bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interannual dynamics of stemwood nonstructural carbohydrates in temperate forest trees surrounding drought
Authors: Blumstein Meghan J. , Furze Morgan E.
Published: November 2022

Interactions between water and carbon dynamics underlie drought-related tree mortality. While whole-tree water relations have been shown to play a key role in the response to and recovery from drought, the role of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and how their storage and allocation changes surrounding drought events deserves further attention and is critical for understanding tree survival. Here, we quantified in situ NSC responses of temperate forest trees to the 2016 drought in the northeastern United States. Sugar and starch concentrations were measured in the stemwood of five tree species from 2014 to 2019, which allowed us to monitor NSCs in relation to climatic conditions before, during, and after the natural drought. We found that immediately following the drought, measured stemwood NSC concentrations decreased. However, NSC concentrations rebounded quickly within three years. Notably, trees allocated proportionally more to starch than to sugars following the 2016 drought. In winter 2017, starch comprised 45% of total stemwood stores, whereas starch made up only 1–2% in other years. Further, we modeled and assessed the climatic drivers of total NSC concentrations in the stem. Variation in total NSC concentrations was significantly predicted by the previous year’s temperature, precipitation, and standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI), with stemwood concentrations decreasing following hotter, drier periods and increasing following cooler, wetter periods. Overall, our work provides insight into the climatic drivers of NSC storage and highlights the important role that a tree’s carbon economy may play in its response and recovery to environmental stress.
Antioxidant-polyphenols of saw palmetto seeds: statistical optimized production and improved functional properties under solid-state fermentation by Trichoderma reesei
Authors: Abdel-Aty Azza M. , Barakat Amal Z. , Bassuiny Roqaya I. , Mohamed Saleh A.
Published: November 2022

Saw palmetto seeds (SPS) contain essential phenolic compounds that provide antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic benefits when added to food. Maximized/improved production of these valuable phenolic compounds is the main purpose of this study. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a promising processing technique that positively alters the levels of health-promoting compounds in plants and plant residues. Here, a central composite design matrix (16 runs) and response surface methodology were experimentally applied to investigate the best SSF conditions and their interactions for maximum production of phenolic compounds from SPS. A good correlation between actual and expected results was observed with higher multiple coefficients (R2 ~ 0.93–0.97) and strongly significant P values (< 0.0001) proving the accuracy of the statistical model/design. Under optimized SSF conditions, temperature 30 °C, moisture 10%, pH 7.0, and fermentation time 6 days, the total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity of SPS were maximized by 11-fold and 46–49 folds, respectively. According to HPLC analysis, the contents of all identifying polyphenols were 3.3–30.0 times greater in fermented SPS extract (FSPS) than in the unfermented SPS extract (UFSPS). The FSPS extract also contained four new/additional polyphenols (vanillic, p-coumaric, cinnamic, and quercetin). FSPS extract demonstrated much greater antibacterial and antifungal activities than UFSPS extract against various human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Consequently, the FSPS-phenolic compounds can be exploited as a food supplement and an antimicrobial remedy.
Disc golf trajectory modelling combining computational fluid dynamics and rigid body dynamics
Authors: Giljarhus Knut Erik Teigen , Gooding Mika Tobias , Njærheim Joar
Published: November 2022

In the sport of disc golf, athletes utilize discs with various shapes to achieve their desired throws. Computational methods have the potential to give further insight into how the disc shape and throw parameters influence the disc trajectory. A methodology is presented that combines computational fluid dynamics to obtain the aerodynamic coefficients for a given disc shape, with rigid body dynamics to simulate the disc golf flight. The computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed in OpenFOAM, and compared against wind tunnel experiments from the literature. The trajectory model was implemented in an open-source software, and compared against simulated trajectories against measured trajectories of actual disc golf throws. The methodology was applied to three different discs, comparing their aerodynamic coefficients and flight trajectories. How the disc shape impacts lift, drag and moment coefficients and corresponding flight trajectories is discussed. The methodology has the potential to consistently characterize the flight of a disc and lead to greater understanding of disc flight, and thereby contribute to both training, disc development and regulation.
Bacillus thuringiensis Production Through Solid-State Fermentation Using Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) Enzymatic Hydrolysate
Authors: Molina-Peñate Esther , Arenòs Nil , Sánchez Antoni , Artola Adriana
Published: November 2022

This paper aims to explore an alternative pathway to valorize the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. It is based on the use of enzymatic hydrolysis to obtain a sugar-rich fraction with the potential for liquid fermentative processes and a partially hydrolyzed solid that is evaluated as a substrate for solid-state fermentation. Different strategies to modify the pH of the solid substrate to reach a neutral pH, suitable for the growth of biopesticide producer Bacillus thuringiensis, have been explored. The use of alkaline cosubstrates was evaluated on two different scales and temperature was assessed as a preliminary indicator of the scale-up viability of the process strategy. By ensuring a proper pH throughout the process, the growth and sporulation of Bacillus thuringiensis were achieved. The best cosubstrates and mixing ratios were 50% of digested sewage sludge and 25% of digested organic fraction of municipal solid waste, which led to a spore concentration of 1.1 × 109 spores g−1 of dry matter and 6.4 × 108 spores g−1 of dry matter, respectively. Overall, a reproducible and flexible solid-state fermentation process has been achieved for hydrolyzed organic municipal waste based on the use of alkaline urban wastes as cosubstrates. This valorization pathway fits with the concept of urban biorefineries.

Graphical Abstract
Development and characterization of 148 SNP markers in the caribbean symmetrical brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa
Authors: Vollmer Alicia A. , Tringali Michael D. , Allen Melissa S.
Published: November 2022

As coral reefs decline, restoring lost coral populations has been hampered due to the paucity of genetic information available for many coral species. In the Caribbean, the symmetrical brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa, a prominent framework builder of the reef, has experienced an accelerated decline due to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). Colonies of P. strigosa gene-banked in response to the threat of SCTLD in Florida, USA, were sampled to develop 148 novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). The observed heterozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.008 to 0.888 and 0.018 to 0.500, respectively. Deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium within populations, measured by the inbreeding coefficient index (Fis), ranged from − 0.799 to 0.923. In total, 96 SNPs were found to deviate significantly from Hardy–Weinberg (p < 0.05). These SNPs can be used for genetic population analysis to assist management and restoration of P. strigosa.
A non-local semilinear eigenvalue problem
Authors: Franzina Giovanni , Licheri Danilo
Published: November 2022

We prove that positive solutions of thefractional Lane–Emden equationwith homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions satisfy pointwise estimates in terms of the best constant in Poincaré’s inequality on all open sets, and are isolated in$$L^1$$L1on smooth bounded ones, whence we deduce the isolation of the firstnon-local semilinear eigenvalue.
Dissimilar micro beam welding of titanium to Nitinol and stainless steel using biocompatible filler materials for medical applications
Authors: Wiegand Michael , Marks Linda , Sommer Niklas , Böhm Stefan
Published: November 2022

In the present investigation, thin sheet geometries of commercially pure titanium (cp, grade 4) are butt-welded to AISI 316L stainless steel as well as Nitinol by means of micro electron beam welding using filler materials. In order to avoid mixing of the base materials, the refractory metals tantalum, niobium and hafnium are applied as intermediate layers. Owing to the biocompatibility of these filler materials, the final products are suitable for medical technology applications. In combination with low energy inputs and precise beam alignments, it is demonstrated that high-quality and crack-free joints can be produced using micro electron beam welding. The welded joints are analysed using nanoindentation to identify critical weld areas, e.g. high concentrations of intermetallic compounds, and to evaluate the compatibility of the base and filler materials. To correlate the hardness mappings with the microstructural evolution of the welds, an exemplary joint is analysed by means of electron backscatter diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy with special emphasis on intermixing and the formation of intermetallic compounds. Based on the generated hardness mappings as well as the ultimate tensile strengths of the joints, it will be concluded which filler material provides the most promising results for the given material combinations.
Classification of orbits in Poincaré maps using machine learning
Authors: Kamath Chandrika
Published: November 2022

Poincaré plots, also called Poincaré maps, are used by plasma physicists to understand the behavior of magnetically confined plasma in numerical simulations of a tokamak. These plots are created by the intersection of field lines with a two-dimensional poloidal plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the torus representing the tokamak. A plot is composed of multiple orbits, each created by a different field line as it goes around the torus. Each orbit can have one of four distinct shapes, or classes, that indicate changes in the topology of the magnetic fields confining the plasma. Given the (x, y) coordinates of the points that form an orbit, we want to assign a class to the orbit, a task that appears ideally suited for a machine learning approach. In this paper, we describe how we overcame two major challenges in solving this problem—creating a high-quality training set, with few mislabeled orbits, and converting the coordinates of the points into features that are discriminating, despite the variation within the orbits of a class and the apparent similarities between orbits of different classes. Our automated approach is not only more objective and accurate than visual classification, but is also less tedious, making it easier for plasma physicists to analyze the topology of magnetic fields from numerical simulations of the tokamak.
Die mitgliedstaatliche Umsetzung von EU-Recht – konzeptionelle und methodische Perspektiven auf einen vielschichtigen Forschungsgegenstand
Authors: Brendler Viktoria
Published: November 2022

Die Implementation von EU-Policies ist Gegenstand verschiedener (Sub‑)Disziplinen der Europäischen Integrationsforschung, insbesondere der Europäisierungsforschung, der EU-Implementations- und der EU-Compliance-Forschung. Mit dieser Literature Review wird der Forschungsstand anhand der jeweiligen disziplinären Perspektiven systematisiert und mit Blick auf die Weiterentwicklung des Forschungsfeldes zu einer konzeptionellen Integration, aber auch Differenzierung angeregt. In Bezug auf ein passendes Research Design werden sowohl typische als auch neuere Herausforderungen diskutiert und Lösungsvorschläge angeboten, z. B. zur Messung von misfit oder zur Abgrenzung von Phasen und Akteuren der Implementation.
Dietary nitrate supplementation for preventing and reducing the severity of winter infections, including COVID-19, in care homes (BEET-Winter): a randomised placebo-controlled feasibility trial
Authors: Bath Philip M. , Skinner Cameron J. C. , Bath Charlotte S. , Woodhouse Lisa J. , Korovesi Anastasia Areti Kyriazopoulou , Long Hongjiang , Havard Diane , Coleman Christopher M. , England Timothy J. , Leyland Valerie , Lim Wei Shen , Montgomery Alan A. , Royal Simon , Avery Amanda , Webb Andrew J. , Gordon Adam L. ,   for BEET-Winter Investigators
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Infections cause considerable care home morbidity and mortality. Nitric oxide (NO) has broad-spectrum anti-viral, bacterial and yeast activity in vitro. We assessed the feasibility of supplementing dietary nitrate (NO substrate) intake in care home residents.

Methods

We performed a cluster-randomised placebo-controlled trial in UK residential and nursing care home residents and compared nitrate containing (400 mg) versus free (0 mg daily) beetroot juice given for 60 days. Outcomes comprised feasibility of recruitment, adherence, salivary and urinary nitrate, and ordinal infection/clinical events.

Results

Of 30 targeted care homes in late 2020, 16 expressed interest and only 6 participated. 49 residents were recruited (median 8 [interquartile range 7–12] per home), mean (standard deviation) age 82 (8) years, with proxy consent 41 (84%), advance directive for hospital non-admission 8 (16%) and ≥ 1 doses of COVID-19 vaccine 37 (82%). Background dietary nitrate was < 30% of acceptable daily intake. 34 (76%) residents received > 50% of juice. Residents randomised to nitrate vs placebo had higher urinary nitrate levels, median 50 [18–175] v 18 [10–50] mg/L, difference 25 [0–90]. Data paucity precluded clinical between-group comparisons; the outcome distribution was as follows: no infection 32 (67%), uncomplicated infection 0, infection requiring healthcare support 11 (23%), all-cause hospitalisation 5 (10%), all-cause mortality 0. Urinary tract infections were most common.

Conclusions

Recruiting UK care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic was partially successful. Supplemented dietary nitrate was tolerated and elevated urinary nitrate. Together, infections, hospitalisations and deaths occurred in 33% of residents over 60 days. A larger trial is now required.

Trial Registration

ISRCTN51124684. Application date 7/12/2020; assignment date 13/1/2021.
All that glitters is not gold: trustworthy and ethical AI principles
Authors: Rees Connor , Müller Berndt
Published: November 2022

Ethics of technology systems have become an area of interest in academic research as well as international policy in recent years. Several organisation have consequently published principles of ethical artificial intelligence (AI) in line with this trend. The documents identify principles, values, and other abstract requirements for AI development and deployment. Critics raise concerns about whether these documents are in fact constructive, or if they are produced as a higher form of virtue signalling. A theme that is beginning to become apparent in the academic literature regarding these documents is the inherent lack of effective and practical methods and processes for producing ethical AI. This article attempts a critical analysis which draws upon ethical AI documents from a range of contexts including company, organisational, governmental, and academic perspectives. Both the theoretical and practical components of AI guidelines are explored and analysed, consequently bringing to light the necessity of introducing a measurable component to such documents for the purpose of ensuring a positive outcome of deploying AI systems based on ethical principles. We propose a minimal framework for stakeholders to develop AI in an ethical and human-centred manner.
Nanofiber Based on Electrically Conductive Materials for Biosensor Applications
Authors: Gungordu Er Seda , Kelly Alesha , Jayasuriya Sumudith Bhanuka Warnarathna , Edirisinghe Mohan
Published: November 2022

Biosensors are analytical tools that enable the transmission of different signals produced from the target analyte to a transducer for the production of real-time clinical diagnostic devices by obtaining meaningful results. Recent research demonstrates that the production of structured nanofiber through various methods has come to light as a potential platform for enhancing the functionality of biosensing devices. The general trend is towards the use of nanofibers for electrochemical biosensors. However, optical and mechanical biosensors are being developed by functionalization of nanofibers. Such nanofibers exhibit a high surface area to volume ratio, surface porosity, electroconductivity and variable morphology. In addition, nanosized structures have shown to be effective as membranes for immobilizing bioanalytes, offering physiologically active molecules a favorable microenvironment that improves the efficiency of biosensing. Cost effective, wearable biosensors are crucial for point of care diagnostics. This review aims to examine the electrically conductive materials, potential forming methods, and wide-ranging applications of nanofiber-based biosensing platforms, with an emphasis on transducers incorporating mechanical, electrochemical and optical and bioreceptors involving cancer biomarker, urea, DNA, microorganisms, primarily in the last decade. The appealing properties of nanofibers mats and the attributes of the biorecognition components are also stated and explored. Finally, consideration is given to the difficulties now affecting the design of nanofiber-based biosensing platforms as well as their future potential.
Research progress of CA125 in endometriosis: Teaching an old dog new tricks
Authors: Chen Yonghua , Pan Meixia , Zuo Ying , Yang Bin , Wang Shaoguang
Published: November 2022

After decades of research, we still face great challenges on endometriosis in terms of diagnosis and management. Serum CA125 has been used in the clinical practice in endometriosis, and many large-scale clinical trials have been conducted or are underway to determine potential use of serum CA125 levels in endometriosis. In this article, relevant articles that addressed endometriosis associated with CA125 were searched for and retrieved from the databases PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Here we provide an in-depth literature review to depict CA125 dynamic expression in female reproductive tract and to highlight the practical value of CA125 in diagnosing endometriosis, distinguishing the severity of the disease, monitoring the effect of treatment and reflecting malignant transformation. So far, the development of a risk stratification system based on biomarker CA125 for endometriosis may help clinicians in making novel and more efficient strategies for the detection and treatment of endometriosis. In order to improve CA125 specificity and sensitivity, further research is needed to determine its diagnostic cut-off value.
Fluoroquinolone stewardship at a community health system: A decade in review
Authors: Swingler Elena A. , Song Matthew , Moore Sarah E. , Bohn Brian C. , Schulz Paul S. , Junkins Alan D. , Wilde Ashley M.
Published: November 2022

Objective:

To describe inpatient fluoroquinolone use and susceptibility data over a 10-year period after the implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) led by an infectious diseases pharmacist starting in 2011.

Design:

Retrospective surveillance study.

Setting:

Large community health system.

Methods:

Fluoroquinolone use was quantified by days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 patient days (PD) and reported quarterly. Use data are reported for inpatients from 2016 to 2020. Levofloxacin susceptibility is reported for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli for inpatients from 2011 to 2020 at a 4 adult-hospital health system.

Results:

Inpatient fluoroquinolone use decreased by 74% over a 5-year period, with an average decrease of 3.45 DOT per 1,000 PD per quarter (P < .001). Over a 10-year period, inpatient levofloxacin susceptibility increased by 57% for P. aeruginosa and by 15% for E. coli. P. aeruginosa susceptibility to levofloxacin increased by an average of 2.73% per year (P < .001) and had a strong negative correlation with fluoroquinolone use, r = −0.99 (P = .002). E. coli susceptibility to levofloxacin increased by an average of 1.33% per year (P < .001) and had a strong negative correlation with fluoroquinolone use, r = −0.95 (P = .015).

Conclusions:

A substantial decrease in fluoroquinolone use and increase in P. aeruginosa and E. coli levofloxacin susceptibility was observed after implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program. These results demonstrate the value of stewardship services and highlight the effectiveness of an infectious diseases pharmacist led antimicrobial stewardship program.
Impact of a pharmacy department–wide transitions-of-care program on inappropriate oral antibiotic prescribing at hospital discharge
Authors: Halcomb Sarah M. , Johnson Arianne , Kang-Birken S. Lena
Published: November 2022

Objective:

To evaluate oral antibiotic prescribing for common infections at hospital discharge before and after implementation of a pharmacist-driven transitions-of-care (TOC) program.

Design:

Single-center before-and-after study.

Setting:

Acute-care, academic, community hospital in Santa Barbara, California.

Patients:

Eligible adult patients prescribed oral antibiotics at hospital discharge for community-acquired pneumonia, skin and soft-tissue infections, and urinary tract infections between September 2019 and December 2019 (preimplementation period) and between March 2021 and May 2021 (postimplementation period).

Intervention:

Antimicrobial stewardship–initiated, department-wide, TOC program requiring all clinical pharmacists to review discharge antibiotic prescriptions in real time.

Results:

In total, 260 antibiotic prescriptions were assessed for appropriateness: 140 before implementation and 120 after implementation. After implementation, the number of prescriptions considered inappropriate significantly decreased by 18% (52% vs 34%; P = .005). Inappropriate rates decreased in all assessment categories: dosing (15% vs 2%; P < .001), treatment duration (42% vs 31%; P = .08), antibiotic selection based on infection type or microbiology (8% vs 4%; P = .33), and antibiotics not indicated (16% vs 10%; P = .18). Median total antibiotic days decreased by 1 day after implementation (10 days vs 9 days; P = .67), and 30-day readmission rates were similar between both phases.

Conclusions:

A real-time, pharmacist-driven, TOC program for oral antibiotic prescriptions had a significant impact in reducing inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics at hospital discharge for common infections. Incorporating discharge antibiotic prescription review into pharmacist daily workflow may be a sustainable approach to outpatient antimicrobial stewardship in a setting with limited resources.
Research and Diagnostic Algorithmic Rules (RADAR) for mood disorders, recurrence of illness, suicidal behaviours, and the patient’s lifetime trajectory
Authors: Maes Michael , Moraes Juliana Brum , Congio Ana , Vargas Heber , Nunes Sandra
Published: November 2022

The top-down Diagnostic and Statistical Manual/International Statistical Classification of Diseases categories of mood disorders are inaccurate, and their dogmatic nature precludes both deductive (as indisputable) and inductive (as top-down) remodelling of case definitions. In trials, psychiatric rating scale scores employed as outcome variables are invalid and rely on folk psychology-like narratives. Using machine learning techniques, we developed a new precision nomothetic model of mood disorders with a recurrence of illness (ROI) index, a new endophenotype class, namely Major Dysmood Disorder (MDMD), characterised by increased ROI, a more severe phenome, and more disabilities. Nonetheless, our previous studies did not compute Research and Diagnostic Algorithmic Rules (RADAR) to diagnose MDMD and score ROI, lifetime (LT), and current suicidal behaviours, as well as the phenome of mood disorders. Here, we provide rules to compute bottom-up RADAR scores for MDMD, ROI, LT and current suicidal ideation and attempts, the phenome of mood disorders, and the lifetime trajectory of mood disorder patients from a family history of mood disorders and substance abuse to adverse childhood experiences, ROI, and the phenome. We also demonstrate how to plot the 12 major scores in a single RADAR graph, which displays all features in a two-dimensional plot. These graphs allow the characteristics of a patient to be displayed as an idiomatic fingerprint, allowing one to estimate the key traits and severity of the illness at a glance. Consequently, biomarker research into mood disorders should use our RADAR scores to examine pan-omics data, which should be used to enlarge our precision models and RADAR graph.
Across the Boards: Explaining Firm Support for Climate Policy
Authors: Lerner Michael , Osgood Iain
Published: November 2022

When do corporations stop ignoring or opposing climate action and start to go green? We focus on the role of corporate boards of directors, which shape firms' positions on internal and external issues of corporate governance and public policy. We argue that board decisions to engage constructively on climate issues are likely to be influenced by the choices and experiences of other firms. Learning, socialization, and competitive dynamics are especially important in highly salient and rapidly evolving policy areas, such as climate change. To test this theory, we construct the network of board memberships for US public corporations and uncover robust evidence that climate innovations diffuse among companies that share board members in common and among companies whose board members interact at separate boards. Understanding the unfolding dynamics of corporate climate action requires examining corporate boards and their social context.
Comparison of treatment modalities for single-sided deafness in paediatric patients
Authors: Kubina M , Fornwalt B , Patel S , Sharma B , Jeyakumar A
Published: November 2022

Objective

Children with single-sided deafness often receive inconsistent clinical recommendations because there is currently no clear best practice in paediatric single-sided deafness. This systematic review of the literature aimed to compare commonly used treatments and attempted to support the use of a particular treatment modality.

Method

This was a comprehensive literature review from 1 January 2000 to 22 February 2022; the study compared the outcomes of bone conduction devices and cochlear implantation in paediatric patients with single-sided deafness.

Results

Fifteen studies consisting of 202 patients were examined. Variables including speech reception in quiet and noise, as well as quality of life measures were compared. Both cochlear implantation and bone-anchored hearing aids demonstrated benefits in sound perception. Quality of life measures improved with both modalities.

Conclusion

Although both bone-anchored hearing aids and cochlear implantation appear to provide significant improvements, additional research with more direct comparisons is needed to provide more decisive results.
Sequential percutaneous tricuspid and pulmonary valve implantation in a young child operated previously for Ebstein Anomaly
Authors: Odemis Ender , Yenidogan Irem , Aydin Selim
Published: November 2022

We report a successful percutaneous tricuspid valve implantation followed by a percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation in a young child with Ebstein’s anomaly of tricuspid valve and pulmonary stenosis who was previously treated surgically at 1 year of age with tricuspid ring annuloplasty and a transannular outflow patch. This article shows the feasibility of sequential implantation of two valves in young patients with severe tricuspid and pulmonary valve insufficiency.
The algorithmic law of business and human rights: constructing private transnational law of ratings, social credit and accountability measures
Authors: Backer Larry Catá , McQuilla Matthew B.
Published: November 2022

This paper examines the rise of algorithmic systems – that is, systems of data-driven governance (and social-credit-type) systems – in the form of ratings systems of business respecting human rights responsibilities. The specific context is rating or algorithmic systems emerging around national efforts to combat human trafficking through so-called Modern Slavery and Supply Chain Due Diligence legal. Section 2 provides a brief contextualisation of the problems and challenges of managing compliance with emerging law and norms against forced labour and, in its most extreme forms, modern slavery. Section 3 examines the landscape of such algorithmic private legal systems as it has developed to date in the context of forced labour ratings systems. There is a focus on the connection between the power to impose the normative basis of data analytics and the increasingly tightly woven-in connection between principal actors in this endeavour.
Characteristics of the Seismic Signal Generated by Fragmental Rockfalls: Insight From Laboratory Experiments
Authors: Lin Qiwen , Wang Yufeng , Cheng Qiangong , Deng Kaifeng , Liu Shitao , Li Kun
Published: November 2022

Continuous seismic signals are proposed as a useful quantitative information source for the estimation of rockfall properties. However, few studies have examined the characteristics of the seismic signal of fragmentation‐related rockfalls. In this study, a series of laboratory experiments designed with crushable analog blocks freefalling and impacting on a thin horizontal plate under different initial conditions (e.g., block volume, strength and fall height) were conducted. Strong correlations are observed between the rockfall properties and the seismic parameters when considering the rock fragmentation during impact. However, these relationships are observed only when the variation in potential energy spans over one order of magnitude, indicating that the application of seismic signals is limited by rockfall properties. In particular, the seismic energy calculated by the diffuse method is the most stable seismic parameter that is highly correlated with the potential energy of rockfalls. By compiling the available data of the seismic signals of both natural and experimental rockfalls from previous studies and our experiments, we found that the relationship between the seismic energy and the potential energy of rockfalls follows a power law model at all scales. The exponent of the power law function ranges from 1.11 to 1.69. Rock strength can significantly affect the seismic features, which are quantitatively discussed. Rock fragmentation acts as an intermediate variable, which is controlled by rockfall properties and consequently affects the corresponding seismic characteristics. Furthermore, rock fragmentation reduces the efficiency of the conversion of potential energy to seismic energy of rockfalls.
A Rate‐, State‐, and Temperature‐Dependent Friction Law With Competing Healing Mechanisms
Authors: Barbot Sylvain
Published: November 2022

The constitutive behavior of faults is central to many interconnected aspects of earthquake science, from fault dynamics to induced seismicity, to seismic hazards characterization. Yet, a friction law applicable to the range of temperatures found in the brittle crust and upper mantle is still missing. In particular, rocks often exhibit a transition from steady‐state velocity‐strengthening at room temperature to velocity‐weakening in warmer conditions that is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the effect of competing healing mechanisms on the evolution of frictional resistance in a physical model of rate‐, state‐, and temperature‐dependent friction. The yield strength for fault slip depends on the real area of contact, which is modulated by the competition between the growth and erosion of interfacial micro‐asperities. Incorporating multiple healing mechanisms and rock‐forming minerals with different thermodynamic properties allows a transition of the velocity‐ and temperature‐dependence of friction at steady‐state with varying temperatures. We explain the mechanical data for granite, pyroxene, amphibole, shale, and natural fault gouges with activation energies and stress power exponent for weakening of 10–50 kJ/mol and 55–150, respectively, compatible with subcritical crack growth and inter‐granular flow in the active slip zone. Activation energies for the time‐dependent healing process in the range 90–130 kJ/mol in dry conditions and 20–65 kJ/mol in wet conditions indicate the prominence of viscoelastic collapse of microasperities in the absence of water and of pressure‐solution creep, crack healing, and cementation when assisted by pore fluids.
Distinct MJOs Under the Two Types of La Niña
Authors: Wei Yuntao , Ren Hong‐Li
Published: November 2022

El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influences the interannual variations of Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO)—the dominant mode of tropical intraseasonal variability. Previous studies have revealed more about the impacts of the diversified El Niño on MJO, but less about those of the La Niña diversity. Using observations and global climate model experiments, this study demonstrates that MJO undergoes distinct variations and Pacific teleconnections when La Niña varies between eastern‐Pacific (EP) and central‐Pacific (CP) types. Compared to the CP La Niña, MJO under the EP La Niña is more energetic over the southern Maritime Continent–South Pacific Convergence Zone and can propagate faster and further with a broader zonal circulation scale over the Indo‐Pacific warm pool. The stronger and faster MJO under the EP La Niña is associated with more vigorous ascending motions, higher moisture content and stronger moistening in the lower‐level atmosphere ahead of the MJO deep convection. Although the meridional moisture advection exists as the fundamental mechanism of MJO eastward propagation, the distinct MJO under the two types of La Niña primarily results from the different lower‐tropospheric moistening due to the zonal moisture advection. Both the background mean and anomalous zonal winds and moisture gradients are stronger under the EP La Niña, thereby causing a remarkable invigoration effect of zonally advective moistening. Diverse extratropical circulation responses of distinct MJOs are also discussed. These results should improve our understanding of the whole ENSO diversity paradigm that influences MJO and teleconnections.
Lnc Tmem235 promotes repair of early steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head by inhibiting hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs
Authors: Zhang Fei , Peng Wuxun , Wang Tao , Zhang Jian , Dong Wentao , Wang Chuan , Xie Zhihong , Luo Hong , Liu Gang
Published: November 2022

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been used in the treatment of early steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH). However, the hypoxic microenvironment in the osteonecrotic area leads to hypoxia-induced apoptosis of transplanted BMSCs, which limits their efficacy. Therefore, approaches that inhibit hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs are promising for augmenting the efficacy of BMSC transplantation. Our present study found that under hypoxia, the expression of the long noncoding RNA (Lnc) transmembrane protein 235 (Tmem235) was downregulated, the expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein was upregulated, the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 protein was downregulated, and the apoptotic rate of BMSCs was over 70%. However, overexpression of Lnc Tmem235 reversed hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs and promoted their survival. These results demonstrated that Lnc Tmem235 effectively inhibited hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs. Mechanistically, we found that Lnc Tmem235 exhibited competitive binding to miR-34a-3p compared with BIRC5 mRNA, which is an inhibitor of apoptosis; this competitive binding relieved the silencing effect of miR-34a-3p on BIRC5 mRNA to ultimately inhibit hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs by promoting the expression of BIRC5. Furthermore, we cocultured BMSCs overexpressing Lnc Tmem235 with xenogeneic antigen-extracted cancellous bone to construct tissue-engineered bone to repair a model of early SONFH in vivo. The results showed that overexpression of Lnc Tmem235 effectively reduced apoptosis of BMSCs in the hypoxic microenvironment of osteonecrosis and improved the effect of BMSC transplantation. Taken together, our findings show that Lnc Tmem235 inhibited hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs by regulating the miR-34a-3p/BIRC5 axis, thus improving the transplantation efficacy of BMSCs for treating early SONFH.
Impact of alcohol exposure on neural development and network formation in human cortical organoids
Authors: Adams Jason W. , Negraes Priscilla D. , Truong Justin , Tran Timothy , Szeto Ryan A. , Guerra Bruno S. , Herai Roberto H. , Teodorof-Diedrich Carmen , Spector Stephen A. , Del Campo Miguel , Jones Kenneth L. , Muotri Alysson R. , Trujillo Cleber A.
Published: November 2022

Prenatal alcohol exposure is the foremost preventable etiology of intellectual disability and leads to a collection of diagnoses known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Alcohol (EtOH) impacts diverse neural cell types and activity, but the precise functional pathophysiological effects on the human fetal cerebral cortex are unclear. Here, we used human cortical organoids to study the effects of EtOH on neurogenesis and validated our findings in primary human fetal neurons. EtOH exposure produced temporally dependent cellular effects on proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. In addition, we identified EtOH-induced alterations in post-translational histone modifications and chromatin accessibility, leading to impairment of cAMP and calcium signaling, glutamatergic synaptic development, and astrocytic function. Proteomic spatial profiling of cortical organoids showed region-specific, EtOH-induced alterations linked to changes in cytoskeleton, gliogenesis, and impaired synaptogenesis. Finally, multi-electrode array electrophysiology recordings confirmed the deleterious impact of EtOH on neural network formation and activity in cortical organoids, which was validated in primary human fetal tissues. Our findings demonstrate progress in defining the human molecular and cellular phenotypic signatures of prenatal alcohol exposure on functional neurodevelopment, increasing our knowledge for potential therapeutic interventions targeting FASD symptoms.
Five recommendations for using large-scale publicly available data to advance health among American Indian peoples: the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) StudySM as an illustrative case
Authors: White Evan J. , Demuth Mara J. , Wiglesworth Andrea , Coser Ashleigh D. , Garrett Brady A. , Kominsky Terrence K. , Jernigan Valarie , Thompson Wesley K. , Paulus Martin , Aupperle Robin
Published: November 2022

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations have suffered a history of exploitation and abuse within the context of mental health research and related fields. This history is rooted in assimilation policies, historical trauma, and cultural loss, and is promulgated through discrimination and disregard for traditional culture and community knowledge. In recognition of this history, it is imperative for researchers to utilize culturally sensitive approaches that consider the context of tribal communities to better address mental health issues for AIAN individuals. The public availability of data from large-scale studies creates both opportunities and challenges when studying mental health within AIAN populations. This manuscript has two goals; first, showcase an example of problematic use of Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) StudySM data to promulgate stereotypes about AIAN individuals and, second, in partnership with collaborators from Cherokee Nation, we provide five recommendations for utilizing data from publicly available datasets to advance health research in AIAN populations. Specifically, we argue for the consideration of (1) the heterogeneity of the communities represented, (2) the importance of focusing on AIAN health and well-being, (3) engagement of relevant communities and AIAN community leaders, (4) consideration of historical and ongoing injustices, and (5) engagement with AIAN regulatory agencies or review boards. These recommendations are founded on principles from broader indigenous research efforts emphasizing community-engaged research and principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance.
Understanding VPAC receptor family peptide binding and selectivity
Authors: Piper Sarah J. , Deganutti Giuseppe , Lu Jessica , Zhao Peishen , Liang Yi-Lynn , Lu Yao , Fletcher Madeleine M. , Hossain Mohammed Akhter , Christopoulos Arthur , Reynolds Christopher A. , Danev Radostin , Sexton Patrick M. , Wootten Denise
Published: November 2022

The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) receptors are key regulators of neurological processes. Despite recent structural data, a comprehensive understanding of peptide binding and selectivity among different subfamily receptors is lacking. Here, we determine structures of active, Gs-coupled, VIP-VPAC1R, PACAP27-VPAC1R, and PACAP27-PAC1R complexes. Cryo-EM structural analyses and molecular dynamics simulations (MDSs) reveal fewer stable interactions between VPAC1R and VIP than for PACAP27, more extensive dynamics of VIP interaction with extracellular loop 3, and receptor-dependent differences in interactions of conserved N-terminal peptide residues with the receptor core. MD of VIP modelled into PAC1R predicts more transient VIP-PAC1R interactions in the receptor core, compared to VIP-VPAC1R, which may underlie the selectivity of VIP for VPAC1R over PAC1R. Collectively, our work improves molecular understanding of peptide engagement with the PAC1R and VPAC1R that may benefit the development of novel selective agonists.
Elective nodal irradiation mitigates local and systemic immunity generated by combination radiation and immunotherapy in head and neck tumors
Authors: Darragh Laurel B. , Gadwa Jacob , Pham Tiffany T. , Van Court Benjamin , Neupert Brooke , Olimpo Nicholas A. , Nguyen Khoa , Nguyen Diemmy , Knitz Michael W. , Hoen Maureen , Corbo Sophia , Joshi Molishree , Zhuang Yonghua , Amann Maria , Wang Xiao-Jing , Dow Steven , Kedl Ross M. , Samedi Von , Boss Mary-Keara , Karam Sana D.
Published: November 2022

In the setting of conventional radiation therapy, even when combined with immunotherapy, head and neck cancer often recurs locally and regionally. Elective nodal irradiation (ENI) is commonly employed to decrease regional recurrence. Given our developing understanding that immune cells are radio-sensitive, and that T cell priming occurs in the draining lymph nodes (DLNs), we hypothesize that radiation therapy directed at the primary tumor only will increase the effectiveness of immunotherapies. We find that ENI increases local, distant, and metastatic tumor growth. Multi-compartmental analysis of the primary/distant tumor, the DLNs, and the blood shows that ENI decreases the immune response systemically. Additionally, we find that ENI decreases antigen-specific T cells and epitope spreading. Treating the primary tumor with radiation and immunotherapy, however, fails to reduce regional recurrence, but this is reversed by either concurrent sentinel lymph node resection or irradiation. Our data support using lymphatic sparing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
Interferon-λ treatment accelerates SARS-CoV-2 clearance despite age-related delays in the induction of T cell immunity
Authors: Santer Deanna M. , Li Daniel , Ghosheh Yanal , Zahoor Muhammad Atif , Prajapati Dhanvi , Hansen Bettina E. , Tyrrell D. Lorne J. , Feld Jordan J. , Gehring Adam J.
Published: November 2022

Interferons induced early after SARS-CoV-2 infection are crucial for shaping immunity and preventing severe COVID-19. We previously demonstrated that injection of pegylated interferon-lambda accelerated viral clearance in COVID-19 patients (NCT04354259). To determine if the viral decline is mediated by enhanced immunity, we assess in vivo responses to interferon-lambda by single cell RNA sequencing and measure SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell and antibody responses between placebo and interferon-lambda-treated patients. Here we show that interferon-lambda treatment induces interferon stimulated genes in peripheral immune cells expressing IFNLR1, including plasmacytoid dendritic cells and B cells. Interferon-lambda does not affect SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels or the magnitude of virus-specific T cells. However, we identify delayed T cell responses in older adults, suggesting that interferon-lambda can overcome delays in adaptive immunity to accelerate viral clearance in high-risk patients. Altogether, interferon-lambda offers an early COVID-19 treatment option for outpatients to boost innate antiviral defenses without dampening peripheral adaptive immunity.
Absolute frequency metrology of buffer-gas-cooled molecular spectra at 1 kHz accuracy level
Authors: Aiello Roberto , Di Sarno Valentina , Delli Santi Maria Giulia , De Rosa Maurizio , Ricciardi Iolanda , De Natale Paolo , Santamaria Luigi , Giusfredi Giovanni , Maddaloni Pasquale
Published: November 2022

By reducing both the internal and translational temperature of any species down to a few kelvins, the buffer-gas-cooling (BGC) technique has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of ro-vibrational molecular spectra, thus offering unique opportunities for transition frequency measurements with unprecedented accuracy. However, the difficulty in integrating metrological-grade spectroscopic tools into bulky cryogenic equipment has hitherto prevented from approaching the kHz level even in the best cases. Here, we overcome this drawback by an original opto-mechanical scheme which, effectively coupling a Lamb-dip saturated-absorption cavity ring-down spectrometer to a BGC source, allows us to determine the absolute frequency of the acetylene (ν1 + ν3) R(1)e transition at 6561.0941 cm−1 with a fractional uncertainty as low as 6 × 10−12. By improving the previous record with buffer-gas-cooled molecules by one order of magnitude, our approach paves the way for a number of ultra-precise low-temperature spectroscopic studies, aimed at both fundamental Physics tests and optimized laser cooling strategies.
Controlling sulfurization of 2D Mo2C crystal for Mo2C/MoS2-based memristor and artificial synapse
Authors: Tang Xin , Yang Leilei , Huang Junhua , Chen Wenjun , Li Baohua , Yang Shaodian , Yang Rongliang , Zeng Zhiping , Tang Zikang , Gui Xuchun
Published: November 2022

Owing to the conductance-adjustable performance, the emerging two-terminal memristors are promising candidates for artificial synapses and brain-spired neuromorphic computing. Although memristors based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) have displayed outstanding performance, such as thermal stability and high energy efficiency, reports on memristors based on MoS2 as the functional layer to simulate synaptic behavior are limited. Herein, a homologous Mo2C/MoS2-based memristor is prepared by partially sulfuring two-dimensional Mo2C crystal. The memristor shows good stability, excellent retention (~104 s) and endurance (>100 cycles), and a high ON/OFF ratio (>103). Moreover, for comprehensively mimicking biological synapses, the essential synaptic functions of the device are systematically analyzed, including paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), short-term plasticity (STP), long-term plasticity (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), and the transitions from STP to LTP. Notably, this artificial synapse could keep a high-level stable memory for a long time (60 s) after repeated stimulation. These results prove that our device is highly desirable for biological synapses, which show great potential for application in future high-density storage and neuromorphic computing systems.