bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Permanent interstitial low-dose-rate brachytherapy for prostate cancer: institutional experience with implementation and predictive factors for outcome and side effects
Authors: Fels Felix , Okonkwo Ernest , Großmann Jörg Günter , Schadt Thomas , Laschke Sebastian , Lövey György , Lansing Dieter , Freund Ulrich , Steurer Reiner , Momm Felix
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR brachytherapy) with Iodine-125-seeds is an established treatment modality for low- and favourable intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Our single institution experience in this field was retrospectively studied.

Methods:

Two-hundred sixty consecutive patient records were reviewed for demographic, disease, therapy and side effect data. The patients were divided into subgroups by pre- and post-implant prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and by different LDR brachytherapy techniques used, that is, preoperative planning technique (PPT) versus intraoperative real-time planning (IOR). Data were analysed by Kaplan–Meier method and appropriate testing was conducted for PSA biochemical recurrence (BCR) and for toxicities.

Results:

After median follow-up of 65·0 months, 94·0% of all patients were free from BCR. This endpoint showed no significant differences by patient age, initial PSA, PSA decrease over time, Gleason score and implanted total activity. Patients with IOR were free of BCR in 98·9% (180/182) versus 76·9% (40/52) with PPT. All patients with a PSA nadir of <0·1 ng/mL were free from BCR. Six patients (2·5%) reported an incontinence grade 1. Transient nocturia/urge and dysuria appeared in 54·7% and 22·6% of patients.

Conclusions:

Consistent with literature, LDR brachytherapy for low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer appeared highly effective for freedom from BCR with mild side effects.
Clerical Old Age and the Forming of Rites of Passage in Early Modern Scotland
Authors: Langley Chris R.
Published: June 2023

This article investigates the rites that marked the end of a clerical career in early modern Scotland. It discusses what would take place when a minister had accepted that he was too old for his charge. It explores the ways in which ministers described their aging bodies, the impact of age on their vocation and how parishioners observed them. The article argues that the bureaucratic machinery devised to address the challenges of clerical old age created personal and professional rites of passage.
SPCK Tracts and Rites of Passage in the Long Nineteenth Century
Authors: Knight Frances
Published: June 2023

This article investigates how the SPCK, the Church of England's major nineteenth-century publishing house, encouraged what it saw as correct participation in church-administered rites of passage, by the mass production of tracts. SPCK's elaborate editorial policy meant that the tracts provide a rare glimpse into what can be assumed to be the Church of England's officially sanctioned voice, giving the tracts a significance beyond their survival as ephemeral religious literature. The article discusses tracts relating to marriage, baptism, churching and confirmation, the audience for which was mainly, although not exclusively, working-class adherents of the Church of England. It highlights the tangle between theological ideas and social expectations, as well as the echoes of some other theorists – from Malthus to Freud – which found their way into the Church of England's thinking at different times during this period.
The Early Nineteenth-Century Unitarian Campaign to change English Marriage Law
Authors: Wykes David L.
Published: June 2023

The 1836 Marriage Act has received surprisingly little attention from historians of Dissent, despite its significance in permitting non-Anglicans to conduct legally recognized marriages according to their own ceremonies in Dissenting places of worship. The Clandestine Marriages Act (1753), better known as the Hardwicke Act, had limited valid marriages to the rites of the Church of England. Only Jews and Quakers were exempt. By the early nineteenth century the Anglican marriage service was objectionable to Unitarians because of the references to the Trinity. The struggle to change the Marriage Act was initiated by the Freethinking Christians, who engaged in a controversial and highly visible public protest during the marriage service. They successfully engaged the broader Unitarian movement in their campaign, who through the medium of the Unitarian Association undertook a remarkable, though largely fruitless, struggle to change the law until joined by the rest of Dissent in the early 1830s.
E. L. Mascall and the Anglican Opposition to the Ordination of Women as Priests, 1954–78
Authors: Webster Peter
Published: June 2023

This article examines the grounds on which the Anglican philosopher and theologian Eric Mascall opposed the ordination of women, in a series of influential publications from the 1950s to the 1970s. It explores their basis in Mascall's understanding of the Church, the Incarnation and the ontological status of the sexes. It also considers the particular atmosphere of the Anglo-Catholicism of the period, convulsed by ecumenical advance at the Second Vatican Council and (as Anglo-Catholics understood it) the danger of moves towards the Protestant denominations in England. Whilst Mascall allowed that women priests might one day be embraced by the worldwide church, acting together, the peculiar atmosphere of the period seemed to make it the least auspicious time to make what would be a unilateral and far-reaching decision. The article also situates Mascall's interventions in the context of a wider realignment of conservatives, both evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics, within the Church of England.
The Origins of Royal Anointing
Authors: O'Brien Conor
Published: June 2023

The anointing of kings emerged as a Christian rite of passage in the early Middle Ages, although the exact circumstances and sequence of events that led to the general emergence of the rite remain controversial. This article argues that royal anointing first became a recognized and repeated practice within two separate societies: seventh-century Visigothic Spain and the eighth-century Frankish kingdom. Whereas previous work has stressed the role of Christian clerics in the emergence of this rite, the article argues that royal anointing had its origins within lay elite political culture and spoke primarily to the needs, not of the clerics who performed it, but of the laypeople who received and beheld it.
Coming of Age in Faith: The Rite of Confirmation after the English Reformation
Authors: Walsham Alexandra
Published: June 2023

This article explores confirmation as a ritual of Christian initiation in the context of the English Reformation. It examines how this rite of passage, which was demoted from its traditional status as a sacrament, survived and evolved in the wake of the theological, liturgical and ecclesiological changes associated with the advent of Protestantism. It traces the permutations of the practice of laying on of hands that both united and fractured people within the Church of England and its evangelical outer rings between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. It also considers the social history of a ritual that increasingly coincided with the transition from childhood to puberty, and its capacity to shed light on the formation of collective religious identity, bodily habitus and lived experience. Finally, it briefly discusses the Counter-Reformation of confirmation and its transformation into a marker of the confessional militancy of a minority faith.
Factors associated with all-cause mortality following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
Authors: Rašiová Mária , Koščo Martin , Moščovič Matej , Pavlíková Veronika , Habalová Viera , Židzik Jozef , Tormová Zuzana , Hudák Marek , Bavoľárová Marta , Perečinský Slavomír , Dekanová Lucia , Tkáč Ivan
Published: June 2023

Summary: Background: Knowledge of factors that influence all-cause mortality after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) could improve therapeutic strategies post-EVAR and thus patient prognosis. Our study aimed to evaluate the association between sociodemographic information, comorbidities, laboratory parameters, treatment, selected anatomical and genetic factors and all-cause mortality post-EVAR. Patients and methods: We reviewed all patients who had undergone elective EVAR for non-ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) between January 2010 and December 2019. AAA size (maximum diameter and volume) was measured using CT-angiography. Sac expansion was defined as at least 5 mm increase, sac regression as at least 5 mm decrease in the sac diameter determined at 36±3 months post-EVAR in relation to pre-EVAR AAA diameter. Adjustments were performed for age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, sex, smoking, number of lumbar arteries, patency of inferior mesenteric artery and number of reinterventions post-EVAR. Results: One hundred and sixty-two patients (150 men, 12 women) with a mean age of 72.6±7.3 years were included in the analysis. Pre-EVAR AAA diameter (HR 1.07; 95% CI 1.03 – 1.12; p=0.001), pre-EVAR AAA volume (HR 1.01; 95% CI 1.002 – 1.011; p=0.008), post-EVAR sac diameter (HR 1.06; 95% CI 1.03 – 1.10; p=0.000), post-EVAR sac volume (HR 1.01; 95% CI 1.002 – 1.011; p=0.006) and anticoagulation therapy (HR 2.46; 95% CI 1.18 – 5.14; p=0.019) were associated with higher mortality in multivariate analysis. Sac regression (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.22 – 0.82; p=0.011), and treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.36 – 0.97; p=0.047) were associated with lower mortality. Conclusions: Greater pre- and post-EVAR diameter and volume, failure of sac regression and anticoagulation were associated with higher mortality post-EVAR. Reduced mortality was observed in patients treated with ACE inhibitors or ARBs, and in patients with AAA sac regression.
Accounting for Changes in Radiation Improves the Ability of SIF to Track Water Stress‐Induced Losses in Summer GPP in a Temperate Deciduous Forest
Authors: Butterfield Zachary , Magney Troy , Grossmann Katja , Bohrer Gil , Vogel Chris , Barr Stephen , Keppel‐Aleks Gretchen
Published: June 2023

Global observations of solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) are available from multiple satellite platforms, and SIF is increasingly used as a proxy for photosynthetic activity and ecosystem productivity. Because the relationship between SIF and gross primary productivity (GPP) depends on a variety of factors including ecosystem type and environmental conditions, it is necessary to study SIF observations across various spatiotemporal scales and ecosystems. To explore how SIF signals relate to productivity over a temperate deciduous forest, we deployed a PhotoSpec spectrometer system at the University of Michigan Biological Station AmeriFlux site (US‐UMB) in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons. We found that SIF correlated with GPP across diurnal and seasonal cycles (R2 = 0.61 and 0.64 for 90‐min‐ and daily‐averaged data), but that SIF signals were more strongly related to downwelling radiation than GPP (R2 = 0.91 for daily‐averaged data). The dependence of SIF on radiation obscured the impact of intraseasonal drought in the SIF timeseries, but drought stress was apparent as a decrease in relative SIF, which exhibited a stronger correlation with GPP (R2 = 0.56) than other remotely sensed data over the drought period. These results highlight the potential of SIF for detecting stress‐induced losses in forest productivity. Additionally, we found that the red:far‐red SIF ratio did not exhibit a response to water stress‐induced losses in productivity, but was largely driven by seasonal and interannual changes in canopy structure, as well as by synoptic changes in downwelling radiation.
The Aggravation of Summertime Nocturnal Ozone Pollution in China and Its Potential Impact on the Trend of Nitrate Aerosols
Authors: Li Xue , Ren Jingye , Huang Rujin , Chen Lu , Li Yan , Qiao Xinrui , Cheng Yiling , Zhao Bin , Yin Dejia , Gao Da , Sun Yele , Zhang Fang
Published: June 2023

Tropospheric ozone (O3) concentration continued to increase over past years, thereby becoming a growing environmental concern in China. Most studies have focused on the analysis of daily maximum 8‐hr O3 concentration, while there is still a dearth of investigations of nocturnal O3. Here, by analyzing the data of 1,313 sites from the China National Environmental Monitoring Center, we show a remarkable increase in the nocturnal O3 concentration during summertime of 2015–2019 in most regions of China, revealing an aggravation of nocturnal O3 pollution. Combining with a GeoDetector model and statistical analysis, we clarify that the aggravation of nocturnal O3 pollution is mainly caused by reduction in both ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration and wet scavenging in recent years. We further reveal that the increasing O3 may have enhanced the nocturnal particulate nitrate () formation through N2O5 heterogeneous hydrolysis, and thereby driving the variation and long‐term trend of nocturnal .
Modulation of Polar Low Activity by the Madden‐Julian Oscillation
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Boyd Kevin , Walsh John E.
Published: June 2023

The impacts of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) on polar low (PL) activity are examined. We found that PL frequency increases over the Irminger Sea and decreases over the Norwegian‐Barents Seas following the MJO Phases 2–4, and nearly opposite changes are found for Phases 6–8. Further analysis reveals significant anomalies of static stability and low‐level baroclinicity for different MJO phases, which have opposing effects on PL activity in many regions. The diagnosis of the PL genesis potential index agrees well with the observed PL activity. The agreement confirms the robustness of the MJO impacts on PL activity and suggests that such impacts can be largely explained by background environmental conditions. Significant anomalies of PL activity are also found over the North Pacific but with a weaker magnitude, which can be attributed to the comparatively lower PL frequency and the larger cancellation between static stability and low‐level baroclinicity anomalies in that basin.
Social epidemiology of Fitbit daily steps in early adolescence
Authors: Nagata Jason M. , Alsamman Sana , Smith Natalia , Yu Jiayue , Ganson Kyle T. , Dooley Erin E. , Wing David , Baker Fiona C. , Pettee Gabriel Kelley
Published: June 2023

Background

Sociodemographic disparities in adolescent physical activity have been documented but mostly rely on self-reported data. Our objective was to examine differences in device-based step metrics, including daily step count (steps d−1), by sociodemographic factors among a diverse sample of 10-to-14-year-old adolescents in the US.

Methods

We analyzed prospective cohort data from Year 2 (2018–2020) of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N = 6460). Mixed-effects models were conducted to estimate associations of sociodemographic factors (sex, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, household income, parental education, and parental marital status) with repeated measures of steps d−1 over the course of 21 days.

Results

Participants (49.6% female, 39.0% racial/ethnic minority) accumulated an average of 9095.8 steps d−1. In mixed-effects models, 1543.6 more steps d−1 were recorded for male versus female sex, Black versus White race (328.8 more steps d−1), heterosexual versus sexual minority sexual orientation (676.4 more steps d−1), >$200,000 versus <$25,000 household income (1003.3 more steps d−1), and having married/partnered parents versus unmarried/unpartnered parents (326.3 more steps d−1). We found effect modification by household income for Black adolescents and by sex for Asian adolescents.

Conclusions

Given sociodemographic differences in adolescent steps d−1, physical activity guidelines should focus on key populations and adopt strategies optimized for adolescents from diverse backgrounds.

Impact

Sociodemographic disparities in physical activity have been documented but mostly rely on self-reported data, which can be limited by reporting and prevarication bias.

In this demographically diverse sample of 10–14-year-old early adolescents in the U.S., we found notable and nuanced sociodemographic disparities in Fitbit steps per day.

More daily steps were recorded for male versus female sex, Black versus White race, heterosexual versus sexual minority, >$100,000 versus <$25,000 household income, and having married/partnered versus unmarried/unpartnered parents.

We found effect modification by household income for Black adolescents and by sex for Asian adolescents.
Immuno-histologic and histomorphometric evaluation of Angelica sinensis adjunctive to ß-tricalcium phosphate in critical-sized class II furcation defects in dogs
Authors: Eldeeb Dina W. , Hommos Ahmed M. , Taalab Maha R. , Abd El Rehim Samia S.
Published: June 2023

Objective

The study evaluates the effectiveness of Angelica sinensis (As) adjunctive to Beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) bone graft in the management of induced critical sized class II furcation defects in dogs.

Material and method

A randomized study design was conducted on the third and fourth premolars of six dogs. A total of twenty-four defects were surgically created. After reflecting a mucoperiosteal flap, twelve defects were filled with As granules mixed with β-TCP (Experimental group) while the other twelve defects were filled with β-TCP only (Control group) and both were covered by collagen membrane. At the fourth and eighth weeks, jaw segments were dissected and processed for immune-histological examination and histomorphometry analysis.

Results

At four and eight weeks after treatment, experimental group showed a statistically significant increase in the height of newly formed interradicular bone (p = 0.001 andp = 0.0001 respectively), its surface area (p = 0.002 andp = 0.02 respectively), and the thickness of its trabeculae (p = 0.0001 andp = 0.001 respectively), when compared to control group. Moreover. alkaline phosphatase immunoreaction showed higher intensity in the osteoblast cells of experimental group compared to control group.

Conclusion

As enhances periodontal regeneration and bone-formation when used in the management of furcation defects.
Rapid and reversible optical switching of cell membrane area by an amphiphilic azobenzene
Authors: Höglsperger Fabian , Vos Bart E. , Hofemeier Arne D. , Seyfried Maximilian D. , Stövesand Bastian , Alavizargar Azadeh , Topp Leon , Heuer Andreas , Betz Timo , Ravoo Bart Jan
Published: June 2023

Cellular membrane area is a key parameter for any living cell that is tightly regulated to avoid membrane damage. Changes in area-to-volume ratio are known to be critical for cell shape, but are mostly investigated by changing the cell volume via osmotic shocks. In turn, many important questions relating to cellular shape, membrane tension homeostasis and local membrane area cannot be easily addressed because experimental tools for controlled modulation of cell membrane area are lacking. Here we show that photoswitching an amphiphilic azobenzene can trigger its intercalation into the plasma membrane of various mammalian cells ranging from erythrocytes to myoblasts and cancer cells. The photoisomerization leads to a rapid (250-500 ms) and highly reversible membrane area change (ca 2 % for erythrocytes) that triggers a dramatic shape modulation of living cells.
Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of the asymmetric Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model
Authors: Aguilera Miguel , Igarashi Masanao , Shimazaki Hideaki
Published: June 2023

Most natural systems operate far from equilibrium, displaying time-asymmetric, irreversible dynamics characterized by a positive entropy production while exchanging energy and matter with the environment. Although stochastic thermodynamics underpins the irreversible dynamics of small systems, the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of larger, more complex systems remains unexplored. Here, we investigate the asymmetric Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model with synchronous and asynchronous updates as a prototypical example of large-scale nonequilibrium processes. Using a path integral method, we calculate a generating functional over trajectories, obtaining exact solutions of the order parameters, path entropy, and steady-state entropy production of infinitely large networks. Entropy production peaks at critical order-disorder phase transitions, but is significantly larger for quasi-deterministic disordered dynamics. Consequently, entropy production can increase under distinct scenarios, requiring multiple thermodynamic quantities to describe the system accurately. These results contribute to developing an exact analytical theory of the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of large-scale physical and biological systems and their phase transitions.
NFIC regulates ribosomal biology and ER stress in pancreatic acinar cells and restrains PDAC initiation
Authors: Cobo Isidoro , Paliwal Sumit , Bodas Cristina , Felipe Irene , Melià-Alomà Júlia , Torres Ariadna , Martínez-Villarreal Jaime , Malumbres Marina , García Fernando , Millán Irene , del Pozo Natalia , Park Joo-Cheol , MacDonald Ray J. , Muñoz Javier , Méndez Raúl , Real Francisco X.
Published: June 2023

Pancreatic acinar cells rely on PTF1 and other transcription factors to deploy their transcriptional program. We identify NFIC as a NR5A2 interactor and regulator of acinar differentiation. NFIC binding sites are enriched in NR5A2 ChIP-Sequencing peaks. Nfic knockout mice have a smaller, histologically normal, pancreas with reduced acinar gene expression. NFIC binds and regulates the promoters of acinar genes and those involved in RNA/protein metabolism, and Nfic knockout pancreata show defective ribosomal RNA maturation. NFIC dampens the endoplasmic reticulum stress program through binding to gene promoters and is required for resolution of Tunicamycin-mediated stress. NFIC is down-regulated during caerulein pancreatitis and is required for recovery after damage. Normal human pancreata with low levels of NFIC transcripts display reduced expression of genes down-regulated in Nfic knockout mice. NFIC expression is down-regulated in mouse and human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Consistently, Nfic knockout mice develop a higher number of mutant Kras-driven pre-neoplastic lesions.
Molecular mechanism of phosphopeptide neoantigen immunogenicity
Authors: Patskovsky Yury , Natarajan Aswin , Patskovska Larysa , Nyovanie Samantha , Joshi Bishnu , Morin Benjamin , Brittsan Christine , Huber Olivia , Gordon Samuel , Michelet Xavier , Schmitzberger Florian , Stein Robert B. , Findeis Mark A. , Hurwitz Andy , Van Dijk Marc , Chantzoura Eleni , Yague Alvaro S. , Pollack Smith Daniel , Buell Jennifer S. , Underwood Dennis , Krogsgaard Michelle
Published: June 2023

Altered protein phosphorylation in cancer cells often leads to surface presentation of phosphopeptide neoantigens. However, their role in cancer immunogenicity remains unclear. Here we describe a mechanism by which an HLA-B*0702-specific acute myeloid leukemia phosphoneoantigen, pMLL747–755(EPR(pS)PSHSM), is recognized by a cognate T cell receptor named TCR27, a candidate for cancer immunotherapy. We show that the replacement of phosphoserine P4with serine or phosphomimetics does not affect pMHC conformation or peptide-MHC affinity but abrogates TCR27-dependent T cell activation and weakens binding between TCR27 and pMHC. Here we describe the crystal structures for TCR27 and cognate pMHC, map of the interface produced by nuclear magnetic resonance, and a ternary complex generated using information-driven protein docking. Our data show that non-covalent interactions between the epitope phosphate group and TCR27 are crucial for TCR specificity. This study supports development of new treatment options for cancer patients through target expansion and TCR optimization.
Orbital-optimized pair-correlated electron simulations on trapped-ion quantum computers
Authors: Zhao Luning , Goings Joshua , Shin Kyujin , Kyoung Woomin , Fuks Johanna I. , Kevin Rhee June-Koo , Rhee Young Min , Wright Kenneth , Nguyen Jason , Kim Jungsang , Johri Sonika
Published: June 2023

Variational quantum eigensolvers (VQE) are among the most promising approaches for solving electronic structure problems on near-term quantum computers. A critical challenge for VQE in practice is that one needs to strike a balance between the expressivity of the VQE ansatz versus the number of quantum gates required to implement the ansatz, given the reality of noisy quantum operations on near-term quantum computers. In this work, we consider an orbital-optimized pair-correlated approximation to the unitary coupled cluster with singles and doubles (uCCSD) ansatz and report a highly efficient quantum circuit implementation for trapped-ion architectures. We show that orbital optimization can recover significant additional electron correlation energy without sacrificing efficiency through measurements of low-order reduced density matrices (RDMs). In the dissociation of small molecules, the method gives qualitatively accurate predictions in the strongly-correlated regime when running on noise-free quantum simulators. On IonQ’s Harmony and Aria trapped-ion quantum computers, we run end-to-end VQE algorithms with up to 12 qubits and 72 variational parameters—the largest full VQE simulation with a correlated wave function on quantum hardware. We find that even without error mitigation techniques, the predicted relative energies across different molecular geometries are in excellent agreement with noise-free simulators.
Optimal surgical procedure for treating early-stage adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast
Authors: Huang Tao , Fang Qigen , Niu Lianjie , Wang Lina , Sun Xianfu
Published: June 2023

To explore the superiority of breast conservation surgery (BCS) to mastectomy in treating early-stage adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast (BACC). Patients with surgically treated stage I/II BACC were enrolled between 2000 and 2019 in the SEER database; they were divided into the BCS and mastectomy groups. Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were compared between the two groups, and Cox hazard regression models were used to determine the independent predictors. Of the 583 patients in the study, 386 were included in the BCS group. The 10-year OS rates for the BCS and mastectomy groups were 78% (95% CI: 74–82%) and 76% (95% CI: 70–82%), respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.968). The 10-year DSS rates for the BCS and mastectomy groups were 95% (95% CI: 93–97%) and 89% (95% CI: 85–93%), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.002). Pathological examination of regional lymph nodes and adjuvant treatment were not associated with improved OS or DSS, but age, disease grade, and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. For stage I/II BACC, BCS can achieve more satisfactory 10-year OS and DSS than mastectomy.
Deep learning supported machine vision system to precisely automate the wild blueberry harvester header
Authors: Haydar Zeeshan , Esau Travis J. , Farooque Aitazaz A. , Zaman Qamar U. , Hennessy Patrick J. , Singh Kuljeet , Abbas Farhat
Published: June 2023

An operator of a wild blueberry harvester faces the fatigue of manually adjusting the height of the harvester’s head, considering spatial variations in plant height, fruit zone, and field topography affecting fruit yield. For stress-free harvesting of wild blueberries, a deep learning-supported machine vision control system has been developed to detect the fruit height and precisely auto-adjust the header picking teeth rake position. The OpenCV AI Kit (OAK-D) was used with YOLOv4-tiny deep learning model with code developed in Python to solve the challenge of matching fruit heights with the harvester’s head position. The system accuracy was statistically evaluated with R2 (coefficient of determination) and σ (standard deviation) measured on the difference in distances between the berries picking teeth and average fruit heights, which were 72, 43% and 2.1, 2.3 cm for the auto and manual head adjustment systems, respectively. This innovative system performed well in weed-free areas but requires further work to operate in weedy sections of the fields. Benefits of using this system include automated control of the harvester’s head to match the header picking rake height to the level of the fruit height while reducing the operator’s stress by creating safer working environments.
Assessing plate reconstruction models using plate driving force consistency tests
Authors: Clennett Edward J. , Holt Adam F. , Tetley Michael G. , Becker Thorsten W. , Faccenna Claudio
Published: June 2023

Plate reconstruction models are constructed to fit constraints such as magnetic anomalies, fracture zones, paleomagnetic poles, geological observations and seismic tomography. However, these models do not consider the physical equations of plate driving forces when reconstructing plate motion. This can potentially result in geodynamically-implausible plate motions, which has implications for a range of work based on plate reconstruction models. We present a new algorithm that calculates time-dependent slab pull, ridge push (GPE force) and mantle drag resistance for any topologically closed reconstruction, and evaluates the residuals—or missing components—required for torques to balance given our assumed plate driving force relationships. In all analyzed models, residual torques for the present-day are three orders of magnitude smaller than the typical driving torques for oceanic plates, but can be of the same order of magnitude back in time—particularly from 90 to 50 Ma. Using the Pacific plate as an example, we show how our algorithm can be used to identify areas and times with high residual torques, where either plate reconstructions have a high degree of geodynamic implausibility or our understanding of the underlying geodynamic forces is incomplete. We suggest strategies for plate model improvements and also identify times when other forces such as active mantle flow were likely important contributors. Our algorithm is intended as a tool to help assess and improve plate reconstruction models based on a transparent and expandable set of a priori dynamic constraints.
Electrostatic complementarity at the interface drives transient protein-protein interactions
Authors: Grassmann Greta , Di Rienzo Lorenzo , Gosti Giorgio , Leonetti Marco , Ruocco Giancarlo , Miotto Mattia , Milanetti Edoardo
Published: June 2023

Understanding the mechanisms driving bio-molecules binding and determining the resulting complexes’ stability is fundamental for the prediction of binding regions, which is the starting point for drug-ability and design. Characteristics like the preferentially hydrophobic composition of the binding interfaces, the role of van der Waals interactions, and the consequent shape complementarity between the interacting molecular surfaces are well established. However, no consensus has yet been reached on the role of electrostatic. Here, we perform extensive analyses on a large dataset of protein complexes for which both experimental binding affinity and pH data were available. Probing the amino acid composition, the disposition of the charges, and the electrostatic potential they generated on the protein molecular surfaces, we found that (i) although different classes of dimers do not present marked differences in the amino acid composition and charges disposition in the binding region, (ii) homodimers with identical binding region show higher electrostatic compatibility with respect to both homodimers with non-identical binding region and heterodimers. Interestingly, (iii) shape and electrostatic complementarity, for patches defined on short-range interactions, behave oppositely when one stratifies the complexes by their binding affinity: complexes with higher binding affinity present high values of shape complementarity (the role of the Lennard-Jones potential predominates) while electrostatic tends to be randomly distributed. Conversely, complexes with low values of binding affinity exploit Coulombic complementarity to acquire specificity, suggesting that electrostatic complementarity may play a greater role in transient (or less stable) complexes. In light of these results, (iv) we provide a novel, fast, and efficient method, based on the 2D Zernike polynomial formalism, to measure electrostatic complementarity without the need of knowing the complex structure. Expanding the electrostatic potential on a basis of 2D orthogonal polynomials, we can discriminate between transient and permanent protein complexes with an AUC of the ROC of $$\sim$$
∼
0.8. Ultimately, our work helps shedding light on the non-trivial relationship between the hydrophobic and electrostatic contributions in the binding interfaces, thus favoring the development of new predictive methods for binding affinity characterization.
Serum proteome profiling of naturally acquired Babesia rossi infection in dogs
Authors: Kuleš Josipa , Rubić Ivana , Farkaš Vladimir , Barić Rafaj Renata , Gotić Jelena , Crnogaj Martina , Burchmore Richard , Eckersall David , Mrljak Vladimir , Leisewitz Andrew L.
Published: June 2023

Babesiosis is a disease of significant medically and veterinary importance with worldwide distribution. It is caused by intra-erythrocyte protozoal parasites, with Babesia rossi causing the most severe clinical signs of all the large Babesia parasites infecting dogs. The disease can be clinically classified into uncomplicated and complicated forms with a wide range of clinical presentations from a mild, subclinical illness to complicated forms and death. The aim of this study was to assess serum proteomic profiles from dogs with babesiosis and healthy dogs using a label-based proteomics approach. Altogether 32 dogs naturally infected with B. rossi (subdivided into 18 uncomplicated cases and 14 complicated cases of babesiosis) and 20 healthy dogs were included. There were 78 proteins with significantly different abundances between the three groups of dogs. Elucidation of proteins and pathways involved in canine babesiosis caused by B. rossi have revealed key differences associated with haemostasis, innate immune system, lipid metabolism and inflammation. Shotgun proteomic profiling allowed identification of potential serum biomarkers for differentiation of disease severity in canine babesiosis caused by B. rossi. These findings may be applicable to the study of host-parasite interactions and the development of novel therapeutic targets.
Lab2Field transfer of a robotic raspberry harvester enabled by a soft sensorized physical twin
Authors: Junge Kai , Pires Catarina , Hughes Josie
Published: June 2023

Robotic fruit harvesting requires dexterity to handle delicate crops and development relying upon field testing possible only during the harvesting season. Here we focus on raspberry crops, and explore how the research methodology of harvesting robots can be accelerated through soft robotic technologies. We propose and demonstrate a physical twin of the harvesting environment: a sensorized physical simulator of a raspberry plant with tunable properties, used to train a robotic harvester in the laboratory regardless of season. The sensors on the twin allow for direct comparison with human demonstrations, used to tune the robot controllers. In early field demonstrations, an 80% harvesting success rate was achieved without any modifications on the lab trained robot.
Plasmon sensitivity and enhanced catalytic performance of nanocomposites based on Au nanorods
Authors: Zhang Han , Zhang Yuhao , Wu Xin , Xu Juan , Kan Caixia
Published: June 2023

Schematic illustration for the growth process of an Au@Ag nanocuboid and an Au@AgPd nanoframe based on an Au nanorod.
Decoration of Ru nanoparticles on γ-alumina with sub-nanometer ceria species for efficient catalytic ammonia synthesis
Authors: Feng Ji , Liu Lin , Ju Xiaohua , Jiang Qike , Wang Jiemin , Guo Jianping , He Teng , Chen Ping
Published: June 2023

We firstly developed an efficient Ru-based ammonia synthesis catalyst by dispersing sub-nanometer CeO2species on the surface of Ru NPs supported on Al2O3.
Plant-derived exosomal nanoparticles: potential therapeutic for inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Li De-feng , Tang Qi , Yang Mei-feng , Xu Hao-ming , Zhu Min-zheng , Zhang Yuan , Tian Cheng-mei , Nie Yu-qiang , Wang Jian-yao , Liang Yu-jie , Wang Li-sheng , Yao Jun
Published: June 2023

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation.
Multi-plasmon effects and plasmon satellites in photoemission from nanostructures
Authors: Gonçalves P. A. D. , García de Abajo F. Javier
Published: June 2023

Plasmons excited during photoemission from nanostructures imprint sharp features in the photoelectron spectra that yield information on the nanoscale optical response and the underlying ultrafast dynamics of the system.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel β-lactam-metallo β-lactamase inhibitors
Authors: Shungube Mbongeni , Hlophe Ayanda K. , Girdhari Letisha , Sabe Victor T. , Peters Byron B. , Reddy Nakita , Omolabi Kehinde F. , Chetty Lloyd , Arumugam Thilona , Chuturgoon Anil , Kruger Hendrik G. , Arvidsson Per I. , Qin Hua-Li , Naicker Tricia , Govender Thavendran
Published: June 2023

β-lactamases are enzymes that deactivate β-lactam antibiotics through a hydrolysis mechanism.
Engineering ligand chemistry on Au25 nanoclusters: from unique ligand addition to precisely controllable ligand exchange
Authors: Zhao Jiangtao , Ziarati Abolfazl , Rosspeintner Arnulf , Wang Yanan , Bürgi Thomas
Published: June 2023

The precisely controllable ligand exchange and ligand addition reaction on Au25SR18 are achieved via the manipulation of incoming ligands and charge of Au25; this provides a novel tool to control the surface ligand chemistry on Au nanoclusters.
Surface regulating and hetero-interface engineering of an LSCF cathode by CVD for solid oxide fuel cells: integration of improved electrochemical performance and Cr-tolerance
Authors: Xiong Chunyan , Xu Shan , Li Xiantao , Liu Tong , Tan Yuan , Zhao Pei , Qiu Peng
Published: June 2023

A conformal layer of CeO2 on the surface of LSCF can be obtained using CVD. The fine-tuned CeO2/LSCF heterointerface and the suppressed Sr-segregation resulted in the improved electrochemical performance and enhanced Cr-tolerance of LSCF cathode.
Self-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanofibril cryogels loaded with synthesized aminophosphonates as antimicrobial wound dressings
Authors: Elsherbiny Dalia A. , Abdelgawad Abdelrahman M. , Hemdan Bahaa A. , Montaser Ahmed S. , El-Sayed Ibrahim El-Tantawy , Jockenhoevel Stefan , Ghazanfari Samaneh
Published: June 2023

Self-crosslinked porous cryogels derived from polyvinyl alcohol (partially and fully hydrolyzed) and cellulose nanofibril blends were formulated and used as drug vehicles for newly synthesized α-aminophosphonate drugs.
Facile synthesis of multibranched gold nanostars with precisely tunable sizes for surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: Bi Cuixia , Wang Zhixiu , Zhao Hongyan , Liu Guangqiang
Published: June 2023

Gold nanostars with sharp and densely branched morphologies were fabricated by a seed-mediated method using cysteine as the shape-directing agent.
Barriers to Graduate Applications: Perspectives of Undergraduate Students From Underrepresented Backgrounds in Communication Science and Disorders
Authors: Lugo Victor Alan , Wood Carla , Torres-Chavarro Michelle , Garcia-Salas Miguel
Published: June 2023

Purpose:

The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine the perspectives of students from underrepresented backgrounds on the graduate school application process and identify ways to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in communication science and disorders.

Method:

A novel 15-item survey was used to solicit information about the experiences and perspectives of the graduate application process from 39 senior undergraduate students in a communication science and disorders program. Semistructured interviews were then conducted with seven students from underrepresented backgrounds to further explore perceived barriers to graduate applications and potential resources and supports.

Results:

Results demonstrated a variety of factors, including financial demands, Graduate Record Examinations requirements, and program location and prestige, that influenced student decision making during the application process. Students from underrepresented backgrounds reported applying to more programs on average but engaged in numerically fewer hours of research and practicum experiences than peers from majority backgrounds. The most significant barriers to the graduate application process included learning and mentorship challenges during COVID-19, limited experiential learning opportunities, and difficulties forming social connections. Departmental support, application assistance, and mentorship initiatives were highlighted as potential levers of change.

Conclusions:

Based on reported barriers to the graduate application process, more research is necessary to further investigate the extent these factors influence achievement, retention, and overall success of students from underrepresented backgrounds. Additional resources and supports, especially those recommended by students in this study, may serve as potential action steps to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in communication science and disorders programs.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23519058
Forming rocky exoplanets around K-dwarf stars
Authors: Hatalova P. , Brasser R. , Mamonova E. , Werner S. C.
Published: June 2023

Context. New space telescopes, such as the upcoming PLATO mission, aim to detect and study thousands of exoplanets, especially terrestrial planets around main-sequence stars. This motivates us to study how these planets formed. How multiple close-in super-Earths form around stars with masses lower than that of the Sun is still an open issue. Several recent modeling studies have focused on planet formation around M-dwarf stars, but so far no studies have focused specifically on K dwarfs, which are of particular interest in the search for extraterrestrial life.

Aims. We aim to reproduce the currently known population of close-in super-Earths observed around K-dwarf stars and their system characteristics. Additionally, we investigate whether the planetary systems that we form allow us to decide which initial conditions are the most favorable.

Methods. We performed 48 high-resolution N-body simulations of planet formation via planetesimal accretion using the existing GENGA software running on GPUs. In the simulations we varied the initial protoplanetary disk mass and the solid and gas surface density profiles. Each simulation began with 12 000 bodies with radii of between 200 and 2000 km around two different stars, with masses of 0.6 and 0.8 M⊙. Most simulations ran for 20 Myr, with several simulations extended to 40 or 100 Myr.

Results. The mass distributions for the planets with masses between 2 and 12 M⊕ show a strong preference for planets with masses Mp < 6 M⊕ and a lesser preference for planets with larger masses, whereas the mass distribution for the observed sample increases almost linearly. However, we managed to reproduce the main characteristics and architectures of the known planetary systems and produce mostly long-term angular-momentum-deficit-stable, nonresonant systems, but we require an initial disk mass of 15 M⊕ or higher and a gas surface density value at 1 AU of 1500 g cm−2 or higher. Our simulations also produce many low-mass planets with M < 2 M⊕, which are not yet found in the observed population, probably due to the observational biases. Earth-mass planets form quickly (usually within a few million years), mostly before the gas disk dispersal. The final systems contain only a small number of planets with masses Mp > 10 M⊕, which could possibly accrete substantial amounts of gas, and these formed after the gas had mostly dissipated.

Conclusions. We mostly manage to reproduce observed K-dwarf exoplanetary systems from our GPU simulations.
Stragglers of the thick disc
Authors: Cerqui V. , Haywood M. , Di Matteo P. , Katz D. , Royer F.
Published: June 2023

Young alpha-rich (YAR) stars have been detected in the past as outliers to the local age − [α/Fe] relation. These objects are enhanced in α-elements, but they are apparently younger than typical thick disc stars. Here, we study the global kinematics and chemical properties of YAR giant stars in the APOGEE DR17 survey and show that they have properties similar to those of the standard thick disc stellar population. This leads us to conclude that YAR are rejuvenated thick disc objects, and the most likely explanation is that they are evolved blue stragglers. This is confirmed by their position in the Hertzsprung–Russel diagram (HRD). Extending our selection to dwarfs allowed us to obtain the first general straggler distribution in an HRD of field stars. We also compared the elemental abundances of our sample with those of standard thick disc stars and found that our YAR stars are shifted in oxygen, magnesium, sodium, and the slow neutron-capture element cerium. Although we detected no sign of binarity for most objects, the enhancement in cerium may be a signature of a mass transfer from an asymptotic giant branch companion. The most massive YAR stars suggest that mass transfer from an evolved star may not be the only plausible formation pathway and that other scenarios, such as collision or coalescence, should be considered.
Perspectives on electric dipole moments of atoms and molecules
Authors: Boeschoten Alexander , Willmann Lorenz
Published: June 2023

Searches for a permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of a fundamental particle started with the key idea by Ramsey and Purcell of exploitation of discrete symmetries, such as parity, more than seven decades ago. These searches provide a model-independent test of theoretical frameworks, in particular, the Standard Model of particle physics. Over time, a large number of experimentally suitable systems, also atoms and molecules, provided more stringent limits on possible EDMs. We discuss some perspectives on such experiments in the context of statistics, systematics, and sensitivities to beyond the Standard Model physics.
Near room-temperature thermomagnetic energy harvesting
Authors: Belo J. H. , Amaral J. S. , Ventura J. O.
Published: June 2023

The rise of global energy demand and the effects of climate change make efficient energy generation one of the main global challenges. Thermomagnetic energy harvesting is a process that allows the genaration of electrical power in the presence of small temperature gradients near room temperature. Ongoing advances rely on improving materials and devices, in hopes of reaching widespread use of this technology, hence reducing our carbon footprint. In this work, the main concepts behind thermomagnetic energy harvesting will be described, focusing on ongoing challenges and recent reports of new approaches and device designs for this promising technology.