bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Search for superstrong magnetic fields in active processes on the Sun using spectro-polarimetry within 15 Å around the D3 line
Authors: Yakovkin I I , Lozitsky V G
Published: June 2023

We critically review our previous results on this topic based on the following main points: (i) substantially larger wavelength range around the D3 line was investigated – up to ±15 Å instead of ±2.5 Å in comparison with the previous version of our study, and (ii) greater volume of observational data was analysed, including one X limb flare, additionally. Overall, our study concerns the 2004 July 12 active prominence and the 2014 June 10 limb flare of X1.5 class. For named limb flare, we found reliable and oppositely polarized secondary peaks of the V parameter located at distances of −4.5 and +2.7 Å from the line center. If these features are interpreted as manifestations of the magnetic splitting of the line together with its Doppler shift, then the corresponding magnetic field is ≈2.2 × 105 G, and the radial velocity −46 km s−1. Similar spectral manifestations were also found in the active prominence. For comparison with the theory, the spectral features of the Paschen–Baсk effect at magnetic fields up to 100 kG were studied too. It turned out that the theoretical width of the splitting components is relatively small, 0.3 Å, while the width of the observed peaks is sometimes much larger. On the basis of model calculations, it is shown that in some cases an alternative explanation of the observational data is possible, which includes much weaker magnetic fields (5.5–7.1 kG), but significant macroscopic velocities of different signs, at the level of 50–60 km s−1.
The large molecular gas fraction of post-starburst galaxies at z > 1
Authors: Zanella A , Valentino F , Gallazzi A , Belli S , Magdis G , Bolamperti A
Published: June 2023

Post-starburst galaxies are sources that had the last major episode of star formation about 1 Gyr before the epoch of the observations and are on their way to quiescence. It is important to study such galaxies at redshift z > 1, during their main quenching phase, and estimate their molecular gas content to constrain the processes responsible for the cessation of star formation. We present CO(3–2) ALMA observations of two massive (M⋆ ∼ 5 × 1010 M⊙) post-starburst galaxies at z > 1. We measure their molecular gas fraction to be fH2 = MH2/M⋆ ∼ 8–16 per cent, consistent with z < 1 post-starburst galaxies from the literature. The star formation efficiency of our targets is ∼10× lower than that of star-forming galaxies at similar redshift, and they are outliers of the fH2–specific star formation rate (sSFR) relation of star-forming galaxies, as they have larger fH2 than expected given their sSFR. The gas fraction of post-starbursts from our sample and the literature correlates with the Dn4000 spectral index, a proxy of the stellar population age. This suggests that their gas content decreases after the last major burst of star formation. Finally, one of our targets is undergoing a major merger phase with two highly star-forming companions. This hints at a picture where a perturber event (e.g. major merger) quenches star formation without completely removing the molecular gas.
Principal component analysis of galaxy clustering in hyperspace of galaxy properties
Authors: Zhou Shuren , Zhang Pengjie , Chen Ziyang
Published: June 2023

Ongoing and upcoming galaxy surveys are providing precision measurements of galaxy clustering. However, a major obstacle in its cosmological application is the stochasticity in the galaxy bias. We explore whether the principal component analysis (PCA) of galaxy correlation matrix in hyperspace of galaxy properties (e.g. magnitude and colour) can reveal further information on mitigating this issue. Based on the hydrodynamic simulation TNG300-1, we analyse the cross-power spectrum matrix of galaxies in the magnitude and colour space of multiple photometric bands. (1) We find that the first principal component $E_i^{(1)}$ is an excellent proxy of the galaxy deterministic bias bD, in that $E_i^{(1)}=\sqrt{P_{mm}/\lambda ^{(1)}}b_{D,i}$. Here, i denotes the i-th galaxy sub-sample. λ(1) is the largest eigenvalue, and Pmm is the matter power spectrum. We verify that this relation holds for all the galaxy samples investigated, down to k ∼ 2h Mpc−1. Since $E_i^{(1)}$ is a direct observable, we can utilize it to design a linear weighting scheme to suppress the stochasticity in the galaxy–matter relation. For an LSST-like magnitude limit galaxy sample, the stochasticity $\mathcal {S}\equiv 1-r^2$ can be suppressed by a factor of $\gtrsim 2$ at k = 1h Mpc−1. This reduces the stochasticity-induced systematic error in the matter power spectrum reconstruction combining galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing from $\sim 12~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ to $\sim 5~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ at k = 1h Mpc−1. (2) We also find that $\mathcal {S}$ increases monotonically with fλ and $f_{\lambda ^2}$. $f_{\lambda ,\lambda ^2}$ quantify the fractional contribution of other eigenmodes to the galaxy clustering and are direct observables. Therefore, the two provide extra information on mitigating galaxy stochasticity.
Higher water loss on Earth-like exoplanets in eccentric orbits
Authors: Liu Binghan , Marsh Daniel R , Walsh Catherine , Cooke Greg
Published: June 2023

The climate of a terrestrial exoplanet is controlled by the type of host star, the orbital configuration, and the characteristics of the atmosphere and the surface. Many rocky exoplanets have higher eccentricities than those in the Solar system, and about 18 per cent of planets with masses <10 M⊕ have e > 0.1. Underexplored are the implications of such high eccentricities on the atmosphere, climate, and potential habitability on such planets. We use WACCM6, a state-of-the-art fully coupled Earth-system model, to simulate the climates of two Earth-like planets: one in a circular orbit (e = 0), and one in an eccentric orbit (e = 0.4) with the same mean insolation. We quantify the effects of eccentricity on the atmospheric water abundance and loss given the importance of liquid water for habitability. The asymmetric temperature response in the eccentric orbit results in a water vapour mixing ratio in the stratosphere (>20 ppmv) that is approximately five times greater than that for circular orbit (∼4 ppmv). This leads to at most ∼3 times increases in both the atmospheric hydrogen loss rate and the ocean loss rate compared with the circular case. Using the Planetary Spectrum Generator, we simulate the idealized transmission spectra for both cases. We find that the water absorption features are stronger at all wavelengths for the e = 0.4 spectrum than for the circular case. Hence, highly eccentric Earth-like exoplanets may be prime targets for future transmission spectroscopy observations to confirm, or otherwise, the presence of atmospheric water vapour.
Nuclear and electromagnetic cascades induced by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays in radio galaxies: implications for Centaurus A
Authors: Zhang B Theodore , Murase Kohta
Published: June 2023

Very high energy (VHE) γ-rays ($\gtrsim\!\! 0.1\rm ~TeV$) and neutrinos are crucial for identifying accelerators of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), but this is challenging especially for UHECR nuclei. In this work, we develop a numerical code to solve the transport equation for UHECRs and their secondaries, where both nuclear and electromagnetic cascades are taken into account self-consistently, considering steady UHECR accelerators such as radio galaxies. In particular, we focus on Centaurus A, which has been proposed as one of the most promising UHECR sources in the local Universe. Motivated by observations of extended VHE γ-ray emission from its kiloparsec-scale jet by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.), we study interactions between UHECRs accelerated in the large-scale jet and various target photon fields including blazar-like beamed core emission, and present a quantitative study on VHE γ-ray signatures of UHECR nuclei, including the photodisintegration and Bethe–Heitler pair production processes. We show that VHE γ-rays from UHECR nuclei could be detected by the ground-based γ-ray telescopes given that the dominant composition of UHECRs consists of intermediate-mass (such as oxygen) nuclei.
A hot super-Earth planet in the WASP-84 planetary system
Authors: Maciejewski G , Golonka J , Łoboda W , Ohlert J , Fernández M , Aceituno F
Published: June 2023

Hot Jupiters have been perceived as loners devoid of planetary companions in close orbital proximity. However, recent discoveries based on space-borne precise photometry have revealed that at least some fraction of giant planets coexists with low-mass planets in compact orbital architectures. We report detecting a 1.446-d transit-like signal in the photometric time series acquired with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) for the WASP-84 system, which is known to contain a hot Jupiter on a circular 8.5-d orbit. The planet was validated based on TESS photometry, and its signal was distilled in radial velocity measurements. The joint analysis of photometric and Doppler data resulted in a multiplanetary model of the system. With a mass of $15\, \mathrm{ M}_{{\oplus }}$, radius of $2\, \mathrm{ R}_{{\oplus }}$, and orbital distance of 0.024 au, the new planet WASP-84 c was classified as a hot super-Earth with the equilibrium temperature of 1300 K. A growing number of companions to hot Jupiters indicates that a non-negligible part of them must have formed under a quiescent scenario such as disc migration or in situ formation.
Oort cloud (exo)planets
Authors: Raymond Sean N , Izidoro Andre , Kaib Nathan A
Published: June 2023

Dynamical instabilities among giant planets are thought to be nearly ubiquitous and culminate in the ejection of one or more planets into interstellar space. Here, we perform N-body simulations of dynamical instabilities while accounting for torques from the galactic tidal field. We find that a fraction of planets that would otherwise have been ejected are instead trapped on very wide orbits analogous to those of Oort cloud comets. The fraction of ejected planets that are trapped ranges from 1 to 10 per cent, depending on the initial planetary mass distribution. The local galactic density has a modest effect on the trapping efficiency and the orbital radii of trapped planets. The majority of Oort cloud planets survive for Gyr time-scales. Taking into account the demographics of exoplanets, we estimate that one in every 200–3000 stars could host an Oort cloud planet. This value is likely an overestimate, as we do not account for instabilities that take place at early enough times to be affected by their host stars’ birth cluster or planet stripping from passing stars. If the Solar system’s dynamical instability happened after birth cluster dissolution, there is a ∼7 per cent chance that an ice giant was captured in the Sun’s Oort cloud.
Transgenerational Communitarianism in a Global Interconnected World: A Critique
Authors: Bonatti Luigi , Alexandra Lorenzetti Lorenza
Published: June 2023

We discuss how transgenerational communitarianism deals with public decisions involving tradeoffs between different generations’ wellbeing and having global consequences. Policies for tackling climate change are an example. Although there is a natural, evolutionary, basis for intergenerational altruism, most people lack the competencies for constituting a transgenerational community. Moreover, greater attention to future generations’ wellbeing need not substitute for collective action: a lower discount rate reflecting a stronger concern for future generations may even worsen their wellbeing. Finally, in a world of irreducible value pluralism, there is no community of persons sharing moral values that can legitimize common policies for addressing global problems: only the common interest of avoiding destructive consequences may motivate collective action to face problems like climate change.
Confucianism and Transgenerational Grounds for Justice
Authors: Sim May
Published: June 2023

This article explores Mencius’s virtue-oriented ethics and its metaphysical foundation for resources they can provide to transgenerational communities. Mencius’s ethics offers moral norms for human actions that transcend those generations with whom they can interact and impact generations of people in the future. These actions range from the preservation of traditional values to the challenges of climate change, offering grounds for transgenerational justice. Mencius’s account of virtues offers a moral justification for the standards of living that are common to all human beings, justifying their entitlements to certain economic, social, cultural, and environmental conditions for the cultivation of moral virtues that perfect human nature. Due to his view that the metaphysics of human nature also governs the cosmic world, the virtues that govern good human relationships will also protect the world’s natural resources, regardless of whether someone subscribes to a Confucian community.
When the Generational Overlap Is the Challenge Rather Than the Solution. On Some Problematic Versions of Transgenerational Justice
Authors: Menga Ferdinando G
Published: June 2023

While in the realm of scholarly debate on intergenerational justice the mechanism of a transgenerational intertwinement has been often adopted as a chief conceptual device in view of overcoming ethical short-termism and legitimizing duties towards future generations, this paper aims at showing that there are good reasons for considering the opposite outcome. Drawing on three paradigmatic examples taken from three mainstream approaches in the debate—Rawls’s contractualism, Gauthier’s contractarianism, and indirect reciprocity—I will show how the grammar of presentism is still largely operative under the surface of theories explicitly recurring to such a device and thereby advocating a chain of duties capable to reach the remote future. A short closing section will be devoted to endorsing a radical reorientation in ethics, such that a direct link to future invocations will be considered as a promising strategy for genuinely justifying intergenerational obligations.
Group Immortality and Transgenerational Meaning
Authors: Dean Matt
Published: June 2023

Excessive boredom and the inevitability of experiencing a very bad event are two commonly cited objections to the desirability of individual immortality. It isn’t clear, however, that these objections hold weight in the context of group lives—like the lives of reading groups or labor unions. I argue that this intuition is correct: neither of the objections to an immortal individual life apply to the life of an immortal group. In the end, we may not be able to wish immortality for ourselves, but we can and often should desire that good group lives go on forever, both for the sake of the group and the individuals that constitute them. Indeed, participation in immortal (or very long-lasting) groups is one way to add meaning to life.
Synovial fluid crystal analysis with compensated polarization using a gout analyser in clinical practice
Authors: Kise Takayasu , Yokogawa Naoto , Miyoshi Yuji , Utsunomiya Masako , Nagai Yoshiki , Shimada Kota
Published: June 2023

Objective

To validate the gout analyzer as a clinical method of synovial fluid crystal analysis.

Methods

Thirty knee synovial fluid samples with suspected calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystals were analyzed. Within 48 hours after collection, each non-centrifuged sample was examined blindly and independently by one or more rheumatologists in the following order: 1) with an optical microscope under ordinary light, 2) with the same microscope under compensated polarization provided by a gout analyzer, and 3) with a fully equipped compensated polarized microscope with a rotating stage as the gold standard. As a reference, laboratory technicians analyzed fresh, centrifuged synovial fluid using a gout analyzer.

Results

Of the 30 samples analyzed, CPP and monosodium urate (MSU) crystals were detected in 11 and four, non-centrifuged samples, respectively, using a fully equipped compensated polarized microscope. The rheumatologists’ detection rate of crystals in the non-centrifuged synovial fluid under ordinary light and with a gout analyzer was 73.3% and 80%, respectively. The laboratory technicians’ detection rate in fresh centrifuged synovial fluid using a gout analyzer was 100%.

Conclusion

A gout analyzer may be used to diagnose gout and calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease definitively if a fully equipped compensated polarized microscope is unavailable.
Smoking Cessation Interventions and Abstinence Outcomes for People Living in Rural, Regional, and Remote Areas of Three High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review
Authors: Trigg Joshua , Skelton Eliza , Lum Alistair , Guillaumier Ashleigh , McCarter Kristen , Handley Tonelle , Judd Lucy , Lye Alexie , Bonevski Billie
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Tobacco smoking rates in high-income countries are greater in rural, regional, and remote (RRR) areas compared to cities. Yet, there is limited knowledge about interventions targeted to RRR smokers. This review describes the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions for RRR smokers in supporting smoking abstinence.

Aims and Methods

Seven academic databases were searched (inception-June 2022) for smoking cessation intervention studies to include if they reported on RRR residents of Australia, Canada, or the United States, and short- (<6 months) or long-term (≥6 months) smoking abstinence outcomes. Two researchers assessed study quality, and narratively summarized findings.

Results

Included studies (n = 26) were primarily randomized control (12) or pre-post (7) designs, from the United States (16) or Australia (8). Five systems change interventions were included. Interventions included cessation education or brief advice, and few included nicotine monotherapies, cessation counseling, motivational interviewing, or cognitive behavioral therapy. Interventions had limited short-term effects on RRR smoking abstinence, decreasing markedly beyond 6 months. Short-term abstinence was best supported by contingency, incentive, and online cessation interventions, and long-term abstinence by pharmacotherapy.

Conclusions

Cessation interventions for RRR smokers should include pharmacotherapy and psychological cessation counseling to establish short-term abstinence, and identify effective means of maintaining abstinence beyond 6 months. Contingency designs are a suitable vehicle for psychological and pharmacotherapy support for RRR people who smoke, and intervention tailoring should be explicitly considered.

Implications

Smoking disproportionately harms RRR residents, who can encounter access barriers to smoking cessation support. High-quality intervention evidence and outcome standardization are still required to support long-term RRR smoking abstinence.
Anlotinib Combined With Toripalimab as First-Line Therapy for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Prospective, Multicenter, Phase II Study
Authors: Zhang Cheng-Sheng , Zeng Zhi-Ming , Zhuo Man-Yun , Luo Jing-Ru , Zhuang Xiao-Hong , Xu Jun-Nv , Zeng Jie , Ma Jie , Lin Hai-Feng
Published: June 2023

Background

For patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the first-line therapeutic options are still relatively limited, and treatment outcomes remain poor. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of anlotinib combined with toripalimab as first-line therapy for unresectable HCC.

Methods

In this single-arm, multicenter, phase II study (ALTER-H-003), patients with advanced HCC without previous systemic anticancer therapy were recruited. Eligible patients were given anlotinib (12 mg on days 1-14) combined with toripalimab (240 mg on day 1) in a 3-week cycle. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) by immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (irRECIST)/RECIST v1.1 and modified RECIST (mRECIST). Secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety.

Results

Between January 2020 and Jul 2021, 31 eligible patients were treated and included in the full analysis set. At data cutoff (January 10, 2023), the ORR was 29.0% (95% CI: 12.1%-46.0%) by irRECIST/RECIST v1.1, and 32.3% (95% CI: 14.8%-49.7%) by mRECIST criteria, respectively. Confirmed DCR and median DoR by irRECIST/RECIST v1.1 and mRECIST criteria were 77.4 % (95% CI: 61.8%-93.0%) and not reached (range: 3.0-22.5+ months), respectively. Median PFS was 11.0 months (95% CI: 3.4-18.5 months) and median OS was 18.2 months (95% CI: 15.8-20.5 months). Of the 31 patients assessed for adverse events (AEs), the most common grade ≥ 3 treatment-related AEs were hand-foot syndrome (9.7%, 3/31), hypertension (9.7%, 3/31), arthralgia (9.7%, 3/31), abnormal liver function (6.5%, 2/31), and decreased neutrophil counts (6.5%, 2/31).

Conclusions

Anlotinib combined with toripalimab showed promising efficacy and manageable safety in Chinese patients with unresectable HCC in the first-line setting. This combination therapy may offer a potential new therapeutic approach for patients with unresectable HCC.
Turkey Vulture survival is reduced in areas of greater road density
Authors: Naveda-Rodríguez Adrián , Bildstein Keith L , Barber David R , Therrien Jean-François , Avery Michael L , Kluever Bryan M , Rush Scott A , Vilella Francisco J
Published: June 2023

The demography of, and factors that influence these metrics, are largely unknown for most vultures in the Americas. Survivorship of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) may be influenced by landscape heterogeneity and human disturbance. We quantified the effects of landscape composition (Shannon’s diversity index) and configuration (contagion, edge density, and largest patch index), and human disturbance (road density) on the annual and seasonal survival probabilities of the three North American breeding populations (western, central, and eastern) of Turkey Vultures that spend the nonbreeding season in the southeastern portion of the Nearctic and the northern Neotropics during a 17-year period. We used Cox’s proportional hazards models with time-varying covariates to estimate spatial and temporal changes in survival rates of adult Turkey Vultures. Road density, but not landscape composition or configuration, influenced survival rates in space and time. Overall annual survival averaged 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74–0.98). Mortality risk was low in western and central populations (hazard ratio < 1) but was 3.7 times greater for vultures in the eastern population. Survival during the breeding (0.97, 95% CI: 0.96–0.98) and outbound migration (1.0, 95% CI: 1–1) seasons was significantly higher than the other seasons. Average survival tended to be higher for nonbreeding (0.81, 95% CI: 0.71–0.88) compared to return migration (0.69, 95% CI: 0.56–0.81) seasons. The risk of mortality for all vulture populations increased with road density, and this was greater during the nonbreeding and return migration seasons. The spatial variation in road density across the Americas may generate a network of ecological traps for Turkey Vultures induced to stop in areas of greater road-kill abundance. Road-killed animals acting as an attractant for vultures can increase the occurrence of vulture–vehicle collisions and potentially aggravate human–wildlife conflicts. Further analyses are needed to address survivorship and mortality factors for young birds. Our results may help the implementation of specific mitigation efforts to reduce human–vulture conflicts and vulture mortality. For instance, concentrating efforts to remove road-killed animals in areas where road density is highest can likely reduce vulture–vehicle collisions and associated mortalities of these birds.
Aetiologies of low alkaline phosphatase in a Canadian Paediatric Tertiary Care Centre
Authors: Sbrocchi Anne Marie , Cavin Rosalie , Marleau Annie , Fournier Tanya , Beecroft Michael , Ferraz dos Santos Beatriz
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Increasingly, laboratories flag low serum alkaline phosphatase (sALP) that are age-and sex-specific in paediatrics. The aim of this study was to report clinical manifestations of paediatric patients with age-and sex-specific low sALP, thereby increasing awareness of its potential aetiologies.

Methods

This retrospective Canadian tertiary care paediatric hospital study assessed all sALP of ambulatory patients aged less than 18 years from 2015 to 2017. The hospital used a Beckman Coulter AU assay to measure sALP and compared values to the Canadian age-and sex-specific reference intervals from CALIPER. All children who had at least one subnormal age-and sex-specific sALP were evaluated. A review of medical charts of included patients was performed and demographic characteristics, medical history and diagnosis were collected, and categorized under groups of medical disorders.

Results

Of 11,874 included patients, 1,001 patients (9.2%) had low sALP. Of those, 48% (485/1,001) had transient low sALP activity and 9.6% (96/1,001) had persistently low sALP. Prolonged immobilization and inflammatory bowel disease represented the main aetiologies for persistently low sALP. Interestingly, 13.5% (13/96) of patients with persistently low sALP had no apparent aetiology.

Conclusions

Our results report aetiologies of low sALP in a Canadian paediatric population using age-and sex-specific Canadian reference ranges. This study highlights that healthcare providers should be aware that a low sALP may have clinical significance and should be repeated if warranted based on further clinical assessment.
Nucleotide Limitation Results in Impaired Photosynthesis, Reduced Growth and Seed Yield Together with Massively Altered Gene Expression
Authors: Bellin Leo , Melzer Michael , Hilo Alexander , Garza Amaya Diana Laura , Keller Isabel , Meurer Jörg , Möhlmann Torsten
Published: June 2023

Nucleotide limitation and imbalance is a well-described phenomenon in animal research but understudied in the plant field. A peculiarity of pyrimidine de novo synthesis in plants is the complex subcellular organization. Here, we studied two organellar localized enzymes in the pathway, with chloroplast aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC) and mitochondrial dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). ATC knock-downs were most severely affected, exhibiting low levels of pyrimidine nucleotides, a low energy state, reduced photosynthetic capacity and accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, altered leaf morphology and chloroplast ultrastructure were observed in ATC mutants. Although less affected, DHODH knock-down mutants showed impaired seed germination and altered mitochondrial ultrastructure. Thus, DHODH might not only be regulated by respiration but also exert a regulatory function on this process. Transcriptome analysis of an ATC-amiRNA line revealed massive alterations in gene expression with central metabolic pathways being downregulated and stress response and RNA-related pathways being upregulated. In addition, genes involved in central carbon metabolism, intracellular transport and respiration were markedly downregulated in ATC mutants, being most likely responsible for the observed impaired growth. We conclude that impairment of the first committed step in pyrimidine metabolism, catalyzed by ATC, leads to nucleotide limitation and by this has far-reaching consequences on metabolism and gene expression. DHODH might closely interact with mitochondrial respiration, as seen in delayed germination, which is the reason for its localization in this organelle.
Invisible scars: exploring the impact of childhood left-behind experience on children’s emotional development and well-being
Authors: Padillah Raup , Suhardita Kadek , Hidayah Nur , Ramli M
Published: June 2023

Childhood trauma experience and mental health issues can significantly impact children’s emotional development and overall well-being. It is crucial to recognize and address the invisible scars left by childhood left-behind experience. By acknowledging the impact of childhood left-behind experience and providing appropriate support and interventions, we can help these children to heal, thrive and develop into emotionally resilient individuals.
Diffraction by a Right-Angled No-Contrast Penetrable Wedge: Analytical Continuation of Spectral Functions
Authors: Kunz V D , Assier R C
Published: June 2023

We study the problem of diffraction by a right-angled no-contrast penetrable wedge by means of a two-complex-variable Wiener–Hopf approach. Specifically, the analyticity properties of the unknown (spectral) functions of the two-complex-variable Wiener–Hopf equation are studied. We show that these spectral functions can be analytically continued onto a two-complex dimensional manifold, and unveil their singularities in C2. To do so, integral representation formulae for the spectral functions are given and thoroughly used. It is shown that the novel concept of additive crossing holds for the penetrable wedge diffraction problem, and that we can reformulate the physical diffraction problem as a functional problem using this concept.
‘Cant About Decorum’: George Thomson’s Singular Edition of Robert Burns’s ‘The Jolly Beggars’
Authors: McCue Kirsteen , McKeever Gerard Lee
Published: June 2023

Robert Burns’s song editor George Thomson (1757–1851) issued the poet’s cantata ‘Love and Liberty’, also known as ‘The Jolly Beggars’, for the first time with music in 1818 (a setting of Burns’s text for narrator, solo singers, choir, and piano trio). The musical score was by London theatre composer Sir Henry Bishop and the text was edited by Thomson in line with his strict policy of decency and politeness. This essay tracks Thomson’s editorial curation of Burns’s text in the context of polite ‘improvement’ and argues that while pursuing apparent ‘decorum’, Thomson’s treatment struggles to negotiate the unruliness at the centre of what is now considered one of Burns’s most important works. The article pays particular attention to the complicated publication history of this work, revealing a chronology of popular print editions in advance of Thomson’s own, as well as the notable influence of Walter Scott’s remarks on the piece in the Quarterly Review. Examining the musical context of Thomson’s ‘Jolly Beggars’ alongside the text reveals a similar aspiration for elevation and the article presents the conversation between Thomson and Bishop, from manuscript correspondence.
Institutional logics in the open science practices of university–industry research collaboration
Authors: Lattu Annina , Cai Yuzhuo
Published: June 2023

As an emerging agenda in science and public policy discourse, the open science (OS) movement has affected university–industry research collaboration (UIRC) including normative changes concerning actors’ value and belief systems. Thus, the following questions have become pertinent: what are the norms and beliefs of key actors engaged in UIRC regarding OS practices? How have the norms and beliefs led to tensions in UIRC and dynamics facilitating or impeding OS? This study explores these questions through two case studies by applying institutional logics theory as an analytical lens. Through analysing case studies concerning UIRC in Finland, a pioneer in the global OS movement, six institutional logics that are either pro- or contra-OS practices were identified: the state, market, corporation, profession, traditional trust–based community and sustainability-based community logics. The strongest tensions are between the state and market logics and between the profession and market logics. In the end of the study, recommendations are solicited for OS policymakers and practitioners based on the research findings.
Structural Stigma and 7-Year Improvement in Life Satisfaction among Diverse Groups of Sexual Minority Individuals: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study across 28 Countries
Authors: Bränström Richard , Pachankis John E
Published: June 2023

Structural stigma toward sexual minority individuals, in the form of discriminatory laws and prejudicial population attitudes, varies widely across countries and is associated with psychosocial health outcomes. Yet, the association of changes in country-level structural stigma over time, as has recently characterized many European countries, with such outcomes is largely unknown. Using data from sexual minority respondents (2012: n=82,668; 2019: n=96,576) living in 28 European countries, this study analyzes the association between change in structural stigma from 2012 to 2019 and change in life satisfaction among sexual minority individuals during the same period. Results showed that life satisfaction had improved among sexual minority individuals in all countries between 2012 and 2019 (β = 0.33, 95% confidence interval: 0.30, 0.36), but the improvement was stronger among those living in higher-stigma, compared to lower-stigma, countries and more as a function of changing laws than attitudes. Changes also varied by relationship status; the strongest improvement in life satisfaction as a function of decreased structural stigma was found among partnered sexual minority individuals. The findings support the relevance of structural stigma for sexual minority individuals’ life satisfaction and call for further research to understand the differential impact of structural stigma across sexual minority subgroups.
Intergenerational transfer of (family) companies via the French preferential “Pacte Dutreil” tax regime
Authors: Jolk Christophe , Schweitzer Claire
Published: June 2023

Transferring shares in a commercially operating company via donation or inheritance can lead to a significant tax burden, which in turn sometimes forces the beneficiaries to sell some of the shares received to pay their taxes. France thus has a preferential tax regime, allowing such donations or inheritances to be tax exempt at 75% of the transferred value. This preferential tax regime is often sought in family-owned companies, where the control of the business is thus better retained for the following generations, which generally leads to a greater stability of the company and hence to greater job security for its employees over time.
Response to ad libitum milk allowance by crossbred dairy and dairy–beef calves in an automated feeding system
Authors: Arens Sara C , Sharpe Kirsten T , Schutz Michael M , Heins Bradley J
Published: June 2023

The objective of this study was to compare three-breed rotational crossbred calves sired by Holstein, Jersey, Montbéliarde, Normande, Viking Red, and Limousin bulls with Holstein’s calves fed a high milk allowance for growth, milk consumption, health scores, and profitability in an automated group feeding system. Breed groups were Holstein (n = 16), crossbreds of Montbéliarde, Viking Red, and Holstein (n = 24), crossbreds of Jersey, Normande, and Viking Red (n = 6), and Limousin crossbred beef × dairy (n = 45) calves. Calves were randomly assigned within the breed to one of two treatments from September 2019 to June 2020 at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, MN. The five breed groups were balanced across the two treatment groups. Treatment groups were fed 8 L/d (8 L) or ad libitum (AL) milk allowance, and calves were introduced to the automated feeder at day 5 and were weaned at 56 d. Milk feeding behaviors (drinking speeds) were collected from the automatic feeding system and analyzed by feeding and breed groups. Body weights were recorded at birth and weekly through weaning. The health scores of calves were recorded twice per week. Variables included in the statistical model for analyses were fixed effects of birthweight, the season of birth, breed group, and treatment group. Calves fed AL had a greater weaning weight (P = 0.001; 106.4 kg vs. 91.4 kg) and greater (P = 0.001) average daily gain (ADG; 1.11 kg/d vs. 0.87 kg/d) than calves fed 8 L, respectively. The calves fed AL (1,064 mL/min) had a slower drinking speed (P = 0.01) than calves fed 8 L (1,467 mL/min). Most breed groups were not different for weaning weight or ADG across the 56 d. Daily milk consumption per calf was lower (P = 0.009) for Limousin crossbred calves compared with Holstein and crossbred dairy calves. As expected, AL calves had higher (P = 0.001) milk cost ($189.52) than the 8 L calves ($140.71). The average cost per kilogram of gain was similar for calves fed 8 L ($2.89/kg) compared to AL ($3.00/kg) calves. Overall, the Limousin crossbred calves had the least milk cost ($152.75) compared with Holstein ($175.67) calves and Montbéliarde, Viking Red, and Holstein crossbred calves ($177.13). The results from this study found that although feeding calves AL resulted in greater milk consumption and higher cost than 8 L calves, there may be an economic advantage with costs per kilogram of gain to feeding calves ad libitum if increased growth rates are realized.
Body mass index as a predictor of the outcomes of acute clozapine toxicity: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Sagah Ghada A , Fayed Manar M
Published: June 2023

Acute antipsychotic overdose is frequently reported nowadays. Clozapine is one of the atypical agents that are highly lipophilic, highly protein-bound, has a large volume of distribution, and accumulates in the brain and other tissues. Obesity is an essential factor controlling patients’ treatment and clinical course. The current study aimed to study the prognostic value of body mass index (BMI) in patients with acute clozapine poisoning. All patients were evaluated on admission using the Poison Severity Score (PSS) and Glasgow Coma Score (GCS). The BMI was calculated. Mortality and the need for ICU admission were defined as primary outcomes, whereas secondary outcomes included cardiovascular complications and the need for mechanical ventilation. Thirty-eight patients presented with acute clozapine poisoning. The mean age of included patients was 25.2 ± 6. Patients were categorized regarding BMI into average weight (26.3%), overweight (31.6%), and obese (42.1%). Pearson’s correlation indicated a significant positive correlation between BMI and respiratory rate (r = .364, p = .025). A significant negative correlation existed between BMI and GCS (r = .674, p ≤ .001). ROC curve reveals that BMI is an excellent predictor for the requirement of mechanical ventilation area under the curve (AUC > .9), a fair predictor of ICU admission AUC (.747). BMI had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 51.7 for the prediction of ICU admission. In conclusion, obesity increased the severity of toxicity and the incidence of poor clinical outcomes in patients with acute clozapine poisoning.
Negative phototropism of the shoots helps temperate liana Hedera helix L. to locate host trees under habitat conditions
Authors: Wyka Tomasz P
Published: June 2023

Lianas employ a variety of searching mechanisms to find support; however, it is not clear to what extent environmental signals are used to help direct the search. Several adventitious root climbers have been shown to bend away from light and grow toward darker areas or objects, in one case including actual tree trunks. In the literature, this negative phototropism (NP) has also been informally and inconsistently reported from a temperate root climber Hedera helix L. (common ivy). In this study, rigorous laboratory tests have confirmed the occurrence of NP in both seedlings and prostrate shoots of H. helix. Furthermore, a field experiment with potted ivy seedlings placed around tree trunks demonstrated their ability to remotely locate trees. This finding was corroborated by a survey of growth directions in wild-growing prostrate ivy shoots in two woodland habitats. An additional outdoor experiment showed that the ability to locate support is expressed in shade but supressed by full sun conditions. These results show that H. helix uses NP to locate support and indicate that this ability is a component of the species’ shade escape strategy.
Utilizing nullomers in cell-free RNA for early cancer detection
Authors: Montgomery Austin , Tsiatsianis Georgios Christos , Mouratidis Ioannis , Chan Candace S.Y. , Athanasiou Maria , Papanastasiou Anastasios D. , Kantere Verena , Vathiotis Ioannis , Syrigos Konstantinos , Yee Nelson S. , Georgakopoulos-Soares Ilias
Published: June 2023

Early detection of cancer can significantly improve patient outcomes; however, sensitive and highly specific biomarkers for cancer detection are currently missing. Nullomers are short sequences that are absent from the human genome but can resurface due to somatic mutations in cancer. We examine over 10,000 whole exome sequencing matched tumor-normal samples to characterize nullomer resurfacing across exonic regions of the genome. We identify nullomer resurfacing mutational hotspots within tumor genes and report that certain mutational signatures are associated with nullomer resurfacing. We show that DNA mismatch repair and homologous recombination repair can be detected from the nullomer profile and provide evidence that nullomers can be used to identify neoepitopes and other targets for precision oncology. Finally, we provide evidence for the identification of nullomers in cell free RNA from peripheral blood samples, enabling early detection of multiple tumor types. We show multiple tumor classification models with an AUC greater than 0.9, including a hepatocellular carcinoma classifier with an AUC greater than 0.99.
Neural network-derived electrocardiographic features have prognostic significance and important phenotypic and genotypic associations
Authors: Sau Arunashis , Ribeiro Antonio H. , McGurk Kathryn A. , Pastika Libor , Bajaj Nikesh , Ardissino Maddalena , Chen Jun Yu , Wu Huiyi , Shi Xili , Hnatkova Katerina , Zheng Sean , Britton Annie , Shipley Martin , Andršová Irena , Novotný Tomáš , Sabino Ester , Giatti Luana , Barreto Sandhi M , Waks Jonathan W. , Kramer Daniel B. , Mandic Danilo , Peters Nicholas S. , O’Regan Declan P. , Malik Marek , Ware James S. , Ribeiro Antonio Luiz P. , Ng Fu Siong
Published: June 2023

Background

Subtle prognostically-important ECG features may not be apparent to physicians. In the course of supervised machine learning (ML), many thousands of ECG features are identified. These are not limited to conventional ECG parameters and morphology.

Hypothesis

Novel neural network (NN)-derived ECG features can predict future cardiovascular disease and mortality

Methods and Results

We extracted 5120 NN-derived ECG features from an AI-ECG model trained for six simple diagnoses and applied unsupervised machine learning to identify three phenogroups. In the derivation cohort (CODE, 1,558,421 subjects), the three phenogroups had significantly different mortality profiles. After adjusting for known covariates, phenogroup B had a 20% increase in long-term mortality compared to phenogroup A (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.17-1.23, p < 0.0001). The predictive ability of the phenogroups was retained in a group with physician confirmed normal ECGs. We externally validated our findings in five diverse cohorts (Figure) and found phenogroup B had a significantly greater risk of mortality in all cohorts. Phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) showed phenogroup B had a higher rate of future AF, ischaemic heart disease, AV block, heart failure, VT, and cardiac arrest.

Phenogroup B had increased cardiac chamber volumes and decreased cardiac output. A single-trait GWAS yielded four loci. SCN10A, SCN5A and CAV1 have roles in cardiac conduction and arrhythmia. ARHGAP24 does not have a clear cardiac role and may be a novel target. Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) identified the terminal QRS and terminal T wave as important regions of the ECG for identification of phenogroup B.

Conclusion

NN-derived ECG features can be used to predict all-cause mortality and future cardiovascular diseases. We have identified biologically plausible and novel phenotypic and genotypic associations that describe mechanisms for the increased risk identified.
Role ofBicDRin bristle shaft construction, tracheal development, and support ofBicDfunctions
Authors: Jejina Aleksandra , Ayala Yeniffer , Hernández Greco , Suter Beat
Published: June 2023

Cell polarization requires asymmetric localization of numerous mRNAs, proteins, and organelles. The movement of cargo towards the minus end of microtubules mostly depends on cytoplasmic dynein motors, which function as multiprotein complexes. In the dynein/dynactin/Bicaudal-D (DDB) transport machinery, Bicaudal-D (BicD) links the cargo to the motor. Here we focus on the role ofBicD-related(BicDR) and its contribution to microtubule-dependent transport processes.Drosophila BicDRis required for the normal development of bristles and dorsal trunk tracheae. Together withBicD,it contributes to the organization and stability of the actin cytoskeleton in the not-yet-chitinized bristle shaft and the localization of Spn-F and Rab6 at the distal tip. We show thatBicDRsupports the function ofBicDin bristle development and our results suggest that BicDR transports cargo more locally whereas BicD is more responsible for delivering functional cargo over the long distance to the distal tip. We identified the proteins that interact with BicDR and appear to be BicDR cargo in embryonic tissues. For one of them, EF1γ, we showed thatEF1γgenetically interacts with BicD andBicDRin the construction of the bristles.
InCellCryst - A streamlined approach to structure elucidation usingin cellulocrystallized recombinant proteins
Authors: Schönherr Robert , Boger Juliane , Lahey-Rudolph J. Mia , Harms Mareike , Kaiser Jaqueline , Nachtschatt Sophie , Wobbe Marla , Duden Rainer , König Peter , Bourenkov Gleb P. , Schneider Thomas R. , Redecke Lars
Published: June 2023

With the advent of serial X-ray crystallography on microfocus beamlines at free-electron laser and synchrotron facilities, the demand for protein microcrystals has significantly risen in recent years. However, by conventional methods extensive efforts are usually required to purify proteins and produce sufficiently homogeneous microcrystals. Here, we present InCellCryst, an advanced pipeline for producing homogeneous microcrystals directly within living insect cells. Our baculovirus-based cloning system enables the production of crystals from completely unmodified proteins as well as the screening of different cellular compartments to maximize chances for protein crystallization. By optimizing cloning procedures, recombinant virus production, crystallization and crystal detection, X-ray diffraction data can be collected 24 days after the start of target gene cloning. Furthermore, new strategies for serial synchrotron diffraction data collection directly from crystals within living cells abolish the need to purify the recombinant protein or the associated microcrystals.
VAMP2 regulates phase separation of alpha-synuclein
Authors: Agarwal Aishwarya , Raza Farheen , Hilcenko Christine , Stott Katherine , Morone Nobuhiro , Warren Alan J. , Lautenschläger Janin
Published: June 2023

Alpha-synuclein (aSYN) is a small synaptic protein that is linked to Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. aSYN has been shown to undergo protein phase separation. We found that aSYN phase separation, in vitro and in cells, is regulated by vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2), the vesicular SNARE protein. We show that aSYN phase separation is promoted by C-terminal electrostatic interaction, which in cells is mediated via interaction with VAMP2. The condensate formation is specific for the R-SNARE VAMP2 and critically dependent on aSYN’s capacity to bind to lipid membranes. In vitro, the addition of VAMP2 decreases the saturation concentration of aSYN phase separation, which is mediated by its juxtamembrane domain. Our results delineate a molecular mechanism for the regulation of aSYN phase separation, indicating a potential switch from the dispersed to the phase-separated state during vesicle cycling.

Highlights

Alpha-synuclein phase separation is regulated by electrostatic interactions

VAMP2 initiates alpha-synuclein condensation in cells

Positive charges within the juxtamembrane domain of VAMP2 initiate alpha-synuclein phase separation in vitro

Alpha-synuclein condensates nucleate on lipid membranes and assemble vesicular structures in cells