the respective local variability. A clustering of dMHWs reveals that 41% of them are block‐like, that is, continually remain in contact with the sea surface, 24% propagate downward, 20% propagate upward, while 15% appear at the surface multiple times. Although the water column MHW duration, intensity and severity are only moderately correlated with their corresponding surface‐based MHW characteristics, dMHWs have the potential to be detected from the surface. Our study can help to augment the remote sensing‐based monitoring of upper ocean exposure to MHWs.
Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator (FATES) for Hurricane Disturbance and Recovery
Authors: Shi Mingjie , Keller Michael , Bomfim Barbara , Li Lingcheng , Koven Charlie , Kueppers Lara , Knox Ryan , Needham Jessica , Kao Shih‐Chieh , Thornton Peter E. , Thornton Michele M. , Leung L. Ruby
Published: January 2024

Tropical cyclones are an important cause of forest disturbance, and major storms caused severe structural damage and elevated tree mortality in coastal tropical forests. Model capabilities that can be used to understand post‐hurricane forest recovery are still limited. We use a vegetation demography model, the Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator, coupled with the Energy Exascale Earth System Model Land Model (ELM‐FATES) to study the processes and the key factors regulating post‐hurricane forest recovery. We implemented hurricane‐induced forest damage, including defoliation, structural biomass reduction, and tree mortality, performed ensemble model simulations, and used random forest feature importance. For the simulation in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, we identified factors controlling the post‐hurricane forest recovery, and quantified the sensitivity of key model parameters to the post‐hurricane forest recovery. The results indicate a tendency for the Bisley forests to shift toward the light demanding plant functional type (PFT) when the pre‐hurricane biomass between the light demanding and shade tolerant PFTs is nearly equal and forests experience hurricane disturbance with mortality >60% for both the two PFTs. Under more realistic conditions where the shade tolerant PFT is initially dominant, mortality >80% is required for a shift toward dominance of the light demanding PFT at Bisley. Hurricane mortality and background mortality are the two major factors regulating post‐hurricane forest recovery in simulations. This research improves understanding of the ELM‐FATES model behavior associated with hurricane disturbance and provides guidance for dynamic vegetation model development in representing hurricane induced forest damage with varied intensities.
One‐Dimensional Variational Ionospheric Retrieval Using Radio Occultation Bending Angles: 1. Theory
Authors: Culverwell I. D. , Healy S. B. , Elvidge S.
Published: January 2024

A new one‐dimensional variational (1D‐Var) retrieval method for ionospheric GNSS radio occultation (GNSS‐RO) measurements is described. The forward model implicit in the retrieval calculates the bending angles produced by a one‐dimensional ionospheric electron density profile, modeled with multiple “Vary‐Chap” layers. It is demonstrated that gradient based minimization techniques can be applied to this retrieval problem. The use of ionospheric bending angles is discussed. This approach circumvents the need for Differential Code Bias (DCB) estimates when using the measurements. This new, general retrieval method is applicable to both standard GNSS‐RO retrieval problems, and the truncated geometry of EUMETSAT's Metop Second Generation (Metop‐SG), which will provide GNSS‐RO measurements up to about 600 km above the surface. The climatological a priori information used in the 1D‐Var is effectively a starting point for the 1D‐Var minimization, rather than a strong constraint on the final solution. In this paper the approach has been tested with 143 COSMIC‐1 measurements. We find that the method converges in 135 of the cases, but around 25 of those have high “cost at convergence” values. In the companion paper (Elvidge et al., 2023), a full statistical analysis of the method, using over 10,000 COSMIC‐2 measurements, has been made.
Did a Cosmic Explosion Make the Ionosphere Dance?
Authors: Francis Matthew
Published: January 2024

Researchers have linked a 2022 gamma ray burst to a disturbance in the upper atmosphere, but proving the connection highlights the problems with this kind of measurement.
The E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM39 modulates renal fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction through regulating proteasomal degradation of PRDX3
Authors: Jian Jun , Liu Yunxun , Zheng Qingyuan , Wang Jingsong , Jiang Zhengyu , Liu Xiuheng , Chen Zhiyuan , Wan Shanshan , Liu Hao , Wang Lei
Published: January 2024

Renal fibrosis is considered to be the ultimate pathway for various chronic kidney disease, with a complex etiology and great therapeutic challenges. Tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) family proteins have been shown to be involved in fibrotic diseases, but whether TRIM39 plays a role in renal fibrosis remain unexplored. In this study, we investigated the role of TRIM39 in renal fibrosis and its molecular mechanism. TRIM39 expression was analyzed in patients’ specimens, HK-2 cells and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice were used for functional and mechanistic studies. We found an upregulated expression of TRIM39 in renal fibrosis human specimens and models. In addition, TRIM39 knockdown was found efficient for alleviating renal fibrosis in both UUO mice and HK-2 cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that TRIM39 interacted with PRDX3 directly and induced ubiquitination degradation of PRDX3 at K73 and K149 through the K48 chain, which resulted in ROS accumulation and increased inflammatory cytokine generation, and further aggravated renal fibrosis. It provided an emerging potential target for the therapies of renal fibrosis.
Switchable tribology of ferroelectrics
Authors: Cho Seongwoo , Gaponenko Iaroslav , Cordero-Edwards Kumara , Barceló-Mercader Jordi , Arias Irene , Kim Daeho , Lichtensteiger Céline , Yeom Jiwon , Musy Loïc , Kim Hyunji , Han Seung Min , Catalan Gustau , Paruch Patrycja , Hong Seungbum
Published: January 2024

Switchable tribological properties of ferroelectrics offer an alternative route to visualize and control ferroelectric domains. Here, we observe the switchable friction and wear behavior of ferroelectrics using a nanoscale scanning probe—down domains have lower friction coefficients and show slower wear rates than up domains and can be used as smart masks. This asymmetry is enabled by flexoelectrically coupled polarization in the up and down domains under a sufficiently high contact force. Moreover, we determine that this polarization-sensitive tribological asymmetry is widely applicable across various ferroelectrics with different chemical compositions and crystalline symmetry. Finally, using this switchable tribology and multi-pass patterning with a domain-based dynamic smart mask, we demonstrate three-dimensional nanostructuring exploiting the asymmetric wear rates of up and down domains, which can, furthermore, be scaled up to technologically relevant (mm–cm) size. These findings demonstrate that ferroelectrics are electrically tunable tribological materials at the nanoscale for versatile applications.
Doa10/MARCH6 architecture interconnects E3 ligase activity with lipid-binding transmembrane channel to regulate SQLE
Authors: Botsch J. Josephine , Junker Roswitha , Sorgenfrei Michèle , Ogger Patricia P. , Stier Luca , von Gronau Susanne , Murray Peter J. , Seeger Markus A. , Schulman Brenda A. , Bräuning Bastian
Published: January 2024

Transmembrane E3 ligases play crucial roles in homeostasis. Much protein and organelle quality control, and metabolic regulation, are determined by ER-resident MARCH6 E3 ligases, including Doa10 in yeast. Here, we present Doa10/MARCH6 structural analysis by cryo-EM and AlphaFold predictions, and a structure-based mutagenesis campaign. The majority of Doa10/MARCH6 adopts a unique circular structure within the membrane. This channel is established by a lipid-binding scaffold, and gated by a flexible helical bundle. The ubiquitylation active site is positioned over the channel by connections between the cytosolic E3 ligase RING domain and the membrane-spanning scaffold and gate. Here, by assaying 95 MARCH6 variants for effects on stability of the well-characterized substrate SQLE, which regulates cholesterol levels, we reveal crucial roles of the gated channel and RING domain consistent with AlphaFold-models of substrate-engaged and ubiquitylation complexes. SQLE degradation further depends on connections between the channel and RING domain, and lipid binding sites, revealing how interconnected Doa10/MARCH6 elements could orchestrate metabolic signals, substrate binding, and E3 ligase activity.
Scalable nano-architecture for stable near-blackbody solar absorption at high temperatures
Authors: Guo Yifan , Tsuda Kaoru , Hosseini Sahar , Murakami Yasushi , Tricoli Antonio , Coventry Joe , Lipiński Wojciech , Torres Juan F.
Published: January 2024

Light trapping enhancement by nanostructures is ubiquitous in engineering applications, for example, in improving highly-efficient concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies. However, most nano-engineered coatings and metasurfaces are not scalable to large surfaces ( > 100 m2) and are unstable at elevated temperatures ( > 850 °C), hindering their wide-spread adoption in CST. Here, we propose a scalable layer nano-architecture that can significantly enhance the solar absorption of an arbitrary material. Our electromagnetics modelling predicts that the absorptance of cutting-edge light-absorbers can be further enhanced by more than 70%, i.e. relative improvement towards blackbody absorption from a baseline value without the nano-architecture. Experimentally, the nano-architecture yields a solar absorber that is 35% optically closer to a blackbody, even after long-term (1000 h) high-temperature (900 °C) ageing in air. A stable solar absorptance of more than 97.88 ± 0.14% is achieved, to the best of our knowledge, the highest so far reported for these extreme ageing conditions. The scalability of the layer nano-architecture is further demonstrated with a drone-assisted deposition, paving the way towards a simple yet significant solar absorptance boosting and maintenance method for existing and newly developed CST absorbing materials.
Managing urban development could halve nitrogen pollution in China
Authors: Deng Ouping , Wang Sitong , Ran Jiangyou , Huang Shuai , Zhang Xiuming , Duan Jiakun , Zhang Lin , Xia Yongqiu , Reis Stefan , Xu Jiayu , Xu Jianming , de Vries Wim , Sutton Mark A. , Gu Baojing
Published: January 2024

Halving nitrogen pollution is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, how to reduce nitrogen pollution from multiple sources remains challenging. Here we show that reactive nitrogen (Nr) pollution could be roughly halved by managed urban development in China by 2050, with NH3, NOx and N2O atmospheric emissions declining by 44%, 30% and 33%, respectively, and Nr to water bodies by 53%. While rural-urban migration increases point-source nitrogen emissions in metropolitan areas, it promotes large-scale farming, reducing rural sewage and agricultural non-point-source pollution, potentially improving national air and water quality. An investment of approximately US$ 61 billion in waste treatment, land consolidation, and livestock relocation yields an overall benefit of US$ 245 billion. This underscores the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of halving Nr pollution through urbanization, contributing significantly to SDG1 (No poverty), SDG2 (Zero hunger), SDG6 (Clean water), SDG12 (Responsible consumption and production), SDG14 (Climate Action), and so on.
Active hydraulics laws from frustration principles
Authors: Jorge Camille , Chardac Amélie , Poncet Alexis , Bartolo Denis
Published: January 2024

Viscous flows are laminar and deterministic. Robust linear laws accurately predict their streamlines in geometries as complex as blood vessels, porous media and pipe networks. However, biological and synthetic active fluids defy these fundamental laws. Irrespective of their microscopic origin, confined active flows are intrinsically bistable, making it challenging to predict flows in active fluid networks. Although early theories attempted to tackle this problem, quantitative experiments to validate their relevance to active hydraulics are lacking. Here we present a series of laws that accurately predict the geometry of active flows in trivalent networks. Experiments with colloidal rollers reveal that active hydraulic flows realize dynamical spin ices: they are frustrated, non-deterministic and yield degenerate streamline patterns. These patterns split into two geometric classes of self-similar loops, which reflect the fractionalization of topological defects at subchannel scales. Informed by our measurements, we formulate the laws of active hydraulics in trivalent networks as a double-spin model. We then use these laws to predict the random geometry of degenerate streamlines. We expect our fundamental understanding to provide robust design rules for active microfluidic devices and to offer avenues to investigate the motion of living cells and organisms in complex habitats.
A global dataset of biochar application effects on crop yield, soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Li Xin , Wu Dong , Liu Xue , Huang Yaping , Cai Andong , Xu Hu , Ran Jiwei , Xiao Jing , Zhang Wenju
Published: January 2024

Biochar application is widely studied to mitigate the threats of soil degradation to food security and climate change. However, there are big variations in the effects of biochar application on crops, soils, and the atmosphere during crop production. This study provides a global dataset of biochar application effects on crop yield, soil properties, and greenhouse emissions. The dataset is extracted and integrated from 367 peer-reviewed studies with 891 independent field, laboratory, and incubation experiments across 37 countries. This dataset includes 21 variables before and after biochar application (including soil properties, crop yield, greenhouse gas emissions, etc.) of 2438 items, focusing on two main biochar application types: biochar application alone and combined with fertilizers. Background information on climate conditions, initial soil properties, management practices, and characteristics of biochar sources and production is also contained in the dataset. This dataset facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the impact of biochar application, supports the utilization of agricultural wastes for biochar production, and assists researchers in refining experimental protocols for further studies.
Protective effect of Moringa oleifera leaf ethanolic extract against uranyl acetate-induced testicular dysfunction in rats
Authors: Ragab Sohair M. M. , Almohaimeed Hailah M. , Alghriany Alshaimaa A. I. , Khalil Nasser S. Abou , Abd-Allah Elham A.
Published: January 2024

Uranyl acetate (UA) is used in civilian and military applications, predisposing it to wide dispersion in ecosystems. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging radical analysis, we confirmed that Moringa oleifera leaf ethanolic extract (MLEE) is rich in biologically active phytochemicals. Thus, this study aims to investigate the possible defensive effect of MLEE against UA-induced testicular dysfunction. To achieve this, rats were divided randomly and evenly into three groups for 14 days. The control group received no treatment, while the UA group received a single intraperitoneal injection of UA at a dose of 5 mg/kg BW dissolved in saline on the 12th day of the experiment, followed by no treatment the following day. The MLEE + UA group received daily oral administration of MLEE (300 mg/kg BW) dissolved in distilled water before exposure to UA intoxication. The disruption observed in the pituitary–gonadal axis of UA-intoxicated rats was characterized by a significant decrease in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, and estradiol 17beta levels. Additionally, there was a notable increase in malondialdehyde and a decrease in catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, and nitric oxide, accompanied by an up-regulation in the immuno-expression of nuclear factor-kappa B, indicating a disturbance in the redox balance. The TUNEL assay confirmed a substantial rise in apoptotic cell numbers in the UA group. Testicular histopathological changes, excessive collagen deposition, and reduced glycogen content were evident following UA exposure. However, supplementation with MLEE effectively countered these mentioned abnormalities. MLEE is proposed to combat the toxicological molecular targets in the UA-affected testis by restoring the balance between oxidants and antioxidants while obstructing the apoptotic cascade. MLEE contains an abundance of redox-stabilizing and cytoprotective phytochemicals that have the potential to counteract the mechanistic pathways associated with UA exposure. These findings encourage further research into other plausible protective aspects of Moringa oleifera against the UA challenge.
Multidisciplinary estimates of connectivity and population structure suggest the use of multiple units for the conservation and management of meagre, Argyrosomus regius
Authors: Abecasis D. , Ogden R. , Winkler A. C. , Gandra M. , Khallahi B. , Diallo M. , Cabrera-Castro R. , Weiller Y. , Erzini K. , Afonso P. , Assis J.
Published: January 2024

Information on population structure and connectivity of targeted species is key for proper implementation of spatial conservation measures. We used a combination of genomics, biophysical modelling, and biotelemetry to infer the population structure and connectivity of Atlantic meagre, an important fisheries resource throughout its distribution. Genetic samples from previously identified Atlantic spawning locations (Gironde, Tejo, Guadalquivir, Banc d’Arguin) and two additional regions (Algarve and Senegal) were analysed using genome-wide SNP-genotyping and mitochondrial DNA analyses. Biophysical models were conducted to investigate larval dispersal and connectivity from the known Atlantic spawning locations. Additionally, thirteen fish were double-tagged with biotelemetry transmitters off the Algarve (Portugal) to assess movement patterns and connectivity of adult individuals. This multidisciplinary approach provided a robust overview of meagre population structure and connectivity in the Atlantic. Nuclear SNP-genotyping showed a clear differentiation between the European and African populations, with significant isolation of the few known Atlantic spawning sites. The limited level of connectivity between these subpopulations is potentially driven by adults, capable of wide-ranging movements and connecting sites 500 km apart, as evidenced by tagging studies, whilst larval dispersal inferred by modelling is much more limited (average of 52 km; 95% of connectivity events up to 174 km). Our results show sufficient evidence of population structure, particularly between Africa and Europe but also within Europe, for the meagre to be managed as separate stocks. Additionally, considering the low degree of larvae connectivity, the implementation of marine protected areas in key spawning sites could be crucial towards species sustainability.
In silico ADMET profiling of Docetaxel and development of camel milk derived liposomes nanocarriers for sustained release of Docetaxel in triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Kousar Kousain , Shafiq Shaheer , Sherazi Syeda Tahira , Iqbal Fareeha , Shareef Usman , Kakar Salik , Ahmad Tahir
Published: January 2024

This study aimed at encapsulation of commonly administered, highly cytotoxic anticancer drug Docetaxel (DTX) in camel milk fat globule-derived liposomes for delivery in triple negative breast cancer cells. Prior to liposomal encapsulation of drug, in silico analysis of Docetaxel was done to predict off target binding associated toxicities in different organs. For this purpose, the ADMET Predictor (TM) Cloud version 10.4.0.5, 64-bit, was utilized to simulate Docetaxel’s pharmacokinetic and physicochemical parameters. Freshly milked camel milk was bought from local market, from two breeds Brella and Marecha, in suburbs of Islamabad. After extraction of MFGM-derived liposomes from camel milk, docetaxel was loaded into liposomes by thin film hydration method. The physiochemical properties of liposomes were analyzed by SEM, FTIR and Zeta analysis. The results from SEM showed that empty liposomes (Lp-CM-ChT80) had spherical morphology while DTX loaded liposomes (Lp-CM-ChT80-DTX) exhibited rectangular shape, FTIR revealed the presence of characteristic functional groups which confirmed the successful encapsulation of DTX. Zeta analysis showed that Lp-CM-ChT80-DTX had size of 836.6 nm with PDI of 0.088 and zeta potential of − 18.7 mV. The encapsulation efficiency of Lp-CM-ChT80 turned out to be 25% while in vitro release assay showed slow release of DTX from liposomes as compared to pure DTX using dialysis membrane. The in vitro anticancer activity was analyzed by cell morphology analysis and MTT cytotoxicity assay using different concentrations 80 µg/ml, 120 µg/ml and 180 µg/ml of Lp-CM-ChT80-DTX on MDA-MB-231 cells. The results showed cytotoxic effects increased in time and dose dependent manner, marked by rounding, shrinkage and aggregation of cells. MTT cytotoxicity assay showed that empty liposomes Lp-CM-ChT80 did not have cytotoxic effect while Lp-CM-ChT80-DTX showed highest cytotoxic potential of 60.2% at 180 µg/ml. Stability analysis showed that liposomes were stable till 24 h in solution form at 4 °C.
A cost-effectiveness analysis of an integrated clinical-radiogenomic screening program for the identification of BRCA 1/2 carriers (e-PROBE study)
Authors: Di Pilla A. , Nero C. , Specchia M. L. , Ciccarone F. , Boldrini L. , Lenkowicz J. , Alberghetti B. , Fagotti A. , Testa A. C. , Valentini V. , Sala E. , Scambia G.
Published: January 2024

Current approach to identify BRCA 1/2 carriers in the general population is ineffective as most of the carriers remain undiagnosed. Radiomics is an emerging tool for large scale quantitative analysis of features from standard diagnostic imaging and has been applied also to identify gene mutational status. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of integrating a radiogenomics model with clinical and family history data in identifying BRCA mutation carriers in the general population. This cost-effective analysis compares three different approaches to women selection for BRCA testing: established clinical criteria/family history (model 1); established clinical criteria/family history and the currently available radiogenomic model (49% sensitivity and 87% specificity) based on ultrasound images (model 2); same approach used in model 2 but simulating an improvement of the performances of the radiogenomic model (80% sensitivity and 95% specificity) (model 3). All models were trained with literature data. Direct costs were calculated according to the rates currently used in Italy. The analysis was performed simulating different scenarios on the generation of 18-year-old girls in Italy (274,000 people). The main outcome was to identify the most effective model comparing the number of years of BRCA-cancer healthy life expectancy (HLYs). An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was also derived to determine the cost in order to increase BRCA carriers-healthy life span by 1 year. Compared to model 1, model 2 increases the detection rate of BRCA carriers by 41.8%, reduces the rate of BRCA-related cancers by 23.7%, generating over a 62-year observation period a cost increase by 2.51 €/Year/Person. Moreover, model 3 further increases BRCA carriers detection (+ 68.3%) and decrease in BRCA-related cancers (− 38.4%) is observed compared to model 1. Model 3 increases costs by 0.7 €/Year/Person. After one generation, the estimated ICER in the general population amounts to about 3800€ and 653€ in model 2 and model 3 respectively. Model 2 has a massive effect after only one generation in detecting carriers in the general population with only a small cost increment. The clinical impact is limited mainly due to the current low acceptance rate of risk-reducing surgeries. Further multicentric studies are required before implementing the integrated clinical-radiogenomic model in clinical practice.
Computational fluid dynamics simulation of a jet crystallizer for continuous crystallization of lovastatin
Authors: Zarei Mohammad , Norouzi Hamid Reza , Sahlodin Ali M.
Published: January 2024

Continuous crystallization of lovastatin from a lovastatin-methanol solution and water as the anti-solvent in an impinging jet crystallizer is investigated using a computational fluid dynamics model. To capture the important phenomena, the model is coupled with micro-mixing, population balance, and related energy balance equations. It is implemented in OpenFOAM and validated against experimental data, where a fairly good agreement is found. The effects of key process parameters on the crystallization performance are also studied using the validated model. The results show that increasing the inlet jet velocity from 1 to 4 m/s yields a much narrower size distribution and 70% reduction in the mean crystal size. The four-fold increase in the inlet jet velocity also reduces the crystal production rate by one order of magnitude. Also, it is found that increasing the inlet supersaturation ratio from 6.8 to 8.8 nearly doubles the mean crystal size. Moreover, it results in a wider size distribution and a six-fold increase in the crystal production rate. The simulations also confirm that lower solution to anti-solvent mass flow ratios yield a wider size distribution, a larger mean crystal size and a higher crystal production rate. Increasing this ratio from 0.5 to 2 reduces the production rate by two orders of magnitude.
Latitudinal and temporal distribution of aerosols and precipitable water vapor in the tropical Andes from AERONET, sounding, and MERRA-2 data
Authors: Cazorla María , Giles David M. , Herrera Edgar , Suárez Luis , Estevan Rene , Andrade Marcos , Bastidas Álvaro
Published: January 2024

The aerosol and precipitable water vapor (PW) distribution over the tropical Andes region is characterized using Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) observations at stations in Medellin (Colombia), Quito (Ecuador), Huancayo (Peru), and La Paz (Bolivia). AERONET aerosol optical depth (AOD) is interpreted using PM2.5 data when available. Columnar water vapor derived from ozone soundings at Quito is used to compare against AERONET PW. MERRA-2 data are used to complement analyses. Urban pollution and biomass burning smoke (BBS) dominate the regional aerosol composition. AOD and PM2.5 yearly cycles for coincident measurements correlate linearly at Medellin and Quito. The Andes cordillera’s orientation and elevation funnel or block BBS transport into valleys or highlands during the two fire seasons that systematically impact South America. The February–March season north of Colombia and the Colombian-Venezuelan border directly impacts Medellin. Possibly, the March aerosol signal over Quito has a long-range transport component. At Huancayo and La Paz, AOD increases in September due to the influence of BBS in the Amazon. AERONET PW and sounding data correlate linearly but a dry bias with respect to soundings was identified in AERONET. PW and rainfall progressively decrease from north to south due to increasing altitude. This regional diagnosis is an underlying basis to evaluate future changes in aerosol and PW given prevailing conditions of rapidly changing atmospheric composition.
Synergistic effects of nanosecond pulsed plasma and electric field on inactivation of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro
Authors: Oshin Edwin A. , Minhas Zobia , Biancatelli Ruben M. L. Colunga , Catravas John D. , Heller Richard , Guo Siqi , Jiang Chunqi
Published: January 2024

Nanosecond pulsed atmospheric pressure plasma jets (ns-APPJs) produce reactive plasma species, including charged particles and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), which can induce oxidative stress in biological cells. Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) has also been found to cause permeabilization of cell membranes and induce apoptosis or cell death. Combining the treatment of ns-APPJ and nsPEF may enhance the effectiveness of cancer cell inactivation with only moderate doses of both treatments. Employing ns-APPJ powered by 9 kV, 200 ns pulses at 2 kHz and 60-nsPEF of 50 kV/cm at 1 Hz, the synergistic effects on pancreatic cancer cells (Pan02) in vitro were evaluated on the metabolic activities of cells and transcellular electrical resistance (TER). It was observed that treatment with ns-APPJ for > 2 min disrupts Pan02 cell stability and resulted in over 30% cell death. Similarly, applying nsPEF alone, > 20 pulses resulted in over 15% cell death. While the inactivation activity from the individual treatment is moderate, combined treatments resulted in 80% cell death, approximately 3-to-fivefold increase compared to the individual treatment. In addition, reactive oxygen species such as OH and O were identified at the plasma-liquid interface. The gas temperature of the plasma and the temperature of the cell solution during treatments were determined to be near room temperature.
Hsa_circ_0081065 exacerbates IH-induced EndMT via regulating miR-665/HIF-1α signal axis and HIF-1α nuclear translocation
Authors: Jiang Shan , Xing Xiaowei , Hong Ming , Zhang Xingqian , Xu Fei , Zhang Guang-hao
Published: January 2024

CircRNAs play an important role in various physiological and pathological biological processes. Despite their widespread involvement, the function of circRNAs in intermittent hypoxia (IH) remain incompletely understood. This study aims to clarify the molecular mechanism of it in IH. Differentially expressed circRNAs were identified by transcriptome sequencing analysis in intermittent hypoxia (IH) model. GO and KEGG enrichment analys were performed on the identified differentially expressed circRNAs. The circular characteristics of hsa_circ_0081065 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were detected by RT-qPCR. The sublocalization of hsa_circ_0081065 was examined by FISH. The effect of hsa_circ_0081065 on endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) was estimated by detecting the expression of EndMT related markers. Various techniques, including RNA-pull down, RIP, EMSA, dual-luciferase reporter assay and immunofluorescence staining were used to investigate the relationship among hsa_circ_0081065, miR-665 and HIF-1α. A total of 13,304 circRNAs were identified in HUVECs treatment with IH, among which 73 were differentially expressed, including 24 upregulated circRNAs and 49 downregulated circRNAs. Notably, hsa_circ_0081065 demonstrated a significantly upregulation. Hsa_circ_0081065 exhibited the circular characteristics of circRNA and was predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. Knockdown of hsa_circ_0081065 inhibited EndMT. Mechanically, we demonstrated that hsa_circ_0081065 acts as a sponge for miR-665 to up-regulate HIF-1α and exacerbate HIF-1α nuclear translocation in HUVECs. We have demonstrated that hsa_circ_0081065 is significantly upregulated in HUVECs treated with IH. Our findings indicate that hsa_circ_0081065 exacerbates IH-induced EndMT through the regulation of the miR-665/HIF-1α signal axis and facilitating HIF-1α nuclear translocation. These results provide a theoretical basis for considering of EndMT as a potential therapeutic target for OSAHS intervention.
Identification of wheel track in the wheat field
Authors: Zhang Wanhong
Published: January 2024

Agriculture machinery navigating along permanent traffic lanes in the farmland may avoid causing extensive soil compaction. However, the permanent traffic lanes are frequently covered up or eliminated by following tillage practices. It is necessary to identify the wheel tracks designed as permanent traffic lanes in order to ensure the agriculture machinery travels along the designated wheel tracks when cultivating the field. This study proposed an identification method of wheel tracks based on the morphological characteristics of wheel tracks and the environmental conditions around the wheel tracks in the wheat fields. The proposed method first utilized the maximum interclass variance to identify the contours of the main part of the wheel track and the shadow regions around the wheel track’s edges. The main part of the wheel tracks was then separated from interference pixels by moving the centerline of the main part of the wheel track, which was derived by skeleton algorithm and curve fitting, towards the right or left edge of the wheel track at a specific distance. In a morphological opening operation, specific linear and circular structural elements were used to segment the shadow regions along the edge of the wheel track. The remaining wheel track was finally recognized by computing the complement of the region identified. After achieving the segmentation of wheel tracks, many reference points near the outside of the wheel track edge in the original image were chosen as fiducial points for evaluating the differences between the actual value and the recognized wheel track edge. The evaluation was based on computing the root mean squared error (RMSE) and the mean absolute error (MAE) of coordinates of reference points and recognized wheel track edge. The results showed that the largest RMSE and MAE were 24.01 pixels (0.0045 m) and 17.32 pixels (0.0032 m), respectively. The low values of RMSE and MAE reveal that the accuracy of the algorithm developed in this study is high, and using this algorithm may segment the wheel track in the wheat field accurately.
Seasonal predictability of the extreme Pakistani rainfall of 2022 possible contributions from the northern coastal Arabian Sea temperature
Authors: Doi Takeshi , Behera Swadhin K. , Yamagata Toshio
Published: January 2024

During the summer of 2022, Pakistan and northwestern India were hit by an unprecedented spell of heavy rainfall. Despite capturing major tropical climate anomalies, almost all seasonal prediction systems failed to predict the extreme event, far surpassing the 2010 event. While trying to find possible causes of such a failure through an analysis of inter-member anomalies and numerical experiments, we have discovered that the positive sea surface temperature anomalies in the northern coastal Arabian Sea were one of the key factors behind the event. Although the ensemble mean prediction by the original system captured only 7% of the observed precipitation anomalies over Pakistan, the sensitivity experiments, in which the model sea surface temperature in the northern Arabian Sea was nudged to observation, captured about 25% of the observed anomalies. Improving our ability to predict the conditions of the northern Arabian Sea will contribute to better forecasting of extreme rainfall events such as the one experienced in Pakistan in 2022. Further analysis and possible coordinated sensitivity experiments with multi-models are necessary for a better understanding and improving the prediction.
SH3RF2 contributes to cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells by promoting RBPMS degradation
Authors: Gong Ting-Ting , Liu Fang-Hua , Xiao Qian , Li Yi-Zi , Wei Yi-Fan , Xu He-Li , Cao Fan , Sun Ming-Li , Jiang Feng-Li , Tao Tao , Ma Qi-Peng , Qin Xue , Song Yang , Gao Song , Wu Lang , Zhao Yu-Hong , Huang Dong-Hui , Wu Qi-Jun
Published: January 2024

Platinum-based chemotherapy remains one of the major choices for treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). However, primary or acquired drug resistance severely impairs their efficiency, thereby causing chemotherapy failure and poor prognosis. SH3 domain containing ring finger 2 (SH3RF2) has been linked to the development of cancer. Here we find higher levels of SH3RF2 in the tumor tissues from cisplatin-resistant OC patients when compared to those from cisplatin-sensitive patients. Similarly, cisplatin-resistant OC cells also express higher levels of SH3RF2 than normal OC cells. Through in vitro and in vivo loss-of-function experiments, SH3RF2 is identified as a driver of cisplatin resistance, as evidenced by increases in cisplatin-induced cell apoptosis and DNA damage and decreases in cell proliferation induced by SH3RF2 depletion. Mechanistically, SH3RF2 can directly bind to the RNA-binding protein mRNA processing factor (RBPMS). RBPMS has been reported as an inhibitor of cisplatin resistance in OC. As a E3 ligase, SH3RF2 promotes the K48-linked ubiquitination of RBPMS to increase its proteasomal degradation and activator protein 1 (AP-1) transactivation. Impairments in RBPMS function reverse the inhibitory effect of SH3RF2 depletion on cisplatin resistance. Collectively, the SH3RF2-RBPMS-AP-1 axis is an important regulator in cisplatin resistance and inhibition of SH3RF2 may be a potential target in preventing cisplatin resistance.