bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Placing Islands at Risk: Developmentalism, Militarism, Geopolitics, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
Authors: Grydehøj Adam , Xu Jin , Su Ping
Published: July 2024

Islands have come to be seen as a distinct object of disaster risk and climate change policy and research. This is reflected in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR), which specifies Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as in need of specialized policies, attention, and support. This article directs an island studies perspective toward the SFDRR, discussing obstacles to the framework’s implementation in island contexts. Focus is placed on two interrelated sets of issues: (1) problematic aspects of the concepts of “development” as it is applied to islands (particularly in the SIDS category); and (2) international cooperation, militarism, and geopolitics. The study found that although island societies can benefit from the attention brought to them by the SFDRR, the framework engages in rhetoric that may limit island possibilities and potentials while distracting from more fundamental changes that should be made by other state and non-state actors.
Digital Expressions of Grief and Mourning between Music, Language and Speechlessness
Authors: Mattfeldt Anna
Published: July 2024

A variety of music videos are available on the video platform YouTube, many of which can be commented on. This paper focuses on a certain type of commentary that links a piece of music with memories of deceased relatives or friends. For some users, listening to particular pieces of music consciously, after the experience of a personal loss, appears to be a self-chosen form of processing emotions, which may then be shared anonymously with others in the comment section. These forms of remembrance in turn often garner responses in the anonymity of the comment section voicing sympathy, empathy or one’s own memories. The paper presents linguistic patterns of this digital mourning and the chosen linguistic forms of reactions. This qualitative analysis draws on the comment section of music videos on YouTube, followed by a methodological discussion of the role of music in this »multimodal ensemble« (Stöckl 2019, p. 60) with respect to emotions.
»Ist es obszön, einen Abschiedsbrief an ein Haustier zu schreiben?« – Tiere als Adressat*innen in (offenen) Briefen und (anderen) Social Media-Formaten
Authors: Steen Pamela , Gnau-Franké Birte C.
Published: July 2024

In diesem medienlinguistischen Beitrag untersuchen wir Adressierungen von (›Heim‹-)Tieren in ›Tierbriefen‹ und verschiedenen Social Media-Formaten und zeigen, inwiefern diese Texte Ausdruck eines emotionalen Kapitals in Bezug auf medialehumanimalischeEmotionsgemeinschaften und Identitätskonstruktionen sind. Aus der Perspektive einer Tierlinguistik, die im Anschluss an die Human-Animal Studies Tiere in theoretischer Hinsicht prinzipiell als gleichwertige soziale Akteur*innen versteht, werden medialisierte Tiere als Quasi-Subjekte/-Objekte konzeptualisiert, die in der sozialen Online-Interaktion unterschiedliche kommunikative Rollen einnehmen. Damit gehen verschiedene Formen des menschlichen tiergerichteten Kommunizierens einher, die als kommunikative Praktiken beschreibbar sind.
Partizipationsvorstellungen von Bürger:innen: Eine explorative Anwendung der Draw&Write-Technik als Survey-Instrument
Authors: Heinrich Horst-Alfred
Published: July 2024

In einer bayernweiten postalischen Umfrage wurden unter Anwendung der Draw&Write-Technik die Zielpersonen gebeten, ihre Vorstellung von Demokratie zu zeichnen. Eine Bildtypenanalyse ergab zwar, dass die Bilder im erhobenen Datensatz die große Bedeutung bestätigen, die der Wahl in der Demokratie zukommt. Doch führt die in diesem Bereich neue Methode zu beachtlichen Differenzen verglichen mit den Ergebnissen standardisierter Umfragen. Der Mehrwert der Draw&Write-Technik zeigt sich darin, dass das Datenmaterial nicht nur die bekannten Kategorien der repräsentativen, direktdemokratischen, deliberativen oder demonstrativen Beteiligung spiegelt. Ein Teil der Zeichnungen wurde zwei weiteren Kategorien zugeordnet: 1) Klagen über empfundene Ohnmacht und Einflusslosigkeit angesichts eines repräsentativen Herrschaftssystems sowie 2) Appelle an Konsensfähigkeit und die Bereitschaft zur Verantwortungsübernahme als Bedingungen, die die Bürger:innen erfüllen müssen, wenn Beteiligung am politischen Prozess gelingen soll. Weiterhin ist das Ergebnis von großem Wert, weil das Zeichnen im Rahmen eines postalischen Surveys genutzt wurde. Ein Bias besteht lediglich hinsichtlich der Bildungsvariable, was aber auch bei der Anwendung offener Fragen zu erwarten wäre.
Changes in the taxonomic composition of soil bacterial communities under different inter-row tillage managements in a sloping vineyard of the Balaton Uplands (Hungary)
Authors: Besze Balázs Zoltán , Borsodi Andrea K. , Megyes Melinda , Zsigmond Tibor , Horel Ágota
Published: July 2024

The common grape (Vitis vinifera L.) has been cultivated for thousands of years. Nowadays, it is cultivated using a variety of tillage practices that affect the structure of the soil microbial communities and thus the health of the vine. The aim of this study was to explore and compare the effects of tillage (shallow tillage with bare soil) and no-tillage (perennial grass cover) practices on soil physical and chemical properties and soil bacterial community diversities in a small catchment. Soil samples were taken in July and October 2020 at different slope positions of two vineyards exposed to erosion. The two sampling sites were separated by the agricultural inter-row management type: tilled and no-tilled slopes. The taxonomic diversity of bacterial communities was determined using 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing method on Illumina MiSeq platform. Based on the examined soil properties, the sampling areas were separated from each other according to the positions of the upper and lower slopes and the sampling times. Both the tilled and no-tilled soil samples were dominated by sequences assigned to phyla Pseudomonadota, Acidobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Actinobacteriota, and Gemmatimonadota. The results showed that tillage had no significant effect compared to the no-tilled samples in the studied area. Water runoff and seasonally changed soil physical and chemical properties affected mainly the bacterial community structures.
Effect of Cu incorporation in silicate and modified borate bioglass materials for health applications: insights from synchrotron-based x-ray absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Imam N. G. , Harfouche Messaoud , Abdelghany A. M. , Flege Jan Ingo
Published: July 2024

This contribution investigates the effect of variable copper incorporation (x = 0.2, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0) in silicate (45 SiO2, 24.5 CaO, 24.5 Na2O, 6P2O5wt%) and modified borate (45 B2O3, 24.5 CaO, 24.5 Na2O, 6P2O5wt%) bioglass materials to be used for bone bonding applications. X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) has been used to determine the oxidation states and local coordination structure of Cu atoms in silicate-based and borate-based glasses at the Cu K-edge (~ 8979 eV). The oxidation states of Cu atoms have been determined by near-edge XAFS (XANES) fingerprinting employing reference standard compounds of Cu. Cu (I) and Cu (II) XANES spectra of the standard reference compounds were linearly combined to fit the normalized μ(E) data of the collected XANES spectra using linear combination fitting (LCF approach). The obtained results prove that most of the silicate glass samples contain Cu2O almost exclusively, while modified borate glass samples contain a significant mixture of Cu2O and CuO phases. According to the literature, the remarkable coexistence of Cu2O and CuO phases within the borate sample, particularly when x = 4, promotes the conversion process to allow the more facile formation of hydroxy carbonate apatite (HCA). The best fit structural parameters derived from extended-XAFS (EXAFS) fitting show that the ratio between Cu (I) and Cu (II) in borate glass agreed well with that extracted from XANES analysis. XANES and EXAFS conclude that borate glass with x = 4 is the most suitable composition for bone bonding applications.
Self-Supervised Contrastive Learning for Automated Segmentation of Brain Tumor MRI Images in Schizophrenia
Authors: Meng Lingmiao , Zhao Liwei , Yi Xin , Yu Qingming
Published: July 2024

Schizophrenic patients’ brain tumor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images are important references for doctors to diagnose and treat schizophrenia. However, automatic segmentation of these images is a professional and tedious task. Existing methods suffer from problems such as large model parameters, long computation time, and inadequate image processing. To achieve more accurate segmentation of brain tumors, we propose brain tumor MRI images for automatic segmentation using self-supervised contrastive learning in schizophrenia patients (BTCSSSP). First, a denoising algorithm based on progressive principal component analysis approximation and adaptive clustering is designed to process the noisy MRI images. Second, a brightness-aware image enhancement algorithm is developed to address the problems of non-uniformity, unclear boundaries, and poor spatial resolution of the MRI images. Finally, a cross-scale U-Net network with selective feature fusion attention module is designed based on self-supervised contrastive learning to achieve automatic segmentation of brain tumor MRI images. The results show that the BTCSSSP method yields higher Recall and Precision than existing methods. The maximum recall is 95%, and the image segmentation precision is 95%, thus indicating good practical applicability.
Exploring Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Diarrhea Disease and Identify its Determinants among Under-Five Years Children in East Africa
Authors: Yehuala Tirualem Zeleke , Derseh Nebiyu Mekonnen , Tewelgne Makda Fekadie , Wubante Sisay Maru
Published: July 2024

Background

The second most common cause of death for children under five is diarrhea. Early Predicting diarrhea disease and identify its determinants (factors) using an advanced machine learning model is the most effective way to save the lives of children. Hence, this study aimed to predict diarrheal diseases, identify their determinants, and generate some rules using machine learning models.

Methods

The study used secondary data from the 12 east African countries for DHS dataset analysis using Python. Machine learning techniques such as Random Forest, Decision Tree (DT), K-Nearest Neighbor, Logistic Regression (LR), wrapper feature selection and SHAP values are used for identify determinants.

Result

The final experimentation results indicated the random forest model performed the best to predict diarrhea disease with an accuracy of 86.5%, precision of 89%, F-measure of 86%, AUC curve of 92%, and recall of 82%. Important predictors’ identified age, countries, wealth status, mother’s educational status, mother’s age, source of drinking water, number of under-five children immunization status, media exposure, timing of breast feeding, mother’s working status, types of toilet, and twin status were associated with a higher predicted probability of diarrhea disease.

Conclusion

According to this study, child caregivers are fully aware of sanitation and feeding their children, and moms are educated, which can reduce child mortality by diarrhea in children in east Africa. This leads to a recommendation for policy direction to reduce infant mortality in East Africa.
Smart construction of fibre-reinforced concrete structures: size-scale effects on minimum reinforcement and plastic rotation capacity
Authors: Accornero Federico , Rubino Alessio , Marano Giuseppe C. , Carpinteri Alberto
Published: July 2024

Advanced structural design approaches should consider the economic and technological benefits offered by the structural applications of fibre-reinforced concrete. In this framework, it is important to highlight how the ductility of fibre-reinforced concrete structures is strongly dependent on the fibre volume fraction together with the structural size. This crucial coupling induces two reverse ductile-to-brittle transitions in the mechanical response of fibre-reinforced and hybrid-reinforced concrete elements: by increasing the characteristic size of the structure, an increase in its load-bearing capacity can be observed together with a decrease in its plastic rotation capacity. These size-scale effects can be taken into account by an effective fracture mechanics approach represented by the Updated Bridged Crack Model (UBCM), which can provide significant improvements in current Standards and regulations on fibre-reinforced concrete structures.
Urea application in soil: processes, losses, and alternatives—a review
Authors: Motasim Ahmmed Md , Samsuri Abd. Wahid , Nabayi Abba , Akter Amaily , Haque Mohammad Amdadul , Abdul Sukor Arina Shairah , Adibah Amin Mohd.
Published: July 2024

Urea is the most used fertilizer because of its significance on world food security but it is also the toughest fertilizer to manage. It is readily available to the plant and it is vulnerable to loss in various ways, causing environmental pollution and huge economic losses. Urea application requires a sound knowledge for its effective management, which will increase its availability to plants and reduce possible losses. Ammonia (NH3) and oxides of nitrogen (N) pollute the environment, and nitrate ($${\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - }$$

NO

3

-

) leaching alters the aquatic ecosystem, which lowers the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of applied urea. Nitrate-contaminated drinking water causes human and animal health risks, whereas the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the atmosphere is significant to ozone layer depletion and climate change. This review discusses the processes in the soil after urea application in the soil–plant system, which includes the loss mechanisms, and the significant factors affecting the N availability and losses. This review also shows that the judicial management of urea in soil–plant systems and maintaining the best management practices and technologies ensure sustainable agricultural development and decrease the risk of environmental contamination. Finally, the review summarizes the potential mechanisms of the applied urea in the soil with their mineralization and loss pathways and delivers the scientific reference to achieve sustainable crop production and reduce the risk of N losses.

Graphical Abstract
Beyond more inclusive and equitable research in ecology and conservation: on the practical implications of expanding authorship to local data collectors
Authors: Palmeirim Ana Filipa
Published: July 2024

Newly acquired knowledge is typically disseminated in the form of scientific articles. The authorship of an article typically includes those who had a significant contribution. In ecology and conservation, data is often either partially or entirely collected by local people. Yet, local data collectors are rarely included as authors in the respective publications. In this piece, I discuss some of the practical implications of including local data collectors in the authorship of scientific publications. Overall, despite the inherent higher workload for researchers, expanding authorship to local data collectors has the potential to go beyond more inclusive and equitable research, thereby allowing publications to reflect local perspectives, while locally boosting conservation legacy.
A model for drift velocity mediated scalar eddy diffusivity in homogeneous turbulent flows
Authors: Shende Omkar B. , Storan Liam , Mani Ali
Published: July 2024

Low Stokes number particles at dilute concentrations in turbulent flows can reasonably be approximated as passive scalars. The added presence of a drift velocity due to buoyancy or gravity when considering the transport of such passive scalars can reduce the turbulent dispersion of the scalar via a diminution of the eddy diffusivity. In this work, we propose a model to describe this decay and use a recently developed technique to accurately and efficiently measure the eddy diffusivity using Eulerian fields and quantities. We then show a correspondence between this method and standard Lagrangian definitions of diffusivity and collect data across a range of drift velocities and Reynolds numbers. The proposed model agrees with data from these direct numerical simulations, offers some improvement to previous models in describing other computational and experimental data and satisfies theoretical constraints that are independent of Reynolds number.
General model for segregation forces in flowing granular mixtures
Authors: Duan Yifei , Jing Lu , Umbanhowar Paul B. , Ottino Julio M. , Lueptow Richard M.
Published: July 2024

Particle segregation in dense flowing size-disperse granular mixtures is driven by gravity and shear, but predicting the associated segregation force due to both effects has remained an unresolved challenge. Here, a model of the combined gravity- and kinematics-induced segregation force on a single intruder particle is integrated with a model of the concentration dependence of the gravity-induced segregation force. The result is a general model of the net particle segregation force in flowing size-bidisperse granular mixtures. Using discrete element method simulations for comparison, the model correctly predicts the segregation force for a variety of mixture concentrations and flow conditions in both idealized and natural shear flows.
New records of Diplomoceras (Ammonoidea, Diplomoceratidae) from Koryak Upland, North-West Pacific Province: taxonomic, biostratigraphical and palaeogeographical implications
Authors: Jagt-Yazykova Elena A. , Zolina Anastasia A. , Golovneva Lina B.
Published: July 2024

The geographical and stratigraphical distribution of the heteromorph ammonite genus Diplomoceras within the North-West Pacific Province is briefly reviewed. Although Diplomoceras ranks amongst the more important, globally distributed taxa during the latest Cretaceous, its precise stratigraphical range still is uncertain. Moreover, the status of the various species assigned to this genus is a matter of debate; for instance, two commonly cited forms, Diplomoceras cylindraceum and D. notabile, are considered to be conspecific by some authors, but treated as discrete taxa by others. The majority of records of species of Diplomoceras are from Maastrichtian strata; however, several late Campanian finds bring some discrepancy into the discussion about their biostratigraphical significance. Here we record new specimens from the upper Maastrichtian Kokuy Unit, refer them to Diplomoceras cylindraceum and briefly consider the geographical, biostratigraphical and taxonomic issues surrounding the genus Diplomoceras.
Beyond the Screen
Authors: Malik Musa , Youk Sungbin , Weber René
Published: July 2024

Abstract: This paper adopts a pluralist conceptualization of the construct of moral understanding, in particular within the context of audiences’ verbalization patterns in response to watching morally-laden narratives on YouTube. We propose eight unique dimensions along which expressions of moral understanding can be measured in naturalistic settings and demonstrate the pragmatic feasibility of leveraging Large Language Models for moral content analysis. Our findings suggest a heightened prevalence of dimensions including emotional response, moral awareness, moral contextualization, moral reasoning, and aesthetic perception in audience responses, suggesting the multifaceted ways in which audiences cognitively and affectively interpret moral themes as constructed within narratives. Additionally, we find that specific moral content dimensions, i.e., harm and loyalty, differentially activate multiple moral understanding dimensions. In doing so, this study provides initial evidence of the existence of robust linkages between moral content, as exemplified within popular short-film narratives, and the saliency of audiences’ expressed moral understanding.
Extreme Storm Surge Events and Associated Dynamics in the North Atlantic
Authors: Barbot Simon , Pineau‐Guillou Lucia , Delouis Jean‐Marc
Published: July 2024

Storm surges events are investigated using the ECHAR method, which identifies and quantifies the different dynamical structures of a typical storm surge event. In the North Atlantic, analysis of 65 tide gauges revealed that storm surge events display two major and two minor structures, each of them corresponding to specific ocean dynamics. The two major structures refer to a slow‐time Gaussian structure, lasting around 24 days, associated with the impact of the atmospheric pressure and a fast‐time Laplace structure, lasting around 1.4 days, mainly wind‐driven. The absence of the Gaussian structure along the North America coasts is explained by storms of smaller spatial extension, compared to Europe. Concerning the minor structures, a negative surge of around 6 cm just after the peak surge is observed over North America only. Such a sudden drop of the sea level is explained by the turning winds during the storm event, favored by the smaller spatial extension of storms. Finally, high frequency oscillations, with amplitude typically of 3 cm and up to 25 cm, are observed at some tide gauges. These oscillations refer to tide‐surge interactions and they are often maximum at a specific phase of the tide and/or enhanced because of resonant basins.
Shifts in Carbon Emissions Versus Sequestration From Hydropower Reservoirs in the Southeastern United States
Authors: Pilla Rachel M. , Faehndrich Chloe S. , Fortner Allison M. , Jett R. Trent , Jones Michael W. , Jones Nikki J. , Phillips Jana R. , Hansen Carly H. , Iftikhar Bilal , Jager Henriette I. , Matson Paul G. , Griffiths Natalie A.
Published: July 2024

Reservoirs are a significant source of carbon (C) to the atmosphere, but their emission rates vary in space and time. We compared C emissions via diffusive and ebullitive pathways at several stations in six large hydropower reservoirs in the southeastern US that were previously sampled in summer 2012. We found that carbon dioxide (CO2) diffusion was the dominant flux pathway during 2012 and 2022, with only three exceptions where methane (CH4) diffusion or CH4 ebullition dominated. CH4 diffusion rates were positively associated with water temperature. However, we found no clear predictors of CH4 ebullition, which had extremely high variability, with rates ranging from 0 to 739 mg C m−2 day−1. For CO2 diffusion, the direction of the flux shifted between 2012 and 2022, where all but three stations across all reservoirs emitted CO2 in summer 2012, but every station sequestered CO2 in summer 2022. Here, indicators of greater algal production were associated with CO2 sequestration, including surface chlorophyll‐a concentration, surface dissolved oxygen saturation, and pH. Additional sampling campaigns outside the summer season highlighted the importance of seasonal phenology in primary production on the direction of CO2 diffusive fluxes, which shifted to positive CO2 fluxes by the end of August as productivity decreased. Our results demonstrate the importance of capturing CO2 sequestration in field and modeling measurements and understanding the seasonal drivers of these estimates. Measuring C emissions from multiple pathways in reservoirs and understanding their spatiotemporal responses and variability are vital to reducing uncertainties in global upscaling efforts.
CH4 Inclusions in High‐Pressure Metapelite: Revealing the Link Between Fluid Behavior and Redox Mechanisms for Subducting Sedimentary Carbon
Authors: Guo Zeng‐Li , Du Jin‐Xue , Zhang Li‐Fei , Liang Jun‐Qi , Zhang Ze‐Ming , Tao Ren‐Biao , Cao Yi , Bucher Kurt , Gong Ting‐Nan
Published: July 2024

(Ultra)high‐pressure metamorphic rocks provide valuable insights into the properties of slab‐derived fluids. Here, we report CH4‐rich fluid inclusions in garnet of a metapelite from the Zermatt‐Saas ophiolite, western Alps. Two types of metapelite, a CH4‐bearing pelitic schist and a calcareous pelitic schist, were investigated to unravel favorable P‐T‐fO2 conditions for preservation of CH4 in high‐pressure metapelite. In the CH4‐bearing pelitic schist, CH4‐rich fluid inclusions exclusively occur in the core of garnet (GrtI) rather than the rim (GrtII). GrtI records P‐T conditions of ∼2.85 GPa and ∼555°C, whereas GrtII records a prograde P‐T path from ∼1.75 GPa at 510°C to ∼2.0 GPa at 530°C. Compositional profile of garnet in the calcareous pelitic schist reflects a prograde metamorphic path from ∼1.9 GPa at 510°C to ∼2.12 GPa at 545°C. CH4‐rich fluid formation may primarily rise from graphite reduction at high‐pressure reduced conditions (ΔFMQ −3.5 to −4, 2.85 GPa, ∼550°C), while graphite and carbonates stabilize in a relatively oxidized environment (ΔFMQ ∼0, 2.12 GPa, 545°C). The initial redox budget of subducted sediments is primarily controlled by the amount of sedimentary carbonate and organic carbon, which plays the most important role in deciding the carbon speciation at different subduction depths. CH4 formation in COH fluids could primarily be attributed to the reduction of graphite. Subducted metasediments act as conduits for transporting non‐oxidized fluids to arc magmas, which provides crucial evidence to support the heterogeneity for slab‐derived COH fluids and offers new insights into the deep carbon cycle.
Anterior segment optical coherence tomography for the detection of silicone oil emulsification on the iris surface
Authors: Karsten Mona , Morello Matteo , Lau Imke , Druchkiv Vasyl , Lopes Ines Valente , Dulz Simon , Skevas Christos , Spitzer Martin Stephan , Mautone Luca
Published: July 2024

Background

To investigate the presence of silicone oil (SO)-emulsification on the anterior iris surface with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT).

Methods

In this single-center cross-sectional study, vitrectomized eyes with SO tamponade that underwent AS-OCT imaging and gonioscopy examination during the postoperative follow-up visits, were reviewed.

Results

45 eyes of 42 consecutive patients were included. In 35.6% of the eyes (n = 16) emulsified SO droplets were detected in the anterior chamber (AC) angle by gonioscopy and in 55.6% (n = 25) on the anterior iris surface by AS-OCT imaging. The presence of SO emulsifications in the AC-angle correlated with the presence of SO emulsifications on the anterior iris surface (OR = 13.4, 95% CI [2.179–82.130]; p = 0.005). The accuracy of the AS-OCT predicting the presence of SO in the AC-angle was 71.0% and the sensitivity was 87.5%. No significant association between SO droplets in the AC and other clinical parameters including endotamponade-duration or type of silicone oil were found. The presence of emulsified SO droplets on the anterior iris surface detected by AS-OCT was significantly correlated to postoperative IOP rise (p = 0.027).

Conclusion

AS-OCT is a suitable method for the detection of SO on the anterior iris surface. SO droplets on the iris surface correlate with elevated postoperative IOP and with the presence of SO in the AC detected by gonioscopy, therefore AS-OCT might be used as a screening method for the detection of SO migration into the AC.

Trial registration number

Institutional Review Board of the Hamburg Medical Chamber (Ethik-Kommission der Ärztekammer Hamburg): 2023-300372-WF.
Unequal exchange of labour in the world economy
Authors: Hickel Jason , Hanbury Lemos Morena , Barbour Felix
Published: July 2024

Researchers have argued that wealthy nations rely on a large net appropriation of labour and resources from the rest of the world through unequal exchange in international trade and global commodity chains. Here we assess this empirically by measuring flows of embodied labour in the world economy from 1995–2021, accounting for skill levels, sectors and wages. We find that, in 2021, the economies of the global North net-appropriated 826 billion hours of embodied labour from the global South, across all skill levels and sectors. The wage value of this net-appropriated labour was equivalent to €16.9 trillion in Northern prices, accounting for skill level. This appropriation roughly doubles the labour that is available for Northern consumption but drains the South of productive capacity that could be used instead for local human needs and development. Unequal exchange is understood to be driven in part by systematic wage inequalities. We find Southern wages are 87–95% lower than Northern wages for work of equal skill. While Southern workers contribute 90% of the labour that powers the world economy, they receive only 21% of global income.
Widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife communities
Authors: Goldberg Amanda R. , Langwig Kate E. , Brown Katherine L. , Marano Jeffrey M. , Rai Pallavi , King Kelsie M. , Sharp Amanda K. , Ceci Alessandro , Kailing Christopher D. , Kailing Macy J. , Briggs Russell , Urbano Matthew G. , Roby Clinton , Brown Anne M. , Weger-Lucarelli James , Finkielstein Carla V. , Hoyt Joseph R.
Published: July 2024

Pervasive SARS-CoV-2 infections in humans have led to multiple transmission events to animals. While SARS-CoV-2 has a potential broad wildlife host range, most documented infections have been in captive animals and a single wildlife species, the white-tailed deer. The full extent of SARS-CoV-2 exposure among wildlife communities and the factors that influence wildlife transmission risk remain unknown. We sampled 23 species of wildlife for SARS-CoV-2 and examined the effects of urbanization and human use on seropositivity. Here, we document positive detections of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in six species, including the deer mouse, Virginia opossum, raccoon, groundhog, Eastern cottontail, and Eastern red bat between May 2022–September 2023 across Virginia and Washington, D.C., USA. In addition, we found that sites with high human activity had three times higher seroprevalence than low human-use areas. We obtained SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences from nine individuals of six species which were assigned to seven Pango lineages of the Omicron variant. The close match to variants circulating in humans at the time suggests at least seven recent human-to-animal transmission events. Our data support that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 has been widespread in wildlife communities and suggests that areas with high human activity may serve as points of contact for cross-species transmission.
Exploring the roles of RNAs in chromatin architecture using deep learning
Authors: Kuang Shuzhen , Pollard Katherine S.
Published: July 2024

Recent studies have highlighted the impact of both transcription and transcripts on 3D genome organization, particularly its dynamics. Here, we propose a deep learning framework, called AkitaR, that leverages both genome sequences and genome-wide RNA-DNA interactions to investigate the roles of chromatin-associated RNAs (caRNAs) on genome folding in HFFc6 cells. In order to disentangle the cis- and trans-regulatory roles of caRNAs, we have compared models with nascent transcripts, trans-located caRNAs, open chromatin data, or DNA sequence alone. Both nascent transcripts and trans-located caRNAs improve the models’ predictions, especially at cell-type-specific genomic regions. Analyses of feature importance scores reveal the contribution of caRNAs at TAD boundaries, chromatin loops and nuclear sub-structures such as nuclear speckles and nucleoli to the models’ predictions. Furthermore, we identify non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) known to regulate chromatin structures, such as MALAT1 and NEAT1, as well as several new RNAs, RNY5, RPPH1, POLG-DT and THBS1-IT1, that might modulate chromatin architecture through trans-interactions in HFFc6. Our modeling also suggests that transcripts from Alus and other repetitive elements may facilitate chromatin interactions through trans R-loop formation. Our findings provide insights and generate testable hypotheses about the roles of caRNAs in shaping chromatin organization.
Engineering Toxoplasma gondii secretion systems for intracellular delivery of multiple large therapeutic proteins to neurons
Authors: Bracha Shahar , Johnson Hannah J. , Pranckevicius Nicole A. , Catto Francesca , Economides Athena E. , Litvinov Sergey , Hassi Karoliina , Rigoli Marco Tullio , Cheroni Cristina , Bonfanti Matteo , Valenti Alessia , Stucchi Sarah , Attreya Shruti , Ross Paul D. , Walsh Daniel , Malachi Nati , Livne Hagay , Eshel Reut , Krupalnik Vladislav , Levin Doron , Cobb Stuart , Koumoutsakos Petros , Caporale Nicolò , Testa Giuseppe , Aguzzi Adriano , Koshy Anita A. , Sheiner Lilach , Rechavi Oded
Published: July 2024

Delivering macromolecules across biological barriers such as the blood–brain barrier limits their application in vivo. Previous work has demonstrated that Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that naturally travels from the human gut to the central nervous system (CNS), can deliver proteins to host cells. Here we engineered T. gondii’s endogenous secretion systems, the rhoptries and dense granules, to deliver multiple large (>100 kDa) therapeutic proteins into neurons via translational fusions to toxofilin and GRA16. We demonstrate delivery in cultured cells, brain organoids and in vivo, and probe protein activity using imaging, pull-down assays, scRNA-seq and fluorescent reporters. We demonstrate robust delivery after intraperitoneal administration in mice and characterize 3D distribution throughout the brain. As proof of concept, we demonstrate GRA16-mediated brain delivery of the MeCP2 protein, a putative therapeutic target for Rett syndrome. By characterizing the potential and current limitations of the system, we aim to guide future improvements that will be required for broader application.
A modular DNA origami nanocompartment for engineering a cell-free, protein unfolding and degradation pathway
Authors: Huang J. , Jaekel A. , van den Boom J. , Podlesainski D. , Elnaggar M. , Heuer-Jungemann A. , Kaiser M. , Meyer H. , Saccà B.
Published: July 2024

Within the cell, chemical reactions are often confined and organized through a modular architecture. This facilitates the targeted localization of molecular species and their efficient translocation to subsequent sites. Here we present a cell-free nanoscale model that exploits compartmentalization strategies to carry out regulated protein unfolding and degradation. Our synthetic model comprises two connected DNA origami nanocompartments (each measuring 25 nm × 41 nm × 53 nm): one containing the protein unfolding machine, p97, and the other housing the protease chymotrypsin. We achieve the unidirectional immobilization of p97 within the first compartment, establishing a gateway mechanism that controls substrate recruitment, translocation and processing within the second compartment. Our data show that, whereas spatial confinement increases the rate of the individual reactions by up to tenfold, the physical connection of the compartmentalized enzymes into a chimera efficiently couples the two reactions and reduces off-target proteolysis by almost sixfold. Hence, our modular approach may serve as a blueprint for engineering artificial nanofactories with reshaped catalytic performance and functionalities beyond those observed in natural systems.
Exerting pulling forces in fluids by directional disassembly of microcrystalline fibres
Authors: Pantaleone L. C. , Calicchia E. , Martinelli J. , Stuart M. C. A. , Lopatina Y. Y. , Browne W. R. , Portale G. , Tych K. M. , Kudernac T.
Published: July 2024

Biomolecular polymerization motors are biochemical systems that use supramolecular (de-)polymerization to convert chemical potential into useful mechanical work. With the intent to explore new chemomechanical transduction strategies, here we show a synthetic molecular system that can generate forces via the controlled disassembly of self-organized molecules in a crystal lattice, as they are freely suspended in a fluid. An amphiphilic monomer self-assembles into rigid, high-aspect-ratio microcrystalline fibres. The assembly process is regulated by a coumarin-based pH switching motif. The microfibre crystal morphology determines the monomer reactivity at the interface, resulting in anisotropic etching. This effect exerts a directional pulling force on microscopic beads adsorbed on the crystal surface through weak multivalent interactions. We use optical-tweezers-based force spectroscopy to extract mechanistic insights into this process, quantifying a stall force of 2.3 pN (±0.1 pN) exerted by the ratcheting mechanism produced by the disassembly of the microfibres.
Signal amplification by cyclic extension enables high-sensitivity single-cell mass cytometry
Authors: Lun Xiao-Kang , Sheng Kuanwei , Yu Xueyang , Lam Ching Yeung , Gowri Gokul , Serrata Matthew , Zhai Yunhao , Su Hanquan , Luan Jingyi , Kim Youngeun , Ingber Donald E. , Jackson Hartland W. , Yaffe Michael B. , Yin Peng
Published: July 2024

Mass cytometry uses metal-isotope-tagged antibodies to label targets of interest, which enables simultaneous measurements of ~50 proteins or protein modifications in millions of single cells, but its sensitivity is limited. Here, we present a signal amplification technology, termed Amplification by Cyclic Extension (ACE), implementing thermal-cycling-based DNA in situ concatenation in combination with 3-cyanovinylcarbazole phosphoramidite-based DNA crosslinking to enable signal amplification simultaneously on >30 protein epitopes. We demonstrate the utility of ACE in low-abundance protein quantification with suspension mass cytometry to characterize molecular reprogramming during the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition as well as the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition. We show the capability of ACE to quantify the dynamics of signaling network responses in human T lymphocytes. We further present the application of ACE in imaging mass cytometry-based multiparametric tissue imaging to identify tissue compartments and profile spatial aspects related to pathological states in polycystic kidney tissues.
Bracing for impact: how shifting precipitation extremes may influence physical climate risks in an uncertain future
Authors: Rahat Saiful Haque , Saki Shah , Khaira Ummul , Biswas Nishan Kumar , Dollan Ishrat Jahan , Wasti Asphota , Miura Yuki , Bhuiyan Md Abul Ehsan , Ray Patrick
Published: July 2024

As extreme precipitation intensifies under climate change, traditional risk models based on the ‘100-year return period’ concept are becoming inadequate in assessing real-world risks. In response, this nationwide study explores shifting extremes under non-stationary warming using high-resolution data across the contiguous United States. Results reveal pronounced variability in 100-year return levels, with Coastal and Southern regions displaying the highest baseline projections, and future spikes are anticipated in the Northeast, Ohio Valley, Northwest, and California. Exposure analysis indicates approximately 53 million residents currently reside in high-risk zones, potentially almost doubling and tripling under 2 °C and 4 °C warming. Drought frequency also rises, with over 37% of major farmland vulnerable to multi-year droughts, raising agricultural risks. Record 2023 sea surface temperature anomalies suggest an impending extreme El Niño event, demonstrating the need to account for natural climate variability. The insights gained aim to inform decision-makers in shaping adaptation strategies and enhancing the resilience of communities in response to evolving extremes.
GIS based geostatistical modelling and trends analysis of groundwater quality for suitable uses in Dhaka division
Authors: Karim Md. Rezaul , Arham Md. Atif , Shorif Md. Jahim Uddin , Ahsan Amimul , Al-Ansari Nadhir
Published: July 2024

Preserving the quality of groundwater has become Bangladesh’s primary challenge in recent years. This study explores temporal trend variations in groundwater quality on a broader scale across 18 stations within the Dhaka division over 35 years. The data set encompasses an analysis of 15 distinct water quality parameters. Modified Mann-Kendal, Sens Slope and Mann-Kendal tests were performed to determine the trend’s variation and slope. In addition, the spatial–temporal changes in the quality of groundwater are studied through Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and Piper diagram was applied to identify the unique hydrochemical properties. This is the first study conducted on this area using various trends analysis and no in-depth study is available highlighting the trends analysis of groundwater quality on a larger magnitude. In contrast, the correlation matrix reveals a high association between Mg2+and SO42−, Na+and Cl−that affects salinity and overall hardness at the majority of sites. The Piper diagram also demonstrates that the groundwater in Madaripur Sadar has major salinity issues. The analysis reveals a distinctive dominance of bicarbonate (HCO3−) ions across all sampling stations, with (HCO3−) equivalent fractions consistently ranging from 0.70 to 0.99 which can cause a significant impact on groundwater uses. This extensive analysis of long-term groundwater quality trends in the Dhaka Division enables researchers to comprehend the overall transition of groundwater quality for hardness related complications in future. Moreover, it can be a baseline study considering the valuable implications and future steps for sustainable water resource management in this region.
Environmental DNA concentrations vary greatly across productive and degradative conditions, with implications for the precision of population estimates
Authors: Parsley Meghan B. , Crespi Erica J. , Rittenhouse Tracy A. G. , Brunner Jesse L. , Goldberg Caren S.
Published: July 2024

Population size is an important metric to inform the conservation and management of species. For aquatic species, environmental DNA (eDNA) concentration has been suggested for non-invasively estimating population size. However, many biotic and abiotic factors simultaneously influence the production and degradation of eDNA which can alter the relationship between population size and eDNA concentration. We investigated the influence of temperature, salinity, and ranavirus infection on eDNA concentrations using tadpole mesocosms. Using linear regression models, we tested the influence of each experimental treatment on eDNA concentrations at three time points before and during epidemics. Prior to infection, elevated temperatures lowered eDNA concentrations, indicating that degradation was the driving force influencing eDNA concentrations. During early epidemics, no treatments strongly influenced eDNA concentrations and in late epidemics, productive forces dominated as ranavirus intensity and dead organisms increased eDNA concentrations. Finally, population size was only an important predictor of eDNA concentration in late epidemics and we observed high levels of variation between samples of replicate mesocosms. We demonstrate the complexities of several interacting factors influencing productive and degradative forces, variation in influences on eDNA concentration over short time spans, and examine the limitations of estimating population sizes from eDNA with precision in semi-natural conditions.
An efficient PanAir integrated framework for automated analysis
Authors: Shahid Tahura , Gürkan Ceren
Published: July 2024

The work proposed here is an automated pre and post-processor integrated to PanAir that is is a high-order aerodynamic panel method-based software for flow analysis developed in 70s but still in active use especially for preliminary aircraft design. With the integrated environment proposed in this work, manipulation of input and output data to and from PanAir is bypassed successfully that is otherwise requires manual manipulations and use of third party software. The integrated environment is validated over a Cessna 210 aircraft with a modified NLF (1)-0414 airfoil. The flow around the aircraft is analyzed using PanAir together with the integrated environment and results show that pre and post processing times reduced and ease in PanAir use is increased significantly.
Adsorptive removal of phosphate from water with biochar from acacia tree modified with iron and magnesium oxides
Authors: Manawi Yehia , Al-Gaashani Rashad , Simson Simjo , Tong Yongfeng , Lawler Jenny , Kochkodan Viktor
Published: July 2024

A novel biochar (BC) from Acaciatortilis trees pruning waste was synthesized and tested for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions. The BC was prepared by calcination at 600 °C and doped with Fe3O4 and MgO by hydrothermal process. The presence of iron and magnesium ions in the modified BC was confirmed by EDS analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Both unmodified and doped BCs were tested for phosphate removal from synthetic 1–500 ppm aqueous solutions. While the unmodified BC did not show any significant removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions, the modified BC almost completely removed phosphate from water. The enhancement in removal efficiency is due to an increase in the overall surface charge and surface area of BC as a result of doping with Fe3O4 and MgO salts. The average porosity and BET surface area corresponding to the plain BC increased by more than 20% from 322 to 394 m2/g after modification by impregnation with iron oxide and magnesium oxide. The modificaiton of BC with Fe3O4 and MgO nanoparticles was observed to increase the point of zero electric charge (PZC) from pH 3.4 (corresponding to plain BC) to pH 5.3 (corresponding to modified BC). The adsorption process was very fast and a phosphate removal value of 82.5% was reached only after 30 min of adsorption, while the removal efficiency after 4 h of adsorption was 97.5%. The rapid removal efficiency in short contact time is attributed to the high surface area of BC and strong bonding between the modified BC surface and PO43− ions. The highest adsorption capacity was observed to correspond to 98.5 mg/g which was achieved at PO43− concentration of 500 ppm and pH 8.5. Moreover, after fitting the adsorption data onto four of the most widely used adsorption isotherm models, the adsorption of PO43− onto BC can be better described by the Langmuir isotherm model.
Majority of Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum MLST allelic profiles in the Czech Republic (2004–2022) belong to two SS14-like clusters
Authors: Vrbová Eliška , Pospíšilová Petra , Dastychová Eliška , Kojanová Martina , Kreidlová Miluše , Rob Filip , Vašků Vladimír , Mosio Petra , Strnadel Radim , Faustmannová Olga , Kuklová Ivana , Heroldová Monika Dvořáková , Zákoucká Hana , Šmajs David
Published: July 2024

Syphilis is a multistage sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum. In the Czech Republic, there are around 700–800 new syphilis cases annually, continuously increasing since 2012. This study analyzed a total of 1228 samples from 2004 to 2022. Of the PCR-positive typeable samples (n = 415), 68.7% were fully-typed (FT), and 31.3% were partially-typed. Most of the identified isolates belonged to the SS14-clade and only 6.3% were the Nichols-like cluster. While in the beginning of sample collection isolates have been macrolide-susceptible, recent isolates are completely resistant to macrolides. Among the FT samples, 34 different allelic profiles (APs) were found. Most of the profiles (n = 27) appeared just once in the Czech population, while seven profiles were detected more than twice. The most frequent APs belonged to two separate groups of SS14-like isolates, including group of 1.3.1 (ST 1) and 1.26.1 (ST 25) profiles, and the second group containing 1.1.8 (ST 3), 1.1.1 (ST 2), and 1.1.3 (ST 11) (representing 57.5%, and 25.3% of all detected APs, respectively). Both groups consistently differed in 6 nucleotide positions in five genes (TP0150, TP0324, TP0515, TP0548, and TP0691) coding amino-acid replacements suggesting that one or more of these differences could be involved in the higher success of the first group.