bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exhaustive existence and non-existence results for Hardy–Hénon equations in $${{\,\mathrm{{\textbf{R}}}\,}}^n$$
Authors: Giga Yoshikazu , Ngô Quốc Anh
Published: November 2022

This paper concerns solutions to the Hardy–Hénon equation $$\begin{aligned} -\Delta u = |x|^\sigma u^p \end{aligned}$$

-
Δ
u
=

|
x
|

σ

u
p

in $${{\,\mathrm{{\textbf{R}}}\,}}^n$$

R

n

with $$n \ge 1$$

n
≥
1

and arbitrary $$p, \sigma \in {{\,\mathrm{{\textbf{R}}}\,}}.$$

p
,
σ
∈

R

.

This equation was proposed by Hénon in 1973 as a model to study rotating stellar systems in astrophysics. Although there have been many works devoting to the study of the above equation, at least one of the following three assumptions $$p>1,$$

p
>
1
,

$$\sigma \ge -2,$$

σ
≥
-
2
,

and $$n \ge 3$$

n
≥
3

is often assumed. The aim of this paper is to investigate the equation in other cases of these parameters, leading to a complete picture of the existence/non-existence results for non-trivial, non-negative solutions in the full generality of the parameters. In addition to the existence/non-existence results, the uniqueness of solutions is also discussed.
Biomedical Signal Processing: The Cornerstone of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Wearables
Authors: Valenza Gaetano
Published: November 2022

Health sensors and remote measurement tools have saved lives through the possibility of continuous monitoring and intervention tools, and over the years their use has expanded to non-medical areas such as fitness and perceived well-being. This expansion has led to unprecedented data collection, especially since biomedical sensors are now ubiquitous in everyday devices such as smartwatches and smartphones. While these devices can be disruptive research tools and even clinical tools, they pose technological and socio-economic challenges that can limit their impact. Here, we highlight these challenges, including the use of proxies for clinical reference measurements, uncertainties resulting from the presence of noise, complexity of physiological systems, and statistical methods used for data interpretation.
Business Impacts on Economic Inequality: An Agenda for Defining Related Human Rights Impacts and Economic Inequality Due Diligence
Authors: Litwin Daniel
Published: November 2022

Economic inequality, in particular vertical inequality in income and wealth within countries,1 has widened considerably with potentially dramatic economic, political and social consequences.2 Reflecting the need for urgent action on inequality, the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10 focuses on the reduction of various forms of inequality within and between countries.3 In that context, a number of recent interventions have sought to highlight how business affects inequality,4 recognizing that businesses have a central function in creating and distributing economic value in society. Significantly, two emerging initiatives, the Task Force on Inequality-Related Financial Disclosure (TIFD)5 and the Business Commission to Tackle Inequality (BCTI) by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development,6 seek to notably identify business impacts on inequality and provide approaches for their alleviation.
Examining the interdisciplinary approach for treatment of persistent post-concussion symptoms in adults: a systematic review
Authors: Jennings Tamara , Islam Md Shahidul
Published: November 2022

Background:

The objective of this review is to examine the evidence for the interdisciplinary approach in treatment of persistent post-concussion symptoms in adults.

Methods:

This systematic literature search was undertaken according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Five electronic databases were searched: CINAHL, Informit, ProQuest, PubMed and Scopus. After screening and quality assessment, the review included six studies published in English and peer-reviewed journals, between 2011 and 2021 to return contemporary evidence.

Results:

The results revealed that there was significant variation between measures used and the timing of the pre- and post-treatment assessment. The studies found an interdisciplinary approach to be beneficial, however, the challenges of inherent heterogeneity, lack of clarity for definitions and diagnosis, and mixed results were apparent. The interdisciplinary interventions applied in all identified studies were found to reduce post-concussion symptoms across the symptom subtypes: headache/migraine, vestibular, cognitive, ocular motor and anxiety/mood.

Conclusions:

The results demonstrated evidence for a reduction in persistent post-concussion symptoms following interdisciplinary intervention. This evidence will inform health services, clinicians, sports administrators and researchers with regard to concussion clinic and rehabilitation team design and service delivery.
Particle–particle drag force in inertial bidisperse gas–particle suspensions
Authors: Duan Fan , Yu Yaxiong , Chen Xiao , Zhou Qiang
Published: November 2022

Particle-resolved direct numerical simulations are employed to investigate the particle–particle drag force in the bidisperse gas–particle suspensions where the particles are smooth and the single-particle velocity distribution function is Maxwellian. The particle Reynolds number ranges from 6.7 to 123.8, and in this range the particle inertia is high enough that the lubrication force is not essential. It is found that the relation derived by the kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) highly overestimates the particle–particle drag force. This is because the pre-collision velocities of colliding particles are not completely uncorrelated with each other. From the time sequence of collision events, it is observed that the particle pair that has just collided will probably collide again after a short time due to the restriction of the particle motion in dense suspensions. Since the post-collision velocities of the first collision cannot relax entirely in such a short time, the relative velocity before the subsequent collision is statistically smaller than the domain-averaged relative velocity. Consequently, the particle–particle drag force is over-predicted when the domain-averaged relative velocity is used. For this reason, this work assumes that the particle–particle drag force is determined by the relative velocity within a local region near large particles. When the local region is set to be the spherical shells centred on the centres of large particles and with an outer radius of a mean free path of small particles, the KTGF-based relation can reasonably predict the particle–particle drag force.
Efficiently generating geometric inhomogeneous and hyperbolic random graphs
Authors: Bläsius Thomas , Friedrich Tobias , Katzmann Maximilian , Meyer Ulrich , Penschuck Manuel , Weyand Christopher
Published: November 2022

Hyperbolic random graphs (HRGs) and geometric inhomogeneous random graphs (GIRGs) are two similar generative network models that were designed to resemble complex real-world networks. In particular, they have a power-law degree distribution with controllable exponent
$\beta$
and high clustering that can be controlled via the temperature
$T$
.

We present the first implementation of an efficient GIRG generator running in expected linear time. Besides varying temperatures, it also supports underlying geometries of higher dimensions. It is capable of generating graphs with ten million edges in under a second on commodity hardware. The algorithm can be adapted to HRGs. Our resulting implementation is the fastest sequential HRG generator, despite the fact that we support non-zero temperatures. Though non-zero temperatures are crucial for many applications, most existing generators are restricted to
$T = 0$
. We also support parallelization, although this is not the focus of this paper. Moreover, we note that our generators draw from the correct probability distribution, that is, they involve no approximation.

Besides the generators themselves, we also provide an efficient algorithm to determine the non-trivial dependency between the average degree of the resulting graph and the input parameters of the GIRG model. This makes it possible to specify the desired expected average degree as input.

Moreover, we investigate the differences between HRGs and GIRGs, shedding new light on the nature of the relation between the two models. Although HRGs represent, in a certain sense, a special case of the GIRG model, we find that a straightforward inclusion does not hold in practice. However, the difference is negligible for most use cases.
The Limits of Bookland
Authors: Blair John
Published: November 2022

This paper aims to demystify the concept of bookland, and to suggest that it matters less for understanding what was distinctive about early England than historians have often supposed. The first part emphasises diplomas as beneficiary-led symbols of culture and status rather than instruments of royal policy. As the primary monastic context faded during the ninth century, so did the distinctive aspects of bookland. By c. 950, bōcland could translate fundus or simply terra, and thereafter diplomas had little effective function beyond signalling the status of landowner and thegn: bookland was absorbed into straightforward allodial possession. In the second part, it is argued that large areas of eastern England never had lay bookland tenure at all, though there was a limited extension of diploma use into parts of the east midlands after c. 940. Rather than a homogeneous Anglo-Saxon charter tradition, we should envisage distinct traditions in the south and west reflecting Italian, Frankish and Brittonic influences. Eastern England, by contrast, faced the North Sea, Scandinavia and the Low Countries: like other English regions it had a high monastic culture during c. 670–800, and that could have included diplomas, but its main documentary tradition is likely to have been more vernacular and decentralized.
Colonial Monuments, Portuguese Commemorations and the Writing of the History of the Colony of Cabo Verde
Authors: Barros Víctor
Published: November 2022

Taking as a case study the commemorations and the monuments erected in the colony of Cabo Verde to memorialise the Portuguese ‘discoverers’ of the fifteenth century, this article scrutinises how those mnemonic schemes acted in the construction of the public memory of the ‘discovery’ of the Cabo Verde islands. It analyses the management of those schemes in the fixation of the narrative established as official history of ‘discovery’, in a context featured by controversies, uncertainties, omissions and historical lack about that very ‘discovery’. It also critically examines the contradictions, the concoction of facts and the distortions created by the promoters of the commemorations and monuments, as well as the role they played in that process. This article proves how, through the commemorations held and the monuments erected, the promoters of colonial memory distorted the protocols of interpretation of the information on the ‘discovery’ of Cabo Verde present in the Portuguese official documents and how they shaped the global understanding of that fact.
The impact of context on pattern separation for objects among younger and older apolipoprotein ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers
Authors: Palmer Justin M. , Grilli Matthew D. , Lawrence Ashely V. , Ryan Lee
Published: November 2022

Objective:

On continuous recognition tasks, changing the context objects are embedded in impairs memory. Older adults are worse on pattern separation tasks requiring identification of similar objects compared to younger adults. However, how contexts impact pattern separation in aging is unclear. The apolipoprotein (APOE) ϵ4 allele may exacerbate possible age-related changes due to early, elevated neuropathology. The goal of this study is to determine how context and APOE status affect pattern separation among younger and older adults.

Method:

Older and younger ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers were given a continuous object recognition task. Participants indicated if objects on a Repeated White background, Repeated Scene, or a Novel Scene were old, similar, or new. The proportions of correct responses and the types of errors made were calculated.

Results:

Novel scenes lowered recognition scores compared to all other contexts for everyone. Younger adults outperformed older adults on identifying similar objects. Older adults misidentified similar objects as old more than new, and the repeated scene exacerbated this error. APOE status interacted with scene and age such that in repeated scenes, younger carriers produced less false alarms, and this trend switched for older adults where carriers made more false alarms.

Conclusions:

Context impacted recognition memory in the same way for both age groups. Older adults underutilized details and over relied on holistic information during pattern separation compared to younger adults. The triple interaction in false alarms may indicate an even greater reliance on holistic information among older adults with increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Reliable change and the reliable change index: still useful after all these years?
Authors: Blampied Neville M.
Published: November 2022

In 1984 Jacobson and colleagues introduced the concept of reliable change, viz the amount of change on a measure that an individual needed to show to determine that it exceeded the extent of change likely due to measurement error alone. Establishing reliable change was a pre-requisite for determining clinical significance. This paper summarizes the rationale for determining reliable change as providing an individual-focused, idiographic alternative to the dominant nomothetic approach to clinical outcome research based on group mean data and statistical significance. The conventional computational steps for calculating an individual’s standardized difference (reliable change) score and the minimum raw change score on the measure (a reliable change index) required to classify individuals as reliably positively changed, indeterminate, or reliably deteriorated are described. Two methods for graphically representing reliable change are presented, and a range of possible uses in both research and practice settings are summarized. A number of issues and debates concerning the calculation of reliable change are reviewed. It is concluded that the concept of reliable change remains useful for both cognitive behavioural researchers and practitioners, but that there are options regarding methods of computation. In any use of reliable change, the rationale for selecting among method options and the exact computations used need clear and careful description so that we can continuously judge the utility and appropriateness of the use of reliable change and enhance its value to the field.

Key learning aims

(1)

Recognizing why the concept of reliable change and the reliable change index is still important.

(2)

Understanding the conventional formulas for calculating reliable change and the reliable change index (the Jacobson-Truax (JT) method).

(3)

Seeing key ways that both researchers and practitioners can use reliable change to improve both research and practice.

(4)

Understanding how several issues and debates that have arisen concerning the estimation of reliable change (e.g. how to accommodate practice effects) have progressed.

(5)

Recognizing that there are a range of ways that reliable change may be estimated, and the need to provide full details of the method used in any particular instance of its use.
Developing an Instrument to Evaluate Undergraduate Healthcare Students’ Professionalism
Authors: Guttormsen Sissel , Gogollari Artemisa , Huynh-Do Uyen , Schaufelberger Mireille , Huwendiek Sören , Kunz Alexandra , Lahner Felicitas-Maria
Published: November 2022

Abstract. Professionalism is a multidimensional quality acquired over time. Undergraduate years lay a foundation for the development of professionalism. Tools monitoring the students’ professional development are needed. Our tool development followed three phases: 1) identifying meaningful criteria for professionalism adapted to the education level, 2) developing an evaluation instrument in a process maximising construct validity, 3) testing the evaluation instrument in an interprofessional study. The evaluation instrument proved to be applicable in the field and it meets validity standards. Some differences between professions were found and discussed. Professionality starts to develop during the education, and early monitoring is important to support students’ optimal development. The evaluation instrument supports both self- and expert evaluation of healthcare students’ professional development.
Besser spät als nie – Fieber unklarer Ursache bei einem Patienten mit Kunstklappe
Authors: Glatz Teresa Sophie , Hinic Vladimira , Martinez Aurélien Emmanuel , Eckstein Friedrich , Bassetti Stefano , Osthoff Michael
Published: November 2022

Zusammenfassung. Ein Patient stellt sich mit einer Allgemeinzustandsverschlechterung, Schüttelfrost und Belastungsdyspnoe vor. Bei St.n. Aortenklappenersatz in der Vorgeschichte besteht der Verdacht auf eine infektiöse Endokarditis, die jedoch aufgrund zunächst negativer Bildgebung mittels TEE und bei negativen Blutkulturen nicht bestätigt werden kann. Eine verlängerte Bebrütung der Blutkulturen, das Auftreten embolischer Komplikationen sowie ein typischer Befund im PET-CT ermöglicht schliesslich die Diagnose einer Kunstklappenendokarditis mit Cutibacterium acnes.
CME Sonografie 106: Bursa subacromialis – ein Mythos CME-Fragen
Authors: Tamborrini Giorgio , Müller-Gerbl Magdalena , Müller Sebastian A.
Published: November 2022

Zusammenfassung. Im klinischen Alltag sind wir sehr häufig mit Bursitiden konfrontiert. Sie können in praktisch jeder Gelenksregion z.B. bei lokalen mechanischen Überlastungen oder nach einem Trauma oder im Rahmen einer entzündlichen Systemerkrankung auftreten. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit fokussieren wir auf die Bursen im Bereich der Schulter und möchten einen Beitrag leisten, um vom «Mythos Bursitis subacromialis» wegzukommen.
Mixing Parasocial Friendship With Business
Authors: Forster Rebecca Tukachinsky , Vendemia Megan A. , Journeay Jessica M. , Downey Sarah E.
Published: November 2022

Abstract: Building on the persuasion knowledge model and theories of parasocial relationships (PSRs), our study explored mechanisms underlying the persuasive effects of social media influencers. Our study uniquely considered PSRs as a dynamic process, such that audiences’ responses to persuasive attempts depend on their relational stage with the influencer. A longitudinal experimental design traced participants’ development of PSRs with a YouTube vlogger over four timepoints. Contrary to our hypothesis that early disclosure of corporate sponsorship reduces PSRs and persuasion, the persuasive effect of sponsorship disclosure did not vary depending on the relational stage at which it appeared (zero-history encounter with vlogger vs. after establishing a relationship with vlogger over several episodes). In line with past research, PSR intensity and authenticity promoted persuasion by reducing resistance to persuasion, regardless of sponsorship timing.
Experimental Constraints on the Fate of Subducted Sedimentary Nitrogen in the Reduced Mantle
Authors: Huang Shengxuan , Wu Xiang , Chariton Stella , Prakapenka Vitali B. , Liang Lin , Zhang Dongzhou , Yang Yan , Chen Bin , Qin Shan
Published: November 2022

Nitrogen is considered to be transported from Earth′s surface to the top of the lower mantle through subduction. However, little is known on the transportation and fate of subducted nitrogen to the Earth′s interior during slab‐mantle interactions. In this study, the stability of subducted sedimentary nitrogen in the reduced mantle was investigated to 35 GPa and 1600 K by laser‐heated diamond anvil cell experiments and first‐principles calculations. Our results showed that subducted nitrogen‐bearing silicates and fluids could not coexist with the metallic iron or iron‐rich alloys, and reacted with them to form different products at high pressure‐temperature conditions. Combining our results with previous data, we re‐determined the relative stability of iron‐light element binary compounds to 35 GPa and 1600 K to be Fe‐O > Fe‐N > Fe‐S > Fe‐C. This stability sequence contributes to explaining the observation that iron nitrides are trapped as inclusions in sulfur‐depleted lower‐mantle diamonds and are absent in sulfur‐rich ones. The recycling efficiency of subducted sedimentary nitrogen is strongly related to the availability of the metallic iron of the reduced mantle. Hydration of the metallic iron limits the storage of nitrogen in it and contributes to recycling nitrogen to Earth′s surface. Therefore, unlike subducted continental sediments, subducted marine sediments are unlikely to transport a large amount of surficial nitrogen to the metallic iron of the reduced mantle in which nitrogen could reside over long geologic periods.
Space‐Scale Resolved Surface Fluxes Across a Heterogeneous, Mid‐Latitude Forested Landscape
Authors: Paleri Sreenath , Desai Ankur R. , Metzger Stefan , Durden David , Butterworth Brian J. , Mauder Matthias , Kohnert Katrin , Serafimovich Andrei
Published: November 2022

The Earth's surface is heterogeneous at multiple scales owing to spatial variability in various properties. The atmospheric responses to these heterogeneities through fluxes of energy, water, carbon, and other scalars are scale‐dependent and nonlinear. Although these exchanges can be measured using the eddy covariance technique, widely used tower‐based measurement approaches suffer from spectral losses in lower frequencies when using typical averaging times. However, spatially resolved measurements such as airborne eddy covariance measurements can detect such larger scale (meso‐β, meso‐γ) transport. To evaluate the prevalence and magnitude of these flux contributions, we applied wavelet analysis to airborne flux measurements over a heterogeneous mid‐latitude forested landscape, interspersed with open water bodies and wetlands. The measurements were made during the Chequamegon Heterogeneous Ecosystem Energy‐balance Study Enabled by a High‐density Extensive Array of Detectors intensive field campaign. We ask, how do spatial scales of surface‐atmosphere fluxes vary over heterogeneous surfaces across the day and across seasons? Measured fluxes were separated into smaller‐scale turbulent and larger‐scale mesoscale contributions. We found significant mesoscale contributions to sensible and latent heat fluxes through summer to autumn which would not be resolved in single‐point tower measurements through traditional time‐domain half‐hourly Reynolds decomposition. We report scale‐resolved flux transitions associated with seasonal and diurnal changes of the heterogeneous study domain. This study adds to our understanding of surface‐atmospheric interactions over unstructured heterogeneities and can help inform multi‐scale model‐data integration of weather and climate models at a sub‐grid scale.
Correlation Between Cloud Adjustments and Cloud Feedbacks Responsible for Larger Range of Climate Sensitivities in CMIP6
Authors: Lutsko Nicholas J. , Luongo Matthew T. , Wall Casey J. , Myers Timothy A.
Published: November 2022

While the higher mean Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS) in CMIP6 has been attributed to more positive cloud feedbacks, it is unclear what causes the greater range of ECS values across CMIP6 models compared to CMIP5. Here, we investigate the relationship between radiative forcing and cloud feedbacks across the two model generations to explain the very high ECS values in some CMIP6 models. The relationship is sensitive to the definition of the forcing, particularly in CMIP6, but fixed‐sea surface temperature simulations suggest the shortwave cloud feedback (λSW,CL) is anticorrelated with the forcing in CMIP5 and either uncorrelated or weakly positively correlated with the forcing in CMIP6. These relationships reflect the cloud adjustment to the forcing, which is anticorrelated with λSW,CL in CMIP5 and positively correlated in CMIP6. Although we are unable to identify a systematic change across the model generations, we do show that the difference is not due to land effects, and that cloud adjustments are generally driven by low and, especially, midlevel clouds. Furthermore, models derived from a small number modeling centers seem to be responsible for much of the difference between the CMIP5 and CMIP6 ensembles. Our analysis is severely limited by the available simulations, highlighting the need for targeted experiments to better understand cloud adjustments and to probe the sources of intermodel differences.
Influence of Pore Fluid on Grain‐Scale Interactions and Mobility of Granular Flows of Differing Volume
Authors: Taylor‐Noonan Alexander M. , Bowman Elisabeth T. , McArdell Brian W. , Kaitna Roland , McElwaine Jim N. , Take W. Andy
Published: November 2022

The presence of a pore fluid is recognized to significantly increase the mobility of saturated over dry granular flows. However, the mechanisms through which pore fluid increases mobility may not be captured in experimental flows of small volume typical of laboratory conditions. Here we present the results of dry and initially fluid saturated or “wet” experimental flows of near‐monodisperse coarse‐grained ceramic particles in a large laboratory flume for five source volumes of 0.2–1.0 m3. Measurements include flow height, velocity profile, pore pressure, and evolving solid volume fraction, as well as the final deposit shape. The dry experiments constrain the frictional properties of the common granular material and comparison with wet flows permits an independent evaluation of the interstitial fluid effects. These results demonstrate that flow dilation and strong variation in the velocity profile are directly linked to a greatly increased mobility for wet granular flows compared to dry, and a significant influence of scale as controlled by source volume on flow behavior. Excess pore pressure need not be present for these effects to occur.
Effects of Bed Hydrophobicity on Post‐Fire Debris Flow Entrainment and Momentum Growth
Authors: Ng Charles W. W. , Zheng Min , Liu Haiming , Poudyal Sunil
Published: November 2022

Forest wildfires leave vast areas with burned topsoil that is water repellent, susceptible to erosion by surface runoff and a potential source of debris flow. To mitigate post‐fire debris flow hazards, debris resisting barriers are usually constructed in the flow path. However, the fundamental interaction mechanisms of debris flow on a water repellent bed and the momentum exchange process that governs the destructive potential of debris flows have yet to be elucidated. This study investigates the influence of bed sediment hydrophobicity on entrainment by debris flows and the impact force on a downstream barrier using a series of physical flume tests. Bed sediment with increasing contact angles (50°–130°) were used to model bed hydrophobicity from wettable to hydrophobic conditions, and volumetric water content (0%–30%) to simulate the natural unsaturated condition after rainfall in fire‐burned hillslopes. Compared to a wettable bed, a hydrophobic bed exhibits a failure pattern with slab‐by‐slab entrainment and en masse failure with a sixfold increase in the average erosion depth. A new dimensionless number is proposed to quantify the effects of contact angle on soil erosion. The flow momentum increases up to 21% after entrainment of hydrophobic bed compared to non‐erodible bed. The peak impact force on the downstream barrier can increase up to 80% for hydrophobic bed as a consequence of momentum gains after entrainment. The hydrodynamic coefficient for estimating impact force reveals the inadequacy of current design criteria of debris resisting barriers for fire‐prone vegetated hillslopes, suggesting further investigations are needed.
P2X1 enhances leukemogenesis through PBX3-BCAT1 pathways
Authors: He Xiaoxiao , Xu Yilu , Huang Dan , Yu Zhuo , Yu Jing , Xie Li , Liu Ligen , Yu Ye , Chen Chiqi , Wan Jiangbo , Zhang Yaping , Zheng Junke
Published: November 2022

How bone marrow niches regulate leukemogenic activities of leukemia-initiating cells (LICs) is unclear. The present study revealed that the metabolic niche component, ATP, efficiently induced ion influx in LICs through its ligand-gated ion channel, P2X1. P2X1 deletion impaired LIC self-renewal capacities and resulted in an approximately 8-fold decrease in functional LIC numbers in a murine acute myeloid leukemia (AML) model without affecting normal hematopoiesis. P2X1 phosphorylation at specific sites of S387 and T389 was essential for sustaining its promoting effects on leukemia development. ATP-P2X1-mediated signaling upregulated the PBX3 level to transactivate BCAT1 to maintain LIC fates. P2X1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of both human AML cell lines and primary cells. The P2X1 antagonist sufficiently suppressed AML cell proliferation. These results provided a unique perspective on how metabolic niche factor ATP fine-tunes LIC activities, which may benefit the development of strategies for targeting LICs or other cancer stem cells.
Dual-function perovskite light-emitting/sensing devices for optical interactive display
Authors: Ju Songman , Zhu Yangbin , Hu Hailong , Liu Yang , Xu Zhongwei , Zheng Jinping , Mao Chaomin , Yu Yongshen , Yang Kaiyu , Lin Lihua , Guo Tailiang , Li Fushan
Published: November 2022

Interactive display devices integrating multiple functions have become a development trend of display technology. The excellent luminescence properties of perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) make it an ideal luminescent material for the next generation of wide-color gamut displays. Here we design and fabricate dual-function light-sensing/displaying light-emitting devices based on PQDs. The devices can display information as an output port, and simultaneously sense outside light signals as an input port and modulate the display information in a non-contact mode. The dual functions were attributed to the device designs: (1) the hole transport layer in the devices also acts as the light-sensing layer to absorb outside light signals; (2) the introduced hole trapping layer interface can trap holes originating from the light-sensing layer, and thus tune the charge transport properties and the light-emitting intensities. The sensing and display behavior of the device can be further modulated by light signals with different time and space information. This fusion of sensing and display functions has broad prospects in non-contact interactive screens and communication ports.
Effectiveness of KarXT (xanomeline-trospium) for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia: post hoc analyses from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study
Authors: Sauder Colin , Allen Luke A. , Baker Elizabeth , Miller Andrew C. , Paul Steven M. , Brannan Stephen K.
Published: November 2022

The muscarinic receptor agonist xanomeline improved cognition in phase 2 trials in Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. We present data on the effect of KarXT (xanomeline–trospium) on cognition in schizophrenia from the 5-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled EMERGENT-1 trial (NCT03697252). Analyses included 125 patients with computerised Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB) subtest scores at baseline and endpoint. A post hoc subgroup analysis evaluated the effects of KarXT on cognitive performance in patients with or without clinically meaningful cognitive impairment at baseline, and a separate outlier analysis excluded patients with excessive intraindividual variability (IIV) across cognitive subdomains. ANCOVA models assessed treatment effects for completers and impairment subgroups, with or without removal of outliers. Sample-wide, cognitive improvement was numerically but not statistically greater with KarXT (n = 60) than placebo (n = 65),p = 0.16. However, post hoc analyses showed 65 patients did not exhibit clinically meaningful cognitive impairment at baseline, while eight patients had implausibly high IIV at one or both timepoints. Significant treatment effects were observed after removing outliers (KarXTn = 54, placebon = 63;p = 0.04). Despite the small sample size, a robust (d = 0.50) and significant effect was observed among patients with cognitive impairment (KarXTn = 23, placebon = 37;p = 0.03). These effects did not appear to be related to improvement in PANSS total scores (linear regression,R2 = 0.03). Collectively, these findings suggest that KarXT may have a separable and meaningful impact on cognition, particularly among patients with cognitive impairment.
A CRISPR endonuclease gene drive reveals distinct mechanisms of inheritance bias
Authors: Verkuijl Sebald A. N. , Gonzalez Estela , Li Ming , Ang Joshua X. D. , Kandul Nikolay P. , Anderson Michelle A. E. , Akbari Omar S. , Bonsall Michael B. , Alphey Luke
Published: November 2022

CRISPR/Cas gene drives can bias transgene inheritance through different mechanisms. Homing drives are designed to replace a wild-type allele with a copy of a drive element on the homologous chromosome. In Aedes aegypti, the sex-determining locus is closely linked to the white gene, which was previously used as a target for a homing drive element (wGDe). Here, through an analysis using this linkage we show that in males inheritance bias of wGDe did not occur by homing, rather through increased propagation of the donor drive element. We test the same wGDe drive element with transgenes expressing Cas9 with germline regulatory elements sds3, bgcn, and nup50. We only find inheritance bias through homing, even with the identical nup50-Cas9 transgene. We propose that DNA repair outcomes may be more context dependent than anticipated and that other previously reported homing drives may, in fact, bias their inheritance through other mechanisms.
Polymeric micelles effectively reprogram the tumor microenvironment to potentiate nano-immunotherapy in mouse breast cancer models
Authors: Panagi Myrofora , Mpekris Fotios , Chen Pengwen , Voutouri Chrysovalantis , Nakagawa Yasuhiro , Martin John D. , Hiroi Tetsuro , Hashimoto Hiroko , Demetriou Philippos , Pierides Chryso , Samuel Rekha , Stylianou Andreas , Michael Christina , Fukushima Shigeto , Georgiou Paraskevi , Papageorgis Panagiotis , Papaphilippou Petri Ch. , Koumas Laura , Costeas Paul , Ishii Genichiro , Kojima Motohiro , Kataoka Kazunori , Cabral Horacio , Stylianopoulos Triantafyllos
Published: November 2022

Nano-immunotherapy improves breast cancer outcomes but not all patients respond and none are cured. To improve efficacy, research focuses on drugs that reprogram cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to improve therapeutic delivery and immunostimulation. These drugs, however, have a narrow therapeutic window and cause adverse effects. Developing strategies that increase CAF-reprogramming while limiting adverse effects is urgent. Here, taking advantage of the CAF-reprogramming capabilities of tranilast, we developed tranilast-loaded micelles. Strikingly, a 100-fold reduced dose of tranilast-micelles induces superior reprogramming compared to free drug owing to enhanced intratumoral accumulation and cancer-associated fibroblast uptake. Combination of tranilast-micelles and epirubicin-micelles or Doxil with immunotherapy increases T-cell infiltration, resulting in cures and immunological memory in mice bearing immunotherapy-resistant breast cancer. Furthermore, shear wave elastography (SWE) is able to monitor reduced tumor stiffness caused by tranilast-micelles and predict response to nano-immunotherapy. Micellar encapsulation is a promising strategy for TME-reprogramming and SWE is a potential biomarker of response.
High-precision estimation of emitter positions using Bayesian grouping of localizations
Authors: Fazel Mohamadreza , Wester Michael J. , Schodt David J. , Cruz Sebastian Restrepo , Strauss Sebastian , Schueder Florian , Schlichthaerle Thomas , Gillette Jennifer M. , Lidke Diane S. , Rieger Bernd , Jungmann Ralf , Lidke Keith A.
Published: November 2022

Single-molecule localization microscopy super-resolution methods rely on stochastic blinking/binding events, which often occur multiple times from each emitter over the course of data acquisition. Typically, the blinking/binding events from each emitter are treated as independent events, without an attempt to assign them to a particular emitter. Here, we describe a Bayesian method of inferring the positions of the tagged molecules by exploring the possible grouping and combination of localizations from multiple blinking/binding events. The results are position estimates of the tagged molecules that have improved localization precision and facilitate nanoscale structural insights. The Bayesian framework uses the localization precisions to learn the statistical distribution of the number of blinking/binding events per emitter and infer the number and position of emitters. We demonstrate the method on a range of synthetic data with various emitter densities, DNA origami constructs and biological structures using DNA-PAINT and dSTORM data. We show that under some experimental conditions it is possible to achieve sub-nanometer precision.
Sampling of structure and sequence space of small protein folds
Authors: Linsky Thomas W. , Noble Kyle , Tobin Autumn R. , Crow Rachel , Carter Lauren , Urbauer Jeffrey L. , Baker David , Strauch Eva-Maria
Published: November 2022

Nature only samples a small fraction of the sequence space that can fold into stable proteins. Furthermore, small structural variations in a single fold, sometimes only a few amino acids, can define a protein’s molecular function. Hence, to design proteins with novel functionalities, such as molecular recognition, methods to control and sample shape diversity are necessary. To explore this space, we developed and experimentally validated a computational platform that can design a wide variety of small protein folds while sampling shape diversity. We designed and evaluated stability of about 30,000 de novo protein designs of eight different folds. Among these designs, about 6,200 stable proteins were identified, including some predicted to have a first-of-its-kind minimalized thioredoxin fold. Obtained data revealed protein folding rules for structural features such as helix-connecting loops. Beyond serving as a resource for protein engineering, this massive and diverse dataset also provides training data for machine learning. We developed an accurate classifier to predict the stability of our designed proteins. The methods and the wide range of protein shapes provide a basis for designing new protein functions without compromising stability.
Forest fire threatens global carbon sinks and population centres under rising atmospheric water demand
Authors: Clarke Hamish , Nolan Rachael H. , De Dios Victor Resco , Bradstock Ross , Griebel Anne , Khanal Shiva , Boer Matthias M.
Published: November 2022

Levels of fire activity and severity that are unprecedented in the instrumental record have recently been observed in forested regions around the world. Using a large sample of daily fire events and hourly climate data, here we show that fire activity in all global forest biomes responds strongly and predictably to exceedance of thresholds in atmospheric water demand, as measured by maximum daily vapour pressure deficit. The climatology of vapour pressure deficit can therefore be reliably used to predict forest fire risk under projected future climates. We find that climate change is projected to lead to widespread increases in risk, with at least 30 additional days above critical thresholds for fire activity in forest biomes on every continent by 2100 under rising emissions scenarios. Escalating forest fire risk threatens catastrophic carbon losses in the Amazon and major population health impacts from wildfire smoke in south Asia and east Africa.
Sub-microscopic magnetite and metallic iron particles formed by eutectic reaction in Chang’E-5 lunar soil
Authors: Guo Zhuang , Li Chen , Li Yang , Wen Yuanyun , Wu Yanxue , Jia Bojun , Tai Kairui , Zeng Xiaojia , Li Xiongyao , Liu Jianzhong , Ouyang Ziyuan
Published: November 2022

Ferric iron as well as magnetite are rarely found in lunar samples, and their distribution and formation mechanisms on the Moon have not been well studied. Here, we discover sub-microscopic magnetite particles in Chang’E-5 lunar soil. Magnetite and pure metallic iron particles are embedded in oxygen-dissolved iron-sulfide grains from the Chang’E-5 samples. This mineral assemblage indicates a FeO eutectoid reaction (4FeO = Fe3O4 + Fe) for formation of magnetite. The iron-sulfide grains’ morphology features and the oxygen’s distribution suggest that a gas–melt phase reaction occurred during large-impact events. This could provide an effective method to form ubiquitous sub-microscopic magnetite in fine lunar soils and be a contributor to the presentation of ferric iron on the surface of the Moon. Additionally, the formation of sub-microscopic magnetite and metallic iron by eutectoid reaction may provide an alternative way for the formation of magnetic anomalies observed on the Moon.
Modeling COVID-19 transmission between age groups in the United States considering virus mutations, vaccinations, and reinfection
Authors: Roy Jyotirmoy , Heath Samuel M. , Wang Shiyan , Ramkrishna Doraiswami
Published: November 2022

The in-depth understanding of the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission among different age groups is of great interest for governments and health authorities so that strategies can be devised to reduce the pandemic’s detrimental effects. We developed the SIRDV-Virulence (Susceptible-Infected-Recovered-Dead-Vaccinated-Virulence) epidemiological model based on a population balance equation to study the effects virus mutants, vaccination strategies, ‘Anti/Non Vaxxer’ proportions, and reinfection rates to provide methods to mitigate COVID-19 transmission among the United States population. Based on publicly available data, we obtain the key parameters governing the spread of the pandemic. The results show that a large fraction of infected cases comes from the adult and children populations in the presence of a highly infectious COVID-19 mutant. Given the situation at the end of July 2021, the results show that prioritizing children and adult vaccinations over that of seniors can contain the spread of the active cases, thereby preventing the healthcare system from being overwhelmed and minimizing subsequent deaths. The model suggests that the only option to curb the effects of this pandemic is to reduce the population of unvaccinated individuals. A higher fraction of ‘Anti/Non-vaxxers’ and a higher reinfection rate can both independently lead to the resurgence of the pandemic.
Finding patterns in policy questions
Authors: Osman Magda , Cosstick Nick
Published: November 2022

To help advance exchanges between science and policy, a useful first step is to examine the questions which policymakers pose to scientists. The style of a question indicates what the asker is motivated to know, and how they might use that knowledge. Therefore, the aggregate pattern of typical policy inquires can help scientists anticipate what types of information policy audiences desire. A dataset (n = 2972) of questions from policymakers collected over 10 years (2011–2021)—by the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge—was classified into one of seven classes. In the main, the most popular questions posed by policymakers—within the public and private sectors—were those whose answers inform how to achieve specific outcomes—whether directly, or by providing a causal analysis which is instrumental to this process. Moreover, this seems to be a general aspect of policymakers’ inquiries, given that it is preserved regardless of the policy issue considered (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, Economy, or Health). Thus, maximizing the usefulness of the information that policymakers receive when engaging with scientists requires informing how to achieve specific outcomes—directly, or by providing a useful causal analysis.
Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the extract of spent coffee used for paper-based hydrogen peroxide sensing device
Authors: Srikhao Natwat , Ounkaew Artjima , Kasemsiri Pornnapa , Theerakulpisut Somnuk , Okhawilai Manunya , Hiziroglu Salim
Published: November 2022

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has attracted considerable attention for use as a disinfectant ingredient for various applications over the decades. The use of H2O2 within the safety regulations can avoid its toxicity to human health and the environment. In this study, a paper-based sensor containing green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (P-AgNPs) was developed for use in a smartphone in the determination of the H2O2 concentration. In the synthesis process, an extract of spent coffee grounds was used as a bioreducing agent. The effects of reaction time and silver nitrate (AgNO3) concentration on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were investigated. The optimum conditions for the preparation of P-AgNPs were determined to be 100 mM AgNO3 (P-AgNPs-100) and 15 h synthesis time. The P-AgNPs-100 sensor exhibited high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.26 mM H2O2, which might be suitable for the detection of H2O2-based household and beverage sanitizers. The H2O2 detection capability of P-AgNPs-100 was comparable to that of a commercial strip sensor. Furthermore, P-AgNPs-100 had a detection efficiency of more than 95% after long-term storage for 100 days.
Hybrid machine learning approach for landslide prediction, Uttarakhand, India
Authors: Kainthura Poonam , Sharma Neelam
Published: November 2022

Natural disasters always have a damaging effect on our way of life. Landslides  cause serious damage to both human and natural resources around the world. In this paper, the prediction accuracy of five hybrid models for landslide occurrence in the Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand (India) was evaluated and compared. In this approach, the Rough Set theory coupled with five different models namely Bayesian Network (HBNRS), Backpropagation Neural Network (HBPNNRS), Bagging (HBRS), XGBoost (HXGBRS), and Random Forest (HRFRS) were taken into account. The database for the models development was prepared using fifteen conditioning factors that had 373 landslide and 181 non-landslide locations that were then randomly divided into training and testing locations with a ratio of 75%:25%. The appropriateness and predictability of these conditioning factors were assessed using the multi-collinearity test and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator approach. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and F-Measures, and the area under the curve (AUC)-receiver operating characteristics curve, were used to evaluate and compare the performance of the individual and hybrid created models. The findings indicate that the constructed hybrid model HXGBRS (AUC = 0.937, Precision = 0.946, F1-score = 0.926 and Accuracy = 89.92%) is the most accurate model for predicting landslides when compared to other models (HBPNNRS, HBNRS, HBRS, and HRFRS). Importantly, when the fusion is performed with the rough set method, the prediction capability of each model is improved. Simultaneously, the HXGBRS model proposed shows superior stability and can effectively avoid overfitting. After the core modules were developed, the user-friendly platform was designed as an integrated GIS environment using dynamic maps for effective landslide prediction in large prone areas. Users can predict the probability of landslide occurrence for selected region by changing the values of a conditioning factors. The created approach could be beneficial for predicting the impact of landslides on slopes and tracking landslides along national routes.