bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of precipitation, irrigation, and exploitation on groundwater geochemical evolution in the people’s victory canal irrigation area, China
Authors: Liu Zhongpei , Feng Shaoyi , Zhang Dongqing , Han Yuping , Cao Runxiang
Published: November 2022

The People's Victory Canal Irrigation Area is a large gravity irrigation area in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. Groundwater hydrochemistry is controlled by geochemical weathering, precipitation, irrigation from the Yellow River diversion, and artificial exploitation. The Piper diagram, hierarchical cluster analysis, Gibbs diagram, and ion proportion coefficient were applied to improve our understanding of the hydrogeochemical evolution. Our results indicated that groundwater ion concentration has prominent spatial zonation characteristics in the study area. The groundwater ion components in the low salinity area are mainly a result of silicate and carbonate weathering, with the major hydrochemical type being HCO3·Cl–Na·Mg and HCO3–Na·Ca. The soil salt content in the low salinity area is low. The main effect of precipitation on groundwater chemical composition is a reduction in groundwater ion concentration by recharge. The groundwater ion concentration near the canal is similar to the Yellow River water. The groundwater ionic components in the high salinity area are mainly affected by weathering, silicate dissolution, and evaporative salt rocks. The water chemical type is SO4·Cl–Na·Mg. Expectedly, the soil salt content is high in the high salinity area. The Yellow River recharge decreased the ion concentration of groundwater near the canal. In addition, the groundwater exploitation increase results in a change in the flow field, affecting the local groundwater chemistry. The groundwater ion concentration increases as the groundwater flow from the high salinity area to the low salinity area. In contrast, the groundwater ion concentration in the high salinity area decreases. We further discuss these results in the context of the complex influence of precipitation, Yellow River diversion irrigation, and artificial exploitation on the hydrogeochemical evolution.
Human Machine Interface with Wearable Electronics Using Biodegradable Triboelectric Films for Calligraphy Practice and Correction
Authors: Shen Shen , Yi Jia , Sun Zhongda , Guo Zihao , He Tianyiyi , Ma Liyun , Li Huimin , Fu Jiajia , Lee Chengkuo , Wang Zhong Lin
Published: November 2022

Letter handwriting, especially stroke correction, is of great importance for recording languages and expressing and exchanging ideas for individual behavior and the public. In this study, a biodegradable and conductive carboxymethyl chitosan-silk fibroin (CSF) film is prepared to design wearable triboelectric nanogenerator (denoted as CSF-TENG), which outputs of Voc ≈ 165 V, Isc ≈ 1.4 μA, and Qsc ≈ 72 mW cm−2. Further, in vitro biodegradation of CSF film is performed through trypsin and lysozyme. The results show that trypsin and lysozyme have stable and favorable biodegradation properties, removing 63.1% of CSF film after degrading for 11 days. Further, the CSF-TENG-based human–machine interface (HMI) is designed to promptly track writing steps and access the accuracy of letters, resulting in a straightforward communication media of human and machine. The CSF-TENG-based HMI can automatically recognize and correct three representative letters (F, H, and K), which is benefited by HMI system for data processing and analysis. The CSF-TENG-based HMI can make decisions for the next stroke, highlighting the stroke in advance by replacing it with red, which can be a candidate for calligraphy practice and correction. Finally, various demonstrations are done in real-time to achieve virtual and real-world controls including writing, vehicle movements, and healthcare.
Organization and evolution of the UK far-right network on Telegram
Authors: Bovet Alexandre , Grindrod Peter
Published: November 2022

The instant messaging platform Telegram has become popular among the far-right movements in the US and UK in recent years. These groups use public Telegram channels and group chats to disseminate hate speech, disinformation, and conspiracy theories. Recent works revealed that the far-right Telegram network structure is decentralized and formed of several communities divided mostly along ideological and national lines. Here, we investigated the UK far-right network on Telegram and are interested in understanding the different roles of different channels and their influence relations. We apply a community detection method, based on the clustering of a flow of random walkers, that allows us to uncover the organization of the Telegram network in communities with different roles. We find three types of communities: (1) upstream communities contain mostly group chats that comment on content from channels in the rest of the network; (2) core communities contain broadcast channels tightly connected to each other and can be seen as forming echo chambers; (3) downstream communities contain popular channels that are highly referenced by other channels. We find that the network is composed of two main sub-networks: one containing mainly channels related to the English-speaking far-right movements and one with channels in Russian. We analyze the dynamics of the different communities and the most shared external links in the different types of communities over a period going from 2015 to 2020. We find that different types of communities have different dynamics and share links to different types of websites. We finish by discussing several directions for further work.
High faradic efficiency of CO2 conversion to formic acid catalyzed by Cu2O hollow-dices
Authors: Li Jing , Meng Chen , Gu Jingkun , Wang Honglin , Dai Ruoyun , Sha Haozhi , Zhu Hongwei
Published: November 2022

Cu2O has been intensively studied as an efficient catalyst for CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). By various methods for fine-tuning the morphology and surface modification, high selectivity and activity of different products can be achieved. Here, we report a novel Cu2O nanostructure design by facet-controlled etching, during which the catalyst structure switched from a cuboctahedron architecture to a hollow dice-like structure. The as-etched catalysts exhibit a high Faradic efficiency of formic acid, reaching 75.1% at a low potential of -1.0 V. Further characterizations indicate that the performance enhancement is attributed to the increased oxygen vacancies induced by the etching process. Our Cu2O nanostructure design provides a new approach for high-efficiency catalysts for formic acid production at low potentials.
Self-sustainment of coherent structures in counter-rotating Taylor–Couette flow
Authors: Wang B. , Ayats R. , Deguchi K. , Mellibovsky F. , Meseguer A.
Published: November 2022

We investigate the local self-sustained process underlying spiral turbulence in counter-rotating Taylor–Couette flow using a periodic annular domain, shaped as a parallelogram, two of whose sides are aligned with the cylindrical helix described by the spiral pattern. The primary focus of the study is placed on the emergence of drifting–rotating waves (DRW) that capture, in a relatively small domain, the main features of coherent structures typically observed in developed turbulence. The transitional dynamics of the subcritical region, far below the first instability of the laminar circular Couette flow, is determined by the upper and lower branches of DRW solutions originated at saddle-node bifurcations. The mechanism whereby these solutions self-sustain, and the chaotic dynamics they induce, are conspicuously reminiscent of other subcritical shear flows. Remarkably, the flow properties of DRW persist even as the Reynolds number is increased beyond the linear stability threshold of the base flow. Simulations in a narrow parallelogram domain stretched in the azimuthal direction to revolve around the apparatus a full turn confirm that self-sustained vortices eventually concentrate into a localised pattern. The resulting statistical steady state satisfactorily reproduces qualitatively, and to a certain degree also quantitatively, the topology and properties of spiral turbulence as calculated in a large periodic domain of sufficient aspect ratio that is representative of the real system.
Some results for semi-stable radial solutions of k-Hessian equations with weight on ℝn
Authors: Navarro Miguel Angel , Sánchez Justino
Published: November 2022

We devote this paper to study semi-stable nonconstant radial solutions of $S_k(D^2u)=w(\left \vert x \right \vert )g(u)$ on the Euclidean space $\mathbb {R}^n$. We establish pointwise estimates and necessary conditions for the existence of such solutions (not necessarily bounded) for this equation. For bounded solutions we estimate their asymptotic behaviour at infinity. All the estimates are given in terms of the spatial dimension $n$, the values of $k$ and the behaviour at infinity of the growth rate function of $w$.
First morphological and phylogenetic data on Ligophorus kaohsianghsieni (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) from the Black Sea and the Sea of Japan and molecular evidence of deep divergence of sympatric Ligophorus species parasitizing Planiliza haematocheilus
Authors: Vodiasova E. , Atopkin D. , Plaksina M. , Chelebieva E. , Dmitrieva E.
Published: November 2022

Ligophorus kaohsianghsieni (Gusev, 1962) Gusev, 1985 was collected from the so-iuy mullet Planiliza haematocheilus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) from the Black Sea and the Sea of Japan. DNA sequences data for L. kaohsianghsieni, as well as its morphological characters from the Sea of Japan were obtained for the first time. Significant morphometric and genetic diversity between specimens of L. kaohsianghsieni from the Black-Azov Sea region and the Sea of Japan were not found. For the first time, the molecular phylogeny of L. kaohsianghsieni based on three fragments of the nuclear DNA ribosomal cluster (18S, internal transcribed spacer 1 and 28S) was reconstructed. Molecular analysis of Ligophorus species from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans revealed a significant phylogenetic distance between L. kaohsianghsieni and two others species (Ligophorus pilengas and Ligophorus llewellyni) from the same host (P. haematocheilus) and region. This result indicates the lack of correspondence between the phylogenetic and geographical closeness of the hosts and the relation of their parasites from the genus Ligophorus.
In vitroliquid culture of the mollusc-parasitic nematodePhasmarhabditis(Rhabditida: Rhabditidae)
Authors: Pieterse A. , Haukeland S. , Půža V. , Ross J. L. , Malan A. P.
Published: November 2022

The success of the mollusc-parasitic nematode,Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita(Schneider) Andrássy (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae), as a biological control agent in Europe has led to worldwide interest in phasmarhabditids as biocontrol agents. In this study, the mass culture potential of three phasmarhabditids, namelyPhasmarhabditis papillosa,Phasmarhabditis kenyaensisandPhasmarhabditis bohemica, was assessed. In addition, ten bacterial candidates, consisting of seven associated with slugs and three associated with entomopathogenic nematodes, were investigated. The bacteria were tested for their ability to cause mortality toDeroceras invadens, as well as to support nematode growth. Initial mortality studies demonstrated thatKluyvera,AeromonasandPseudomonasspp. (AP3) caused 100% mortality when they were injected into the haemocoel ofD. invadens. However, in growth studies,Pseudomonassp. (AP4) was found to be the most successful bacterium, leading to recovery and reproduction in almost all nematode species, except forP. kenyaensis. In flask studies,P. bohemica, which showed exceptional growth withPseudomonassp. (AP1), was chosen for further investigation. The effect of inoculating flasks with different concentrations ofPseudomonassp. (AP1), as well as with different concentrations ofP. bohemica, was evaluated by assessing the nematode populations for 14 days. The results indicated that the lowest, 1% (v/v), bacteria inoculation led to higher total nematode and to infective juvenile (IJ) yield, with flasks with the highest IJ inoculum (3000 IJs/ml) having a positive effect on the total number of nematodes and IJs in cultures ofP. bohemica. This study presents improvements for the mass-culturing of nematodes associated with molluscs.
On the presence of the deep-water mytilid Gigantidas horikoshii (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) in Taiwanese waters
Authors: Mellado Claudio , Zambrano Nicolás , Aliaga Juan Antonio , Ballesteros Luis , Araya Juan Francisco
Published: November 2022

We present the first record of the very large deep-sea mytilid Gigantidas horikoshii Hashimoto & Yamane, 2005 outside of its type distribution, based on a juvenile specimen collected by fishermen at the Tashi fishing grounds east of Taiwan. This record extends the distribution of the species in about 20 latitudinal degrees to the west (about 1916 km), and it is the first record for this species outside the Izu-Ogasawara Island-arc, southern Japan, representing the westernmost geographic limit of this species and the first record in Taiwanese waters.
Religion, political parties, and Thailand’s 2019 election: Cosmopolitan royalism and its rivals
Authors: Larsson Tomas
Published: November 2022

The political salience of religious issues and identities has been rising in Thailand, and this is increasingly reflected in electoral politics. Thai political parties seek to position themselves in relation to struggles over the location of the ideological centre of gravity, which has pitted defenders of the religio-political status quo—a monarchy-centred civil-religious nationalism—against Buddhist nationalists, on the one hand, and proponents of greater secularization, on the other. In the 2019 general election, political entrepreneurs ‘particized’ these religio-political differences, which has far-reaching implications for majority-minority relations, to an extent that appears unprecedented in recent Thai political history. This argument is developed through an analysis of the platforms, policies, and rhetoric put forward by political parties contesting the election, which concluded an almost five-year period of direct military rule. This analysis suggests we need to pay greater attention to the role of political parties and electoral competition in maintaining and contesting the secular settlement in Thailand.
Predicting adolescent depression and anxiety from multi-wave longitudinal data using machine learning
Authors: Hawes Mariah T. , Schwartz H. Andrew , Son Youngseo , Klein Daniel N.
Published: November 2022

Background

This study leveraged machine learning to evaluate the contribution of information from multiple developmental stages to prospective prediction of depression and anxiety in mid-adolescence.

Methods

A community sample (N = 374; 53.5% male) of children and their families completed tri-annual assessments across ages 3–15. The feature set included several important risk factors spanning psychopathology, temperament/personality, family environment, life stress, interpersonal relationships, neurocognitive, hormonal, and neural functioning, and parental psychopathology and personality. We used canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to reduce the large feature set to a lower dimensional space while preserving the longitudinal structure of the data. Ablation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relative contributions to prediction of information gathered at different developmental periods and relative to previous disorder status (i.e. age 12 depression or anxiety) and demographics (sex, race, ethnicity).

Results

CCA components from individual waves predicted age 15 disorder status better than chance across ages 3, 6, 9, and 12 for anxiety and 9 and 12 for depression. Only the components from age 12 for depression, and ages 9 and 12 for anxiety, improved prediction over prior disorder status and demographics.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that screening for risk of adolescent depression can be successful as early as age 9, while screening for risk of adolescent anxiety can be successful as early as age 3. Assessing additional risk factors at age 12 for depression, and going back to age 9 for anxiety, can improve screening for risk at age 15 beyond knowing standard demographics and disorder history.
Epidemiological evaluation of mass testing in a small municipality in the Netherlands during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic
Authors: Heijmink Lisanne , Tönis Juul , Gilhuis Niek , Gerkema Maartje , Hart Lotte , Raven Stijn , van den Boogaard Jossy , Hofhuis Agnetha , van den Hof Susan , Visser Olga
Published: November 2022

During 6 weeks in February–March 2021, the Dutch municipal health service Utrecht studied the epidemiological effects on test incidence and the detection of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with mass testing (MT). During MT, inhabitants of Bunschoten could repeatedly test regardless of symptoms and as often as desired at the close-by test facilities in the municipality. Data from the regular COVID-19 registration was used for analysis. In Bunschoten, MT caused a significant increase in test incidence and an immediate increase in the number of detected active infections, in contrast to a stabilisation in the rest of the province of Utrecht. Age distribution of test incidence shifted to the older population in Bunschoten during MT. During MT, there was a 6.8 percentage point increase in detected asymptomatic cases, a 0.4 percentage point increase in pre-symptomatic cases and a decrease of 0.5 days between onset of symptoms and test date. This study has shown that MT increases test incidence and helps to obtain a more complete view of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a community, which can be useful in specific situations with a defined target group or goal. However, the question remains open whether the use of MT is proportionate to the overall gain.
Biased adult sex ratios in Western Europe populations of Little BustardTetrax tetraxas a potential warning signal of unbalanced mortalities
Authors: Serrano-Davies Eva , Traba Juan , Arroyo Beatriz , Mougeot François , Cuscó Francesc , Mañosa Santi , Bota Gerard , Faria Nuno , Villers Alexandre , Casas Fabián , Attie Carole , Devoucoux Pierrick , Bretagnolle Vincent , Morales Manuel B.
Published: November 2022

Adult sex ratios (ASRs) have proved to correlate with population trends, which make them potential useful indicators of a species’ population trajectory and conservation status. We analysed ASRs and proportion of juveniles in flocks of an endangered steppe bird, the Little BustardTetrax tetrax, using surveys made during the non-breeding period in seven areas within its Western European range (one in Portugal, four in Spain, and two in France). We found overall male-biased ASRs, as all the seven surveyed areas showed a male-biased ASR mean value. Five areas were below the threshold median value (female sex ratio = 0.4) considered to be consistent with an increased probability of extinction, according to earlier population viability analyses for the species. We also found a significant positive correlation between female ratio and the proportion of young individuals in the non-breeding flocks surveyed. Our results (strongly male-biased ASRs) support the hypothesis that the viability of Little Bustard populations in Western Europe is threatened by an excess of female mortality, something that should be quantified in the future, and emphasise the value of monitoring sex ratio as a population viability indicator in species where monitoring survival is difficult to achieve.
The impact of particular safety behaviours on perceived likeability and authenticity during interpersonal interactions in social anxiety disorder
Authors: Dabas Grishma , Rowa Karen , Milosevic Irena , Moscovitch David A. , McCabe Randi E.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Safety behaviours are hypothesized to play a vital role in maintaining social anxiety disorder (SAD), in part by orienting socially anxious individuals to adopt an avoidance-based mindset focused on self-protection and self-concealment. Evidence suggests an association between safety behaviour use and negative social outcomes for individuals with SAD. However, research has largely focused on the broad group of safety behaviours, whereas specific subtypes have received less attention.

Aim:

The present study aimed to further our understanding of the negative interpersonal consequences of specific types of safety behaviours for individuals with SAD by examining whether active, inhibiting/restricting, or physical symptom management safety behaviour use affects perceived likeability and authenticity during a conversation with a stranger.

Method:

Individuals with SAD (n = 29; mean age 35.5 years) and healthy control (non-SAD) participants (n = 40; mean age 18.6 years) engaged in a semi-structured social interaction with trained confederates.

Results:

Participants with SAD were perceived as significantly less likeable and authentic by the confederates, and rated themselves as significantly less authentic compared with those without SAD. The association between group status and likeability was mediated by the use of inhibiting/restricting safety behaviours and the association between group status and participant-rated authenticity was mediated by the use of both inhibiting/restricting and active safety behaviours, but not physical symptom management strategies.

Conclusions:

These results contribute to a growing literature suggesting that some, but not all, safety behaviours may play an important role in creating the negative social outcomes that individuals with SAD experience.
Unifying Framework for Optimizations in Non-Boolean Formalisms
Authors: LIERLER YULIYA
Published: November 2022

Search-optimization problems are plentiful in scientific and engineering domains. Artificial intelligence (AI) has long contributed to the development of search algorithms and declarative programming languages geared toward solving and modeling search-optimization problems. Automated reasoning and knowledge representation are the subfields of AI that are particularly vested in these developments. Many popular automated reasoning paradigms provide users with languages supporting optimization statements. Recall integer linear programming, MaxSAT, optimization satisfiability modulo theory, (constraint) answer set programming. These paradigms vary significantly in their languages in ways they express quality conditions on computed solutions. Here we propose a unifying framework of so-called extended weight systems that eliminates syntactic distinctions between paradigms. They allow us to see essential similarities and differences between optimization statements provided by distinct automated reasoning languages. We also study formal properties of the proposed systems that immediately translate into formal properties of paradigms that can be captured within our framework.
Trapezoidal pulse-switching strategy for failure correction of multi-pattern time-modulated linear array
Authors: Mukherjee Ananya , Mandal Sujoy , Mandal Sujit K. , Ghatak Rowdra
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a novel approach for simultaneously correcting multiple degraded patterns under the failure condition of time-modulated linear arrays is proposed. The approach is based on the use of trapezoidal pulse with non-zero rise/fall time to control the switching status of the radio frequency switches that enables ON-OFF keying modulation of the array elements. After deriving a closed form expression of harmonic power loss and through the in-depth analysis, it is explored that the proposed trapezoidal pulse, because of having non-zero rise/fall time, provides less undesired harmonic power loss as compared to the conventionally used rectangular pulse with ideally zero rise/fall time. With the aim of reconstructing the degraded patterns with improved directivity and suppressed higher sideband power, three pulse-switching strategies based on rectangular and trapezoidal pulse have been employed, and their comparative performances prove the superiority of the proposed approach.
Characteristics of a Jumping Cirrus Retrieved From Rapid Scans by Himawari‐8
Authors: Iwasaki S. , Yamaguchi T.
Published: November 2022

A jumping cirrus (JC) is a cloud that forms a few kilometers above an anvil cloud downwind of an overshooting top (OT). A JC transports water vapor from the troposphere into the stratosphere, where water vapor is an important greenhouse gas. However, the microphysics of JC has not been explored thus far. Herein, 2.5‐min rapid scan images obtained from the geostationary weather satellite Himawari‐8 were analyzed for JC observations. A dark plume was observed to appear suddenly above an anvil cloud downwind of OTs and moved 1 km upwind within 2.5 min. The brightness temperature of the plume showed that it overlaid the anvil cloud. These characteristics matched those of a JC. The reflectivity of the assumed JC at a wavelength of 0.64 μm was 0.62, whereas that of the anvil cloud on the sunny side of the JC was 1.02. The measured reflectivities were compared to those simulated using ray tracing to retrieve the microphysics of the JC. The results indicated that dark reflectivity occurred because the JC was isolated above the anvil cloud, and bright reflectivity occurred because the anvil was illuminated by the sun and scattered light from the JC. The retrieved effective radius and ice water content of the JC were 23.4–28.0 μm and 0.12–0.15 g m−3, respectively. The JC appeared to transport 10 × 103 t of ice water above deep convection within 10 min. We applied the results to analyzing the best satellite geometry for detecting and measuring JC.
Hydro Economic Asymmetries and Common‐Pool Overdraft in Transboundary Aquifers
Authors: Mullen Connor , Müller Marc F. , Penny Gopal , Hung Fengwei , Bolster Diogo
Published: November 2022

The common‐pool nature of groundwater resources creates incentives to over pump that contribute to their rapid global depletion. In transboundary aquifers, users are separated by a territorial border and might face substantially different economic and hydrogeologic conditions that can alternatively dampen or amplify incentives to over pump. We develop a theoretical model that couples principles of game theory and groundwater flow to capture the combined effect of well locations and user asymmetries on pumping incentives. We find that heterogeneities across users (here referred to as asymmetries) in terms of either energy cost, groundwater profitability or aquifer response tend to dampen incentives to over pump. However, combinations of two or more types of asymmetry can substantially amplify common‐pool overdraft, particularly when the same user simultaneously faces comparatively higher costs (or aquifer response) and profitability. We use this theoretical insight to interpret the emergence of the Disi agreement between Saudi Arabia and Jordan in association with the Disi‐Amman water pipeline. By using bounded non‐dimensional parameters to encode user asymmetries and groundwater connectivity, the theory provides a tractable generalized framework to understand the premature depletion of shared aquifers, whether transboundary or not.
The mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) protects against osteoarthritis
Authors: Zhou Zhibin , Lu Jiajia , Yang Mei , Cai Jiao , Fu Qiang , Ma Jun , Zhu Lei
Published: November 2022

The mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) is a mitochondrial-to-nuclear signaling pathway that is activated to maintain mitochondrial function when there is an accumulation of misfolded proteins within mitochondria. Mitochondrial function is essential for chondrocyte homeostasis, and mitochondrial dysfunction is a characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the role of the UPRmt in OA remains unclear. In the present study, the level of the UPRmt was examined in primary mouse chondrocytes subjected to different stresses and in the articular cartilage of OA model mice and OA patients. The relationship between UPRmt activation and OA progression was studied. The UPRmt was induced in primary mouse chondrocytes subjected to diverse stresses and in the cartilage of OA mice. Enhancement of the UPRmt with nicotinamide riboside (NR) significantly improved mitochondrial function, reduced chondrocyte death, attenuated OA pain, and ameliorated OA progression, and the protective effects decreased significantly in chondrocyte-specific Atf5 knockout (ATF5f/fCol2a1-CreERT2) mice. UPRmt induction was also identified in the articular cartilage of OA patients and was associated with reduced chondrocyte death, less severe hip pain, and lower levels of inflammation in synovial fluid. These findings identify the induction of the UPRmt in primary mouse chondrocytes exposed to pathological stresses and in the articular cartilage of OA model mice and OA patients. Enhancement of the UPRmt ameliorates OA progression, suggesting that the UPRmt exerts a protective effect against OA and may be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for OA.
Metformin can mitigate skeletal dysplasia caused by Pck2 deficiency
Authors: Li Zheng , Yue Muxin , Heng Boon Chin , Liu Yunsong , Zhang Ping , Zhou Yongsheng
Published: November 2022

As an important enzyme for gluconeogenesis, mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK2) has further complex functions beyond regulation of glucose metabolism. Here, we report that conditional knockout of Pck2 in osteoblasts results in a pathological phenotype manifested as craniofacial malformation, long bone loss, and marrow adipocyte accumulation. Ablation of Pck2 alters the metabolic pathways of developing bone, particularly fatty acid metabolism. However, metformin treatment can mitigate skeletal dysplasia of embryonic and postnatal heterozygous knockout mice, at least partly via the AMPK signaling pathway. Collectively, these data illustrate that PCK2 is pivotal for bone development and metabolic homeostasis, and suggest that regulation of metformin-mediated signaling could provide a novel and practical strategy for treating metabolic skeletal dysfunction.
Evaluating complete remission with partial hematologic recovery (CRh) as a response criterion in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
Authors: Brunner Andrew M. , Gavralidis Alexander , Ali Najla Al , Hunter Anthony , Komrokji Rami , Zeidan Amer , Sallman David A.
Published: November 2022

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) treated with DNMTI therapy have responses according to the 2006 IWG response criteria. CR responses have had the strongest association with OS. Recently, CR with partial hematologic recovery (CRh; i.e. blasts <5%, ANC > 500, platelets > 50) has been evaluated in AML, but its relevance is unknown in MDS. We identified adult patients with MDS treated with DNMTIs. We assessed best overall response to therapy according to IWG 2006 criteria, and subsequently identified patients meeting CRh criteria from the subgroup with SD or mCR. We evaluated duration of therapy and overall survival according to response. We identified 311 patients with MDS who received treatment between 2007 and 2018. The median age at the time of therapy was 69 years (range 23–91). Median follow up was 60 months. According to IWG 2006, responses included CR (n = 43, 14%), PR (n = 2, 1%), mCR (n = 57, 18%), SD (n = 149, 48%) and PD (n = 60, 19%). 79 patients (25%) achieved HI. A total of 62 patients (20%) met CRh criteria leading to reclassification of mCR (now n = 26, 8%) or SD (now n = 118, 38%). Patients achieving CR had similar time on therapy (median 8.1mo) compared to CRh (median 6mo, HR 1.4, 95% CI 0.9–2.0), and longer than other responses (p < 0.001). OS varied according to response; median OS was similar between CR (23.3mo) and CRh (25mo, HR 1.28 [0.79–2.08]), which was longer than those with mCR (17.2mo, HR 1.71 [0.96–3.05]), SD (16.3mo, HR 1.61 [1.04–2.48]), and PD (8.7mo, HR 3.04 [1.91–4.83]) (p < 0.001). OS associations with CR/CRh were confirmed in multivariable analysis accounting for allogeneic transplant. MDS patients who achieve a CRh response had similar survival and duration on therapy as patients who achieve CR response and superior to other IWG responses. These data support further evaluation of CRh into future response criteria and clinical trials.
Peptains block retinal ganglion cell death in animal models of ocular hypertension: implications for neuroprotection in glaucoma
Authors: Nam Mi-Hyun , Stankowska Dorota L. , Johnson Gretchen A. , Nahomi Rooban B. , Pantcheva Mina B. , Nagaraj Ram H.
Published: November 2022

Ocular hypertension is a significant risk factor for vision loss in glaucoma due to the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). This study investigated the effects of the antiapoptotic peptides peptain-1 and peptain-3a on RGC death in vitro in rat primary RGCs and in mouse models of ocular hypertension. Apoptosis was induced in primary rat RGCs by trophic factor deprivation for 48 h in the presence or absence of peptains. The effects of intravitreally injected peptains on RGC death were investigated in mice subjected to retinal ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). I/R injury was induced in mice by elevating the IOP to 120 mm Hg for 1 h, followed by rapid reperfusion. Ocular hypertension was induced in mice by injecting microbeads (MB) or silicone oil (SO) into the anterior chamber of the eye. Retinal flatmounts were immunostained with RGC and activated glial markers. Effects on anterograde axonal transport were determined by intravitreal injection of cholera toxin-B. Peptain-1 and peptain-3a inhibited neurotrophic factor deprivation-mediated RGC apoptosis by 29% and 35%, respectively. I/R injury caused 52% RGC loss, but peptain-1 and peptain-3a restricted RGC loss to 13% and 16%, respectively. MB and SO injections resulted in 31% and 36% loss in RGCs following 6 weeks and 4 weeks of IOP elevation, respectively. Peptain-1 and peptain-3a inhibited RGC death; the loss was only 4% and 12% in MB-injected eyes and 16% and 15% in SO-injected eyes, respectively. Anterograde transport was defective in eyes with ocular hypertension, but this defect was substantially ameliorated in peptain-injected eyes. Peptains suppressed ocular hypertension-mediated retinal glial activation. In summary, our results showed that peptains block RGC somal and axonal damage and neuroinflammation in animal models of glaucoma. We propose that peptains have the potential to be developed as therapeutics against neurodegeneration in glaucoma.
Quantum metrology with imperfect measurements
Authors: Len Yink Loong , Gefen Tuvia , Retzker Alex , Kołodyński Jan
Published: November 2022

The impact of measurement imperfections on quantum metrology protocols has not been approached in a systematic manner so far. In this work, we tackle this issue by generalising firstly the notion of quantum Fisher information to account for noisy detection, and propose tractable methods allowing for its approximate evaluation. We then show that in canonical scenarios involving N probes with local measurements undergoing readout noise, the optimal sensitivity depends crucially on the control operations allowed to counterbalance the measurement imperfections—with global control operations, the ideal sensitivity (e.g., the Heisenberg scaling) can always be recovered in the asymptotic N limit, while with local control operations the quantum-enhancement of sensitivity is constrained to a constant factor. We illustrate our findings with an example of NV-centre magnetometry, as well as schemes involving spin-1/2 probes with bit-flip errors affecting their two-outcome measurements, for which we find the input states and control unitary operations sufficient to attain the ultimate asymptotic precision.
Interruption of post-Golgi STING trafficking activates tonic interferon signaling
Authors: Tu Xintao , Chu Ting-Ting , Jeltema Devon , Abbott Kennady , Yang Kun , Xing Cong , Han Jie , Dobbs Nicole , Yan Nan
Published: November 2022

Activation of the cGAS-STING pathway is traditionally considered a “trigger-release” mechanism where detection of microbial DNA or cyclic di-nucleotides sets off the type I interferon response. Whether this pathway can be activated without pathogenic ligand exposure is less well understood. Here we show that loss of Golgi-to-lysosome STING cofactors, but not ER-to-Golgi cofactors, selectively activates tonic interferon signalling. Impairment of post-Golgi trafficking extends STING Golgi-dwell time, resulting in elevated immune signalling and protection against infection. Mechanistically, trans-Golgi coiled coil protein GCC2 and several RAB GTPases act as key regulators of STING post-Golgi trafficking. Genomic deletion of these factors potently activates cGAS-STING signalling without instigating any pathogenic trigger for cGAS. Gcc2−/− mice develop STING-dependent serologic autoimmunity. Gcc2-deleted or Rab14-deleted cancer cells induce T-cell and IFN-dependent anti-tumour immunity and inhibit tumour growth in mice. In summary, we present a “basal flux” mechanism for tonic cGAS-STING signalling, regulated at the level of post-Golgi STING trafficking, which could be exploited for cancer immunotherapy.
Two simple movement mechanisms for spatial division of labour in social insects
Authors: Richardson Thomas O. , Stroeymeyt Nathalie , Crespi Alessandro , Keller Laurent
Published: November 2022

Many animal species divide space into a patchwork of home ranges, yet there is little consensus on the mechanisms individuals use to maintain fidelity to particular locations. Theory suggests that animal movement could be based upon simple behavioural rules that use local information such as olfactory deposits, or global strategies, such as long-range biases toward landmarks. However, empirical studies have rarely attempted to distinguish between these mechanisms. Here, we perform individual tracking experiments on four species of social insects, and find that colonies consist of different groups of workers that inhabit separate but partially-overlapping spatial zones. Our trajectory analysis and simulations suggest that worker movement is consistent with two local mechanisms: one in which workers increase movement diffusivity outside their primary zone, and another in which workers modulate turning behaviour when approaching zone boundaries. Parallels with other organisms suggest that local mechanisms might represent a universal method for spatial partitioning in animal populations.
Specification of female germline by microRNA orchestrated auxin signaling in Arabidopsis
Authors: Huang Jian , Zhao Lei , Malik Shikha , Gentile Benjamin R. , Xiong Va , Arazi Tzahi , Owen Heather A. , Friml Jiří , Zhao Dazhong
Published: November 2022

Germline determination is essential for species survival and evolution in multicellular organisms. In most flowering plants, formation of the female germline is initiated with specification of one megaspore mother cell (MMC) in each ovule; however, the molecular mechanism underlying this key event remains unclear. Here we report that spatially restricted auxin signaling promotes MMC fate in Arabidopsis. Our results show that the microRNA160 (miR160) targeted gene ARF17 (AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR17) is required for promoting MMC specification by genetically interacting with the SPL/NZZ (SPOROCYTELESS/NOZZLE) gene. Alterations of auxin signaling cause formation of supernumerary MMCs in an ARF17- and SPL/NZZ-dependent manner. Furthermore, miR160 and ARF17 are indispensable for attaining a normal auxin maximum at the ovule apex via modulating the expression domain of PIN1 (PIN-FORMED1) auxin transporter. Our findings elucidate the mechanism by which auxin signaling promotes the acquisition of female germline cell fate in plants.
Human multilineage pro-epicardium/foregut organoids support the development of an epicardium/myocardium organoid
Authors: Branco Mariana A. , Dias Tiago P. , Cabral Joaquim M. S. , Pinto-do-Ó Perpetua , Diogo Maria Margarida
Published: November 2022

The epicardium, the outer epithelial layer that covers the myocardium, derives from a transient organ known as pro-epicardium, crucial during heart organogenesis. The pro-epicardium develops from lateral plate mesoderm progenitors, next to septum transversum mesenchyme, a structure deeply involved in liver embryogenesis. Here we describe a self-organized human multilineage organoid that recreates the co-emergence of pro-epicardium, septum transversum mesenchyme and liver bud. Additionally, we study the impact of WNT, BMP and retinoic acid signaling modulation on multilineage organoid specification. By co-culturing these organoids with cardiomyocyte aggregates, we generated a self-organized heart organoid comprising an epicardium-like layer that fully surrounds  a myocardium-like tissue. These heart organoids recapitulate the impact of epicardial cells on promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation and structural and functional maturation. Therefore, the human heart organoids described herein, open the path to advancing knowledge on how myocardium-epicardium interaction progresses during heart organogenesis in healthy or diseased settings.
Understanding soil selenium accumulation and bioavailability through size resolved and elemental characterization of soil extracts
Authors: Tolu Julie , Bouchet Sylvain , Helfenstein Julian , Hausheer Olivia , Chékifi Sarah , Frossard Emmanuel , Tamburini Federica , Chadwick Oliver A. , Winkel Lenny H. E.
Published: November 2022

Dietary deficiency of selenium is a global health threat related to low selenium concentrations in crops. Despite the chemical similarity of selenium to the two more abundantly studied elements sulfur and arsenic, the understanding of its accumulation in soils and availability for plants is limited. The lack of understanding of soil selenium cycling is largely due to the unavailability of methods to characterize selenium species in soils, especially the organic ones. Here we develop a size-resolved multi-elemental method using liquid chromatography and elemental mass spectrometry, which enables an advanced characterization of selenium, sulfur, and arsenic species in soil extracts. We apply the analytical approach to soils sampled along the Kohala rainfall gradient on Big Island (Hawaii), which cover a large range of organic carbon and (oxy)hydroxides contents. Similarly to sulfur but contrarily to arsenic, a large fraction of selenium is found associated with organic matter in these soils. However, while sulfur and arsenic are predominantly found as oxyanions in water extracts, selenium mainly exists as small hydrophilic organic compounds. Combining Kohala soil speciation data with concentrations in parent rock and plants further suggests that selenium association with organic matter limits its mobility in soils and availability for plants.
Full-spectrum nonmetallic plasmonic carriers for efficient isopropanol dehydration
Authors: Lu Changhai , You Daotong , Li Juan , Wen Long , Li Baojun , Guo Tuan , Lou Zaizhu
Published: November 2022

Plasmonic hot carriers have the advantage of focusing, amplifying, and manipulating optical signals via electron oscillations which offers a feasible pathway to influence catalytic reactions. However, the contribution of nonmetallic hot carriers and thermal effects on the overall reactions are still unclear, and developing methods to enhance the efficiency of the catalysis is critical. Herein, we proposed a new strategy for flexibly modulating the hot electrons using a nonmetallic plasmonic heterostructure (named W18O49-nanowires/reduced-graphene-oxides) for isopropanol dehydration where the reaction rate was 180-fold greater than the corresponding thermocatalytic pathway. The key detail to this strategy lies in the synergetic utilization of ultraviolet light and visible-near-infrared light to enhance the hot electron generation and promote electron transfer for C-O bond cleavage during isopropanol dehydration reaction. This, in turn, results in a reduced reaction activation barrier down to 0.37 eV (compared to 1.0 eV of thermocatalysis) and a significantly improved conversion efficiency of 100% propylene from isopropanol. This work provides an additional strategy to modulate hot carrier of plasmonic semiconductors and helps guide the design of better catalytic materials and chemistries.
Mechanistic investigation of human maturation of Okazaki fragments reveals slow kinetics
Authors: Raducanu Vlad-Stefan , Tehseen Muhammad , Al-Amodi Amani , Joudeh Luay I. , De Biasio Alfredo , Hamdan Samir M.
Published: November 2022

The final steps of lagging strand synthesis induce maturation of Okazaki fragments via removal of the RNA primers and ligation. Iterative cycles between Polymerase δ (Polδ) and Flap endonuclease-1 (FEN1) remove the primer, with an intermediary nick structure generated for each cycle. Here, we show that human Polδ is inefficient in releasing the nick product from FEN1, resulting in non-processive and remarkably slow RNA removal. Ligase 1 (Lig1) can release the nick from FEN1 and actively drive the reaction toward ligation. These mechanisms are coordinated by PCNA, which encircles DNA, and dynamically recruits Polδ, FEN1, and Lig1 to compete for their substrates. Our findings call for investigating additional pathways that may accelerate RNA removal in human cells, such as RNA pre-removal by RNase Hs, which, as demonstrated herein, enhances the maturation rate ~10-fold. They also suggest that FEN1 may attenuate the various activities of Polδ during DNA repair and recombination.
Design of large-span stick-slip freely switchable hydrogels via dynamic multiscale contact synergy
Authors: Zhang Zhizhi , Qin Chenxi , Feng Haiyan , Xiang Yangyang , Yu Bo , Pei Xiaowei , Ma Yanfei , Zhou Feng
Published: November 2022

Solid matter that can rapidly and reversibly switch between adhesive and non-adhesive states is desired in many technological domains including climbing robotics, actuators, wound dressings, and bioelectronics due to the ability for on-demand attachment and detachment. For most types of smart adhesive materials, however, reversible switching occurs only at narrow scales (nanoscale or microscale), which limits the realization of interchangeable surfaces with distinct adhesive states. Here, we report the design of a switchable adhesive hydrogel via dynamic multiscale contact synergy, termed as DMCS-hydrogel. The hydrogel rapidly switches between slippery (friction ~0.04 N/cm2) and sticky (adhesion ~3 N/cm2) states in the solid-solid contact process, exhibits large span, is switchable and dynamic, and features rapid adhesive switching. The design strategy of this material has wide applications ranging from programmable adhesive materials to intelligent devices.
A correlation-based feature analysis of physical examination indicators can help predict the overall underlying health status using machine learning
Authors: Wang Haixin , Shuai Ping , Deng Yanhui , Yang Jiyun , Shi Yi , Li Dongyu , Yong Tao , Liu Yuping , Huang Lulin
Published: November 2022

As a systematic investigation of the correlations between physical examination indicators (PEIs) is lacking, most PEIs are currently independently used for disease warning. This results in the general physical examination having limited diagnostic values. Here, we systematically analyzed the correlations in 221 PEIs between healthy and 34 unhealthy statuses in 803,614 individuals in China. Specifically, the study population included 711,928 healthy participants, 51,341 patients with hypertension, 12,878 patients with diabetes, and 34,997 patients with other unhealthy statuses. We found rich relevance between PEIs in the healthy physical status (7662 significant correlations, 31.5%). However, in the disease conditions, the PEI correlations changed. We focused on the difference in PEIs between healthy and 35 unhealthy physical statuses and found 1239 significant PEI differences, suggesting that they could be candidate disease markers. Finally, we established machine learning algorithms to predict health status using 15–16% of the PEIs through feature extraction, reaching a 66–99% accurate prediction, depending on the physical status. This new reference of the PEI correlation provides rich information for chronic disease diagnosis. The developed machine learning algorithms can fundamentally affect the practice of general physical examinations.