bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relationship between cellular microstructure and the mechanical properties of styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymer‐silica nanocomposite foams prepared by a supercritical CO2 blowing agent
Authors: Salari Ehsan , Rezaei Mostafa , Jahani Davoud , Tabbakhi‐Mamaqani Ahmadreza
Published: January 2024

Styrene/methyl methacrylate (St/MMA) copolymer‐silica nanocomposite foams were prepared using supercritical CO2 as blowing agent, and the relationships between their cellular microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. The effects of nanosilica content, size, and surface chemistry on the foam's microstructure and properties were examined. Dispersion and distribution of silica nanoparticles with different surface chemistry in St/MMA copolymer nanocomposites were discussed. To determine the most suitable copolymer composition for incorporating silica nanoparticles, some operating conditions such as temperature and pressure were primarily examined to study their effects on the microstructure of resulting foams. In compressive mechanical properties of final foams, a considerably high value was obtained for the compressive strength of the foams of up to 9.5 MPa. The prepared low‐density (below 0.2 g/cm3) St/MMA copolymer microcellular foams can be used in green lost foam iron casting processes.

Highlights

Styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymer‐silica nanocomposite foams were prepared via supercritical CO2.

Foams' cell size was changed by changing silica nanoparticle surface chemistry and size.

The uniform cellular microstructure was achieved by nanosilica size increment.

Increasing nanoparticle size improved the foam's mechanical properties.

Low‐density foams were achieved for potential application in lost foam casting.
A biomarker panel of secondary hypertension is simultaneously quantified by coupling of magnetic solid‐phase extraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Gao Xi , Li Xiaoyong , Chen Lingyun , Chen Shuyan , Hou Guixue , Lin Liang , Wang Qunjie , Qu Jiuxin , Liu Siqi
Published: January 2024

Rationale

Secondary hypertension is often caused by activation of complex multi‐organ endocrine systems, while renin activity indicated by angiotensins (Angs), aldosterone (ALD) and cortisol (COR) in such systems are generally accepted as its diagnostic markers. As antibody‐based methods cannot offer comparable quantification for these biomarkers, a liquid chromatography (LC)–tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)‐based approach was developed to quantify them simultaneously and accurately.

Methods

Five different beads for magnetic solid‐phase extraction (MSPE) were evaluated towards their enrichment efficiency for these biomarkers. An LC system with optimized elution gradient and a triple‐quadrupole MS with tuned parameters were coupled to quantitatively monitor the extracted analytes. The method performance was further examined such as linearity, precision, stability, recovery rate and matrix effect. Based on the developed method, the abundance of Ang II, ALD and COR in plasma was measured and the quantification was compared with that derived from commercial ELISA kits.

Results

As compared with other MSPEs, Angs, ALD and COR were highly enriched by the HLB magnetic beads with satisfactory recoveries. These analytes were simultaneously quantified by LC/MS/MS and all the method parameters for quantification were well matched with the requirements of clinical testing. Comparison of the quantitative results derived from ELISA and LC/MS/MS exhibited that the two methods offered basically comparable values with Pearson r values at 0.896, 0.895 and 0.835, respectively. The stability test for plasma Angs at room temperature indicated that the abundance of Ang II was relatively stable within 3 h, whereas that of Ang I and Ang 1–7 was time‐dependently changed.

Conclusions

Coupling of HLB beads and LC/MS/MS thus enables simultaneous quantification of a set of biomarkers related to secondary hypertension.
Drug‐induced lung injury in a patient treated with prior atezolizumab and subsequent sotorasib: A case report
Authors: Takahashi Yuta , Tachi Hiroaki , Watanabe Ryo , Shimizu Kei , Yamamoto Yusuke
Published: January 2024

We report a case of drug‐induced lung injury treated with prior atezolizumab and subsequent sotorasib. The patient was a 62‐year‐old woman with lung adenocarcinoma harbouring a KRAS G12C mutation that was resistant to chemotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors. Cough and dyspnea appeared on day 80 after sotorasib was administered as second‐line therapy, and chest computed tomography revealed ground glass opacities in all lung lobes. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed an increased total cell count with lymphocyte predominance. The patient was considered to have lung injury caused by prior atezolizumab or sotorasib administration. Withdrawal of sotorasib did not improve symptoms and shadows in both lungs. We administered moderate‐dose prednisolone and the lung disorder quickly resolved. Prednisolone tapering was completed in 2 months, followed by several months without relapse. Definitive identification of the responsible drug for the drug‐induced lung injury proved challenging in the setting of exposure to multiple potential inciting agents. There is a need for high levels of clinical suspicion for timely evaluation and management.
Immunogenicity, clinical efficacy and safety of additional second COVID‐19 booster vaccines against Omicron and its subvariants: A systematic review
Authors: Chenchula Santenna , Chandra Madhu Bhargavi , Adusumilli Madhu Babu , Ghanta Sai Nikhila , Bommasani Anusha , Kuttiappan Anitha , Padmavathi R. , Amerneni Krishna Chaitanya , Chikatipalli Radhika , Ghanta Mohan Krishna , Reddy Samarra Simha , Mythili Bai K. , Prakash Satya , Jogender G. , Chavan Madhavrao , Balakrishnan S.
Published: January 2024

The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a new variant of concern (VOC) and an emerging subvariant that exhibits heightened infectivity, transmissibility, and immune evasion, escalating the incidence of moderate to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). It resists monoclonal antibodies and diminishes vaccine efficacy. Notably, new sublineages have outpaced earlier predominant sublineages. Although the primary vaccination series and initial boosters were robust against previous VOCs, their efficacy waned against Omicron and its subvariants. In this systematic review, we assessed real‐world evidence on the immunogenicity, clinical efficacy, and safety of a second booster or fourth COVID‐19 vaccine dose against the Omicron VOC and its subvariants. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Medline/PubMed, Google Scholar, bioRxiv, and medRxiv, and relevant studies published between 2022 and 30 May 2023 were reviewed. We found a total of 40 relevant articles focusing on a second booster dose for COVID‐19, including clinical trials and observational studies, involving 3,972,856 patients. The results consistently revealed that an additional second booster dose restored and prolonged waning immunity, activating both humoral and cellular responses against Omicron and its subvariants. A second booster treatment correlated with enduring protection against COVID‐19, notably preventing substantial symptomatic disease and mortality associated with severe Omicron infection. Both monovalent messenger RNA (mRNA) and nonmRNA vaccines demonstrated similar efficacy and safety, with bivalent mRNA vaccines exhibiting broader protection against emerging subvariants of Omicron. The safety profiles of second booster were favourable with only mild systemic and local symptoms reported in some recipients. In conclusion, this systematic review underscores the additional COVID‐19 vaccine boosters, particularly with bivalent or multivalent mRNA vaccines, for countering the highly infectious emerging subvariants of Omicron.
Effects of SNP marker density and training population size on prediction accuracy in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genomic selection
Authors: Wang Hu , Bai Yuguang , Biligetu Bill
Published: January 2024

Effects of individual single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and the size of “training” and “test” populations affect prediction accuracy in genomic selection (GS). This study evaluated 11 subsets of 4932 SNPs using six genetic additive methods to understand marker density in GS prediction in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). In the GS methods, the effect of “training” to “test” population size was also evaluated. Fourteen alfalfa populations sampled from long‐term grazing sites were genotyped using genotyping by sequencing for the identification of SNPs. These populations were also phenotyped for six agromorphological and three nutritive traits from 2018 to 2020. The accuracy of GS prediction improved across six GS methods when the ratio of “training” to “test” population size increased. However, the prediction accuracy of the six GS methods reduced to a range of −0.27 to 0.11 when random, uninformative SNPs were used. In this study, five Bayesian methods and ridge‐regression best linear unbiased prediction (rrBLUP) method had similar GS accuracies for “training” sets, but rrBLUP tended to outperform Bayesian methods in independent “test” sets when SNP subsets with high mean‐squared‐estimated‐marker effect were used. These findings can enhance the application of GS in alfalfa genetic improvement.
New physics searches using ProtoDUNE and the CERN SPS accelerator
Authors: Coloma Pilar , López-Pavón Jacobo , Molina-Bueno Laura , Urrea Salvador
Published: January 2024

Abstract

The exquisite capabilities of liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers make them ideal to search for weakly interacting particles in Beyond the Standard Model scenarios. Given their location at CERN the ProtoDUNE detectors may be exposed to a flux of such particles, produced in the collisions of 400 GeV protons (extracted from the Super Proton Synchrotron accelerator) on a target. Here we point out the interesting possibilities that such a setup offers to search for both long-lived unstable particles (Heavy Neutral Leptons, axion-like particles, etc) and stable particles (e.g. light dark matter, or millicharged particles). Our results show that, under conservative assumptions regarding the expected luminosity, this setup has the potential to improve over present bounds for some of the scenarios considered. This could be done within a short timescale, using facilities that are already in place at CERN, and without interfering with the experimental program in the North Area at CERN.
Establishing a Rat Model of Pelvic Organ Prolapse with All Compartment Defects by Persistent Cervical Tension
Authors: Bai Siqi , Lu Chenxi , Kong Qingyu , Shen Zhuowei , Li Rui , Xiao Zhen
Published: January 2024

Introduction and Hypothesis

We hypothesized that applying cervical suction and persistent tension can develop a novel and efficient rat model of pelvic organ prolapse.

Methods

Fifteen rats underwent pilot testing to optimize the protocol. Sixteen rats were subjected to pelvic organ prolapse induction by cervical suction and constant traction, while five rats served as controls. The pelvic organ prolapse rats were assessed by a Rat Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system at different time points, and their diet, urine, and stool were monitored for 21 days. The pelvic organ prolapse rats were also evaluated for urinary incontinence, urinary retention, leak point pressure, and vaginal histopathology at 21 days after operation.

Results

This rat model demonstrated pelvic floor prolapse in anatomic level, as well as physiological variations (urine incontinence, urinary retention) and pathological changes (collagen fracture, decreased collagen density).

Conclusions

This is the first establishment of the pelvic organ prolapse rat model with all compartment defects, which provides a valuable tool for elucidating pelvic organ prolapse mechanisms and evaluating potential interventions.
Inferior long-term outcomes after surgery for lumbar disc herniation in patients with prior lumbar spine surgery
Authors: Roiha Miika , Marjamaa Johan , Siironen Jari , Koski-Palkén Anniina
Published: January 2024

Background

Previous lumbar spine surgery is a frequent exclusion criterion for studies evaluating lumbar surgery outcomes. In real-life clinical settings, this patient population is important, as a notable proportion of patients evaluated for lumbar spine surgery have undergone prior lumbar surgery already previously. Knowledge about the long-term outcomes after microdiscectomy on patients with previous lumbar surgery and how they compare to those of first-time surgery is lacking.

Methods

The original patient cohort for screening included 615 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for lumbar disc herniation, with a median follow-up time of 18.1 years. Of these patients, 89 (19%) had undergone lumbar spine surgery prior to the index surgery. Propensity score matching (based on age, sex, and follow-up time) was utilized to match two patients without prior surgery with each patient with a previous surgery. The primary outcome measure was the need for further lumbar spine surgery during the follow-up period, and the secondary outcome measures consisted of present-time patient-reported outcome measures (Oswestry Disability Index, EuroQol-5D) and present-time ability to carry out employment.

Results

Patients who received previous lumbar surgeries had a higher need for further surgery (44% vs. 28%, p = 0.009) and had a shorter time to further surgery than the propensity score-matched cohort (mean Kaplan–Meier estimate, 15.7 years vs. 19.8 years, p = 0.008). Patients with prior surgery reported inferior Oswestry Disability Index scores (13.7 vs. 8.0, p = 0.036). and EQ-5D scores (0.77 vs. 0.86, p = 0.01). In addition, they had a higher frequency of receiving lumbar spine-related disability pensions than the other patients (12% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Patients with previous lumbar surgery had inferior long-term outcomes compared to patients without prior surgery. However, the vast majority of these patients improved quickly after the index surgery. Furthermore, the difference in the patients’ reported outcomes was small at the long-term follow-up, and they reported high satisfaction with the results of the study surgery. Hence, surgery for these patients should be considered if surgical indications are met, but special care needs must be accounted for when deliberating upon their indications for surgery.
Is there a difference in surgical accuracy following bimaxillary surgery between cleft and non-cleft patients?
Authors: Beek Dirk-Melle , Visser Dirk-Jan , Chen Yi-Hsuan , Baan Frank , Nienhuijs Marloes , Xi Tong
Published: January 2024

Objectives

To assess the surgical accuracy of 3D virtually planned orthognathic surgery among patients with and without cleft.

Materials and methods

This retrospective cohort study included cleft and non-cleft patients with class III malocclusion who underwent bimaxillary surgery. CBCT scans were acquired before and immediately after surgery. 3D virtual surgical planning (VSP) was performed using CBCT and digitalized dentition data. All orthognathic surgeries were performed by the same surgeons using interocclusal splints. The primary outcome variable was surgical accuracy, defined as the difference between the planned and surgically achieved maxillary movements, quantified in six degrees of freedom. Analysis of covariance was used to test for intergroup differences in surgical accuracy after correcting for differences in the magnitude of planned surgical maxillary movements.

Results

Twenty-eight cleft and 33 non-cleft patients were enrolled, with mean ages of 18.5 and 25.4 years, respectively (P=0.01). No significant gender difference was present between the groups (P=0.10). After adjustment for small differences in surgical movements, no significant differences in surgical accuracy were observed between cleft and non-cleft patients.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates that high surgical accuracy in maxillary movements can be achieved in both cleft and non-cleft patients using VSP and interocclusal splints.

Clinical relevance

Orthognathic cases with cleft can be performed with 3D VSP to obtain a satisfactory surgical accuracy.
Psychological Reactance to Anti-Piracy Messages explained by Gender and Attitudes
Authors: Whitman Kate , Murad Zahra , Cox Joe
Published: January 2024

Digital piracy is costly to creative economies across the world. Studies indicate that anti-piracy messages can cause people to pirate more rather than less, suggesting the presence of psychological reactance. A gender gap in piracy behavior and attitudes towards piracy has been reported in the literature. By contrast, gender differences in message reactance and the moderating impact of attitudes have not been explored. This paper uses evolutionary psychology as a theoretical framework to examine whether messages based on real-world anti-piracy campaigns cause reactance and whether this effect is explained by gender and pre-existing attitudes. An experiment compares one prosocial and two threatening messages against a control group to analyze changes in piracy intention from past behavior for digital TV/film. Results indicate that the prosocial message has no significant effect, whereas the threatening messages have significantly opposing effects on men and women. One threatening message influences women to reduce their piracy intentions by over 50% and men to increase it by 18%. We find that gender effects are moderated by pre-existing attitudes, as men and women who report the most favorable attitudes towards piracy tend to demonstrate the most polarized changes in piracy intentions. The practical implications of the results are that men and women process threatening messages differently, therefore behavioral change messages should be carefully targeted to each gender. Explicitly, threatening messages may be effective on women, but may have the reverse effect on men with strong favorable attitudes towards the target behavior.
$$\pi $$HyFlow: formalism, semantics, and applications
Authors: Barros Fernando
Published: January 2024

Simulation models have been described using different perspectives, or worldviews. In the process interaction world view (PI), every entity is modeled by a sequence of actions describing its life cycle, offering a comprehensive model that groups the events involving each entity. In this paper we describe $$\pi $$
π
HyFlow, a formalism for representing hybrid models using a set of communicating processes. This set is dynamic, enabling processes to be created and destroyed at runtime. Processes are encapsulated into $$\pi $$
π
HyFlow base models and communicate through shared memory. $$\pi $$
π
HyFlow, however, can guarantee modularity by enforcing that models can only communicate by input and output interfaces. $$\pi $$
π
HyFlow extends current PI approaches by providing support for HyFlow concepts of sampling and dense (continuous) outputs, in addition to the more traditional event-based communication. Likewise HyFlow, $$\pi $$
π
HyFlow is a modeling & simulation formalism driven by expressiveness and performance analysis. We present $$\pi $$
π
HyFlow semantics, and several applications to illustrate $$\pi $$
π
HyFlow ability to describe a diversity of systems.
Beyond symmetry in generalized Petersen graphs
Authors: García-Marco Ignacio , Knauer Kolja
Published: January 2024

A graph is a core or unretractive if all its endomorphisms are automorphisms. Well-known examples of cores include the Petersen graph and the graph of the dodecahedron—both generalized Petersen graphs. We characterize the generalized Petersen graphs that are cores. A simple characterization of endomorphism-transitive generalized Petersen graphs follows. This extends the characterization of vertex-transitive generalized Petersen graphs due to Frucht, Graver, and Watkins and solves a problem of Fan and Xie. Moreover, we study generalized Petersen graphs that are (underlying graphs of) Cayley graphs of monoids. We show that this is the case for the Petersen graph, answering a recent mathoverflow question, for the Desargues graphs, and for the Dodecahedron—answering a question of Knauer and Knauer. Moreover, we characterize the infinite family of generalized Petersen graphs that are Cayley graphs of a monoid with generating connection set of size two. This extends Nedela and Škoviera’s characterization of generalized Petersen graphs that are group Cayley graphs and complements results of Hao, Gao, and Luo.
Building Capacity for Research on Community Doula Care: A Stakeholder-Engaged Process in California
Authors: Marshall Cassondra J. , Nguyen Ashley , Arteaga Stephanie , Hubbard Erin , Armstead Marna , Peprah-Wilson Sayida , Britt Starr , McLemore Monica R. , Gomez Anu Manchikanti
Published: January 2024

Purpose

In an effort to address persistent inequities in maternal and infant health, policymakers and advocates have pushed to expand access to doula care. Several states, including California, now cover doula services through Medicaid. As coverage expands, research on the impact of doula care will likely increase. To develop best practices for research, it is critical to engage community doulas, clients, and other key stakeholders.

Description

Our overarching goal was to build capacity for future doula- and client-centered research on community doula care. First, we established a Steering Committee with members from seven relevant stakeholder groups: community doulas, former or potential doula clients, clinicians, payers, advocates, researchers, and public health professionals. Second, we conducted a needs assessment to identify and understand stakeholders’ needs and values for research on community doula care. Findings from the needs assessment informed our third step, conducting a research prioritization to develop a shared research agenda related to community doula care with the Steering Committee. We adapted the Research Prioritization by Affected Communities protocol to guide this process, which resulted in a final list of 21 priority research questions. Lastly, we offered a training to increase capacity among community doulas to engage in research on community doula care.

Assessment

Our findings provide direction for those interested in conducting research on doula care, as well as policymakers and funders.

Conclusion

The findings of our stakeholder-engaged process provide a roadmap that will lead to equity-oriented research centering clients, doulas, and their communities.
Administering selected subscales of patient-reported outcome questionnaires to reduce patient burden and increase relevance: a position statement on a modular approach
Authors: Serrano Daniel , Cella David , Husereau Don , King-Kallimanis Bellinda , Mendoza Tito , Salmonson Tomas , Stone Arthur , Zaleta Alexandra , Dhanda Devender , Moshyk Andriy , Liu Fei , Shields Alan L. , Taylor Fiona , Spite Sasha , Shaw James W. , Braverman Julia
Published: January 2024

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires considered in this paper contain multiple subscales, although not all subscales are equally relevant for administration in all target patient populations. A group of measurement experts, developers, license holders, and other scientific-, regulatory-, payer-, and patient-focused stakeholders participated in a panel to discuss the benefits and challenges of a modular approach, defined here as administering a subset of subscales out of a multi-scaled PRO measure. This paper supports the position that it is acceptable, and sometimes preferable, to take a modular approach when administering PRO questionnaires, provided that certain conditions have been met and a rigorous selection process performed. Based on the experiences and perspectives of all stakeholders, using a modular approach can reduce patient burden and increase the relevancy of the items administered, and thereby improve measurement precision and eliminate wasted data without sacrificing the scientific validity and utility of the instrument. The panelists agreed that implementing a modular approach is not expected to have a meaningful impact on item responses, subscale scores, variability, reliability, validity, and effect size estimates; however, collecting additional evidence for the impact of context may be desirable. It is also important to recognize that adequate rationale and evidence (e.g., of fit-for-purpose status and relevance to patients) and a robust consensus process that includes patient perspectives are required to inform selection of subscales, as in any other measurement circumstance, is expected. We believe that the considerations discussed within (content validity, administration context, and psychometric factors) are relevant across multiple therapeutic areas.
Drei Kinderschutzsysteme in Bewegung: Finnland, die Schweiz und Deutschland
Authors: Ackermann Timo
Published: January 2024

Der Beitrag bietet eine vergleichende und zusammenfassende Perspektive auf die Kinderschutzsysteme in Finnland, der Schweiz und Deutschland: Gemeinsamkeiten, Unterschiede und Trends werden diskutiert. Grundlage dafür sind die Beiträge im Schwerpunkt „Kinderschutzsysteme international“ in Sozial Extra 1|24. Diese Beiträge zeigen, dass sich die untersuchten Kinderschutzsysteme in Entwicklung – in Bewegung – befinden: In allen drei Ländern werden Kinderschutzsysteme aktiv reformiert, um Verbesserungen zu erreichen. Die Rechte von Kindern, einschließlich der Unterstützung für Care Leaver, rücken zunehmend in den Fokus. Gleichzeitig gibt es in vielen Bereichen noch Entwicklungsbedarf und zu erkennen sind auch Forschungslücken, etwa bei der Risikoeinschätzung und Entscheidungsfindung, aber auch bei der Erhebung grundlegender empirischer Daten. Deutlich wird, wie stark der Kinderschutz durch sozialstaatliche, institutionelle und rechtliche Rahmungen geprägt ist, die auch bei Bestrebungen zur Verbesserung der jeweiligen Systeme mit zu reflektieren sind. Gleichzeitig öffnet die internationale Perspektive den Blick dafür, wie Kinderschutz auch anders gedacht und organisiert werden könnte.
Eu-MOF-Based Fluorescent Ratiometric Sensor by Detecting 3,4,5-Trihydroxybenzoic for Fingerprint Visualization on Porous Objects
Authors: Liang Muwen , Zhao Yabin , Luo Yaping , Du Bin , Hu Wei , Liu Bing , Mu Xihui , Tong Zhaoyang
Published: January 2024

Latent fingerprints (LFPs) at the crime scene are served as important clues to locate the trajectory of criminal behavior and portray the characteristics of the suspect. Therefore, visualizing LFPs is of considerable significance. In this work, the europium metal-organic framework (Eu-MOF) sensor was successfully constructed for sensitive detection of gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, GA) and visualization of the sweat LFPs. The boric-acid-modified Eu-MOF was prepared by using the simple one-pot solvothermal method using Eu as the metal ion center and 3,5-dicarboxybenzeneboronic acid (BBDC) as the organic ligand. The sensor showed desirable photoluminescent performance through the chelating of BBDC with Eu3+. The sensor exhibited the satisfactory linear relationship to GA in the range of 1 nM to 20 nM with a low detection limit of 0.34 nM under the optimized conditions. The prepared sensor with ideal selectivity to GA was successfully applied for visualizing LFPs on porous substrates with the high contrast and superior stability. Given the good performance of the sensor, all fingerprint images obtained from 1 200 samples presented clear friction ridges and met the identification criteria. Notably, the sensor had less impact on the subsequent deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection, displaying a promising perspective for applications in extracting physical evidence of site investigation.
Ideals of the good life and good science among high achieving men and women scientists
Authors: Chen Chen , Sonnert Gerhard
Published: January 2024

Traditional gender roles and gender stereotypes assume different life and career priorities among men and women. Meanwhile, the science profession is commonly considered to abide by a universalist ethos and a meritocracy that is independent of gender. We examined whether men and women scientists held different ideals about the good life and about good science. Furthermore, we investigated if those ideals of good life and of good science were linked in the minds of scientists; and if the linkages differed by gender. This study used a structural topic modeling approach to analyze the interview transcripts of 108 women and 92 men elite scientists who had received highly prestigious postdoctoral fellowships during the 1960s and1970s. In the open-ended interviews, the scientists were asked to describe their ideals of good life and of good science. Regarding the good life, we found that women scientists focused more on enjoying life and relationships and less on intellectual stimulation, relative to men scientists. For good science, women scientists focused more on empirical procedural accuracy and less on basic and fundamental breakthroughs, relative to men scientists. Moreover, we found that women scientists exhibited correlations between life and science ideals, whereas the two domains were completely separate for men scientists. In conclusion, a gendered system of life and science ideals existed even among this group of highly promising scientists.
Stoic Eros
Authors: Shogry Simon
Published: January 2024

The Stoics distinguish two forms of eros. In vicious agents eros is indeed a passion and thus born out of a defective rational judgment about what is needed for happiness. But there is also a positive form of erotic love, practiced by the Sage on the basis of knowledge, which aims to reproduce his virtuous condition in others. In this Element, the author shows how the Stoics' wider theoretical commitments in ethics, epistemology, aesthetics, and psychology support their duplex account of eros. They also consider the influence of Plato's Symposium on the Stoic account, arguing for hitherto unrecognized links with Socratic moral psychology. The Element concludes with an assessment of how the Stoic erotic ideal fares in relation to our intuitions about the non-egoistic and particularized nature of love.
Sleep No More and the Discourses of Shakespeare Performance
Authors: Hopkins D. J.
Published: January 2024

This Element focuses on Sleep No More, theatre adaptation of Macbeth produced by the British company Punchdrunk. This Element frames the Shakespeare adaptation as part of a system of ghostly citationality through which audiences understand the significance of the past in performances today. Hopkins introduces the concept of “uncanny spectatorship” to describe audience practice in Sleep No More and other performance contexts. The Element positions experiences like Sleep No More as forms of critical inquiry, and, despite its seemingly analog format, Sleep No More is discussed as a valuable site for media research. Ultimately, Sleep No More and the Discourses of Shakespeare Performance Sleep No More offers an opportunity to explore a set of concepts that are significant to the subject of Shakespeare Performance and to consider the ways in which audiences interact with bodies, spaces, text, and media.
Lessons from NAGPRA
Authors: Domeischel Jenna , Neller Angela
Published: January 2024

For nearly a decade, there has been recognition of the need for an African American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (AAGPRA) or similar legislation. Experiences from implementing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) have shed light on challenges that prevent practitioners from achieving the informed, respectful, and expeditious return of remains. Given the likelihood of federal legislation addressing the repatriation of persons of African descent and acknowledging the hurdles that practitioners may face if and when it is passed, we offer a practical model, START, to reorient our understanding of success to recognizing that incremental progress is still forward movement. The model is organized into five stages and is presented with context from NAGPRA, along with suggested steps that practitioners can take at each stage to help build on their success. The START model is a straightforward and practical checklist approach that helps practitioners recognize the victories achieved in small steps that could be hidden or prevented by misguided but well-intentioned attempts at perfection. It is directly applicable to preparation for repatriation but has utility for any curation or collections management context.
METTL3-mediated RanGAP1 promotes colorectal cancer progression through the MAPK pathway by recruiting YTHDF1
Authors: Yang Rui , Yang Cheng , Su Danjie , Song Yang , Min Jie , Qian Zhixin , Shen Xiangjing , Li Junqiang , Su Haichuan
Published: January 2024

Ran GTPase activating protein 1 (RanGAP1) has been implicated in various diseases, but its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression remains unclear. Using tumor tissues and public databases, we found that RanGAP1 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and was associated with poor prognosis of patients. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) was found to play an important role in higher expression of RanGAP1. MeRIP-seq, RIP-qPCR, Luciferase reporter assays and other related experiment elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying m6A modification of RanGAP1. Besides, cell function experiments and xenograft tumor models corroborated the function of RanGAP1 in CRC progression. By RNA-seq and related analysis, RanGAP1 was verified to influent CRC progression via the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Therefore, N6-methyladenosine modification of RanGAP1 by METTL3/YTHDF1 plays a role in CRC progression through the MAPK pathway and could be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC.
Motion of VAPB molecules reveals ER–mitochondria contact site subdomains
Authors: Obara Christopher J. , Nixon-Abell Jonathon , Moore Andrew S. , Riccio Federica , Hoffman David P. , Shtengel Gleb , Xu C. Shan , Schaefer Kathy , Pasolli H. Amalia , Masson Jean-Baptiste , Hess Harald F. , Calderon Christopher P. , Blackstone Craig , Lippincott-Schwartz Jennifer
Published: January 2024

To coordinate cellular physiology, eukaryotic cells rely on the rapid exchange of molecules at specialized organelle–organelle contact sites1,2. Endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondrial contact sites (ERMCSs) are particularly vital communication hubs, playing key roles in the exchange of signalling molecules, lipids and metabolites3,4. ERMCSs are maintained by interactions between complementary tethering molecules on the surface of each organelle5,6. However, due to the extreme sensitivity of these membrane interfaces to experimental perturbation7,8, a clear understanding of their nanoscale organization and regulation is still lacking. Here we combine three-dimensional electron microscopy with high-speed molecular tracking of a model organelle tether, Vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP)-associated protein B (VAPB), to map the structure and diffusion landscape of ERMCSs. We uncovered dynamic subdomains within VAPB contact sites that correlate with ER membrane curvature and undergo rapid remodelling. We show that VAPB molecules enter and leave ERMCSs within seconds, despite the contact site itself remaining stable over much longer time scales. This metastability allows ERMCSs to remodel with changes in the physiological environment to accommodate metabolic needs of the cell. An amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated mutation in VAPB perturbs these subdomains, likely impairing their remodelling capacity and resulting in impaired interorganelle communication. These results establish high-speed single-molecule imaging as a new tool for mapping the structure of contact site interfaces and reveal that the diffusion landscape of VAPB at contact sites is a crucial component of ERMCS homeostasis.
HIV-1 capsids enter the FG phase of nuclear pores like a transport receptor
Authors: Fu Liran , Weiskopf Erika N. , Akkermans Onno , Swanson Nicholas A. , Cheng Shiya , Schwartz Thomas U. , Görlich Dirk
Published: January 2024

HIV-1 infection requires nuclear entry of the viral genome. Previous evidence suggests that this entry proceeds through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), with the 120 × 60 nm capsid squeezing through an approximately 60-nm-wide central channel1 and crossing the permeability barrier of the NPC. This barrier can be described as an FG phase2 that is assembled from cohesively interacting phenylalanine–glycine (FG) repeats3 and is selectively permeable to cargo captured by nuclear transport receptors (NTRs). Here we show that HIV-1 capsid assemblies can target NPCs efficiently in an NTR-independent manner and bind directly to several types of FG repeats, including barrier-forming cohesive repeats. Like NTRs, the capsid readily partitions into an in vitro assembled cohesive FG phase that can serve as an NPC mimic and excludes much smaller inert probes such as mCherry. Indeed, entry of the capsid protein into such an FG phase is greatly enhanced by capsid assembly, which also allows the encapsulated clients to enter. Thus, our data indicate that the HIV-1 capsid behaves like an NTR, with its interior serving as a cargo container. Because capsid-coating with trans-acting NTRs would increase the diameter by 10 nm or more, we suggest that such a ‘self-translocating’ capsid undermines the size restrictions imposed by the NPC scaffold, thereby bypassing an otherwise effective barrier to viral infection.
The HIV capsid mimics karyopherin engagement of FG-nucleoporins
Authors: Dickson C. F. , Hertel S. , Tuckwell A. J. , Li N. , Ruan J. , Al-Izzi S. C. , Ariotti N. , Sierecki E. , Gambin Y. , Morris R. G. , Towers G. J. , Böcking T. , Jacques D. A.
Published: January 2024

HIV can infect non-dividing cells because the viral capsid can overcome the selective barrier of the nuclear pore complex and deliver the genome directly into the nucleus1,2. Remarkably, the intact HIV capsid is more than 1,000 times larger than the size limit prescribed by the diffusion barrier of the nuclear pore3. This barrier in the central channel of the nuclear pore is composed of intrinsically disordered nucleoporin domains enriched in phenylalanine–glycine (FG) dipeptides. Through multivalent FG interactions, cellular karyopherins and their bound cargoes solubilize in this phase to drive nucleocytoplasmic transport4. By performing an in vitro dissection of the nuclear pore complex, we show that a pocket on the surface of the HIV capsid similarly interacts with FG motifs from multiple nucleoporins and that this interaction licences capsids to penetrate FG-nucleoporin condensates. This karyopherin mimicry model addresses a key conceptual challenge for the role of the HIV capsid in nuclear entry and offers an explanation as to how an exogenous entity much larger than any known cellular cargo may be able to non-destructively breach the nuclear envelope.
Identification of a common haplotype in carriers of rob(1;29) in 32 Italian cattle breeds
Authors: Cortellari Matteo , Bionda Arianna , Liotta Luigi , Sbarra Fiorella , Parma Pietro , Crepaldi Paola
Published: January 2024

Robertsonian translocation 1;29 (rob(1;29)), a widespread chromosomal anomaly affecting cattle fertility, appears to have originated from a common ancestor. This study utilizes routine SNP data to investigate the chromosomal region associated with rob(1;29) and confirm the presence of a shared haplotype among carriers in diverse Italian breeds. Three datasets were employed: Dataset 1 included 151 subjects from 5 beef cattle breeds genotyped with the GGP Bovine 33 k SNP chip; Dataset 2 encompassed 800 subjects from 32 Italian breeds genotyped with the Illumina 50 k SNP chip, sourced from the BOVITA dataset; Dataset 3 combined Dataset 2 with 21 karyologically tested subjects from breeds with a high carrier frequency, genotyped using the Affymetrix 65 K SNP chip. FST analysis pinpointed a distinctive genomic region on the first six Mb of BTA29, the centromeric region involved in the translocation. Haplotype comparisons within this non-recombining region revealed a common haplotype shared among all carriers, supporting the theory of a common ancestor. Principal component and haplotype analysis allowed clear differentiation of rob(1;29) homozygous and heterozygous carriers. Expanding to Dataset 2 revealed rob(1;29) carriers in unexpected breeds, all sharing the same ancestral haplotype. Notably, previously untested breeds, including Cinisara, exhibited a high carrier prevalence (nearly 50%), confirmed by karyological analysis. This study validates the presence of a shared haplotype among all identified rob(1;29) carriers, reinforcing the common ancestor theory as the origin of this translocation's spread throughout the cattle population. Furthermore, it underscores the potential of SNP data analysis as a rapid, accurate, and cost-effective tool for broad rob(1;29) screening, given the translocation's consistent nature across all analyzed breeds.
Contribution of infection and vaccination to population-level seroprevalence through two COVID waves in Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Selvavinayagam T. S. , Somasundaram Anavarathan , Selvam Jerard Maria , Sampath P. , Vijayalakshmi V. , Kumar C. Ajith Brabhu , Subramaniam Sudharshini , Kumarasamy Parthipan , Raju S. , Avudaiselvi R. , Prakash V. , Yogananth N. , Subramanian Gurunathan , Roshini A. , Dhiliban D. N. , Imad Sofia , Tandel Vaidehi , Parasa Rajeswari , Sachdeva Stuti , Ramachandran Sabareesh , Malani Anup
Published: January 2024

This study employs repeated, large panels of serological surveys to document rapid and substantial waning of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at the population level and to calculate the extent to which infection and vaccination separately contribute to seroprevalence estimates. Four rounds of serological surveys were conducted, spanning two COVID waves (October 2020 and April–May 2021), in Tamil Nadu (population 72 million) state in India. Each round included representative populations in each district of the state, totaling ≥ 20,000 persons per round. State-level seroprevalence was 31.5% in round 1 (October–November 2020), after India’s first COVID wave. Seroprevalence fell to 22.9% in round 2 (April 2021), a roughly one-third decline in 6 months, consistent with dramatic waning of SARS-Cov-2 antibodies from natural infection. Seroprevalence rose to 67.1% by round 3 (June–July 2021), with infections from the Delta-variant induced second COVID wave accounting for 74% of the increase. Seroprevalence rose to 93.1% by round 4 (December 2021–January 2022), with vaccinations accounting for 63% of the increase. Antibodies also appear to wane after vaccination. Seroprevalence in urban areas was higher than in rural areas, but the gap shrunk over time (35.7 v. 25.7% in round 1, 89.8% v. 91.4% in round 4) as the epidemic spread even in low-density rural areas.
Response boosts serial dependence in the numerosity estimation task
Authors: Morimoto Yukihiro , Makioka Shogo
Published: January 2024

Perceptions of current stimuli are sometimes biased toward or away from past perceptions. This phenomenon is called serial dependence. However, the strength of the effect of past responses on serial dependence has not been fully elucidated. We conducted experiments with a task in which participants estimated the number of dot arrays (numerosity estimation task) and directly compared whether the strength of serial dependence changed in the numerosity estimation task when participants responded or did not respond in the immediately preceding trial. We also examined whether the strength of serial dependence affected the accuracy of the numerosity estimation. We found that attractive serial dependence was stronger when participants responded in the immediately preceding trial than when they only saw the stimulus. The results suggest that the information from the previous stimulus must reach the higher-level processes associated with perceptual decisions to influence the estimation of the current stimulus. However, it is possible that the results of this study are specific to tasks in which participants respond with numeric symbols. The magnitude of the serial dependence effect was not observed to affect numerosity estimation performance, and no evidence was found that serial dependence enhances accuracy in the numerosity estimation task.
A quad DC source switched three-phase multilevel DC-link inverter topology
Authors: Sivamani S. , Mangaiyarkarasi S. P. , Gandhi Raj R. , Senthilkumar S.
Published: January 2024

The concept of an isolated DC source cascaded multilevel inverter finds good solutions for generating quality output voltage for low-medium power applications. It shapes the output voltage from three levels into a number of steps closer to a sinusoidal shape using small DC sources or batteries. Several advantages have been sighted like lower voltage stress and bearing noise, and lesser THD. However, a common issue in the MLIs is the total components required which increase with the rise in voltage levels. This paper proposes a three-phase MLI design having several isolated quad voltage source modules including an H-Bridge inverter. The design suggested claims reduced switching components for current conduction paths showing improved output quality. The operational features of the suggested MLI have been analyzed using Matlab/Simulink software, furthermore, an experimental module is constructed for demonstrating the effectiveness of the simulated results.
Trends and oscillations in arctic mediterranean atmospheric static stability during recent arctic warming
Authors: Wang Xin , Zhao Jinping
Published: January 2024

The long-term variation in the static stability of lower atmosphere (SSLA) in the Arctic Mediterranean is investigated using reanalysis data. Climatological SSLA is categorized into a high-value region (Polar Region) and two low-value regions in the Norwegian Sea (Region-A) and southern part of Iceland (Region-B). The variations of SSLA are divided into trends and oscillations. In the Polar Region, SSLA exhibited a decreasing trend due to Arctic warming and sea ice decline, with negligible oscillatory variations. In Region-A and Region-B, the trends of SSLA are insignificant, while the oscillatory variation becomes obvious. SSLA there are highly correlated to Arctic Oscillation (AO) Index and vertical velocity. The driving factors in weakening SSLA are vertical velocity and surface heating, related to enhanced warm water advection dominated by AO. The variation of SSLA in turn feeds back the vertical velocity and AO.
Shared structural features of Miro binding control mitochondrial homeostasis
Authors: Covill-Cooke Christian , Kwizera Brian , López-Doménech Guillermo , Thompson Caleb OD , Cheung Ngaam J , Cerezo Ema , Peterka Martin , Kittler Josef T , Kornmann Benoît
Published: January 2024

Miro proteins are universally conserved mitochondrial calcium-binding GTPases that regulate a multitude of mitochondrial processes, including transport, clearance, and lipid trafficking. The exact role of Miro in these functions is unclear but involves binding to a variety of client proteins. How this binding is operated at the molecular level and whether and how it is important for mitochondrial health, however, remains unknown. Here, we show that known Miro interactors—namely, CENPF, Trak, and MYO19—all use a similar short motif to bind the same structural element: a highly conserved hydrophobic pocket in the first calcium-binding domain of Miro. Using these Miro-binding motifs, we identified direct interactors de novo, including MTFR1/2/1L, the lipid transporters Mdm34 and VPS13D, and the ubiquitin E3-ligase Parkin. Given the shared binding mechanism of these functionally diverse clients and its conservation across eukaryotes, we propose that Miro is a universal mitochondrial adaptor coordinating mitochondrial health.
Enhanced d–π overlap in a graphene supported Ni/PtNi heterojunction for efficient seawater hydrogen evolution
Authors: Yang Xiong , Xiao Yu-Xuan , Zhang Xue-Qi , Yu Fei , Tian Ge , Zhao Wen-Ying , Shen Ling , Zhang Song , Yang Xiao-Yu
Published: January 2024

d–π overlap, which represents overlap between metal-d and graphene-π orbitals to facilitate electron transfer, has rarely been reported.