bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Religiosity over the Life Course and Flourishing: Are There Educational Differences?
Authors: Upenieks Laura , Schieman Scott
Published: February 2023

Background

Human flourishing offers a more inclusive and comprehensive assessment of well-being beyond the absence of mental illness. Research on religion and well-being has generally focused on singular measure of mental or physical well-being and emphasized different stages rather than longer stretches of the life course. This study seeks to address these gaps.

Purpose

We focus on the interaction between transitions in religiosity and educational attainment in predicting flourishing in mid-life adults. By positioning the effects of transitions in religiosity across levels of education—a common axis of stratification for religious belief and behavior—we test the enhanced resource perspective that the better educated may benefit more from sustained or increased religiosity over the life course.

Methods

Data for this study come from MIDUS, a nationally representative sample of United States adults (N = 3030). We created a composite measure of flourishing across the psychological, social, and emotional domains and conducted a series of regression models.

Results

We observed that people with stable high religiosity between childhood and adulthood had the best flourishing profiles, suggesting that the association between religiosity and flourishing may begin to take shape in childhood. We found that both stable high or increases in religiosity between childhood and adulthood were found to be most beneficial for the flourishing scores of the college educated compared to those with less than a college degree. We found no support for the hypothesis that the less educated “substitute” religion as a compensatory mechanism for their deficiency in secular resources.

Conclusion and Implications

While flourishing has typically been excluded as an outcome of study in the burgeoning religion-health literature, the results of the current study suggest much could be learned from its inclusion. At the population level, studying flourishing—with attention to differences by educational and religious dimensions—might represent a more useful way to understand how people can achieve a state of happiness and come to realize more meaningful lives.
Understanding Hematopoietic Stem Cell Dynamics—Insights from Mathematical Modelling
Authors: Pedersen Rasmus K. , Andersen Morten , Stiehl Thomas , Ottesen Johnny T.
Published: February 2023

Purpose of review

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) drive blood-cell production (hematopoiesis). Out-competition of HSCs by malignant cells occurs in many hematologic malignancies like acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Through mathematical modelling, HSC dynamics and their impact on healthy blood cell formation can be studied, using mathematical analysis and computer simulations. We review important work within this field and discuss mathematical modelling as a tool for attaining biological insight.

Recent findings

Various mechanism-based models of HSC dynamics have been proposed in recent years. Key properties of such models agree with observations and medical knowledge and suggest relations between stem cell properties, e.g., rates of division and the temporal evolution of the HSC population. This has made it possible to study how HSC properties shape clinically relevant processes, including engraftment following an HSC transplantation and the response to different treatment.

Understanding how properties of HSCs affect hematopoiesis is important for efficient treatment of diseases. Mathematical modelling can contribute significantly to these efforts.
Anisotropic behavior of the seepage-stress coupling mechanical model of coal pillars of underground reservoirs
Authors: Wang Peitao , Qi Zhenwu , Ma Chi , Cai Meifeng
Published: February 2023

Coal pillar dams are an important component of the water storage bodies of underground reservoirs. Influenced by the overlying rock pressure and water seepage, the stability of the coal pillar dam is one of the key factors affecting the stability of underground reservoirs. In this paper, an anisotropic seepage mechanical model of a coal pillar dam under plane strain was established to study the seepage stress coupling mechanism of underground reservoir No. 4 in the Daliuta Coal Mine using the COMSOL Multiphysics code. The stress field and seepage field of the coal pillar dam body were analyzed, and the influence of the principal direction of the mechanical properties of the coal pillar on the stress field, seepage field, and damaged areas of the coal pillar and goaf were discussed. According to the results, the anisotropy of the coal pillar dam body is one of the most significant factors when the principal direction of mechanical properties is θ = 45° or θ = 135°. The coal pillar damage area reaches a maximum value accounting for nearly 50%. The shear stress of the coal pillar reaches 4.69 MPa, which attains the maximum value when the principal direction angle is 90°. With increasing depth, the damaged area of the coal pillar gradually expands in the scenario of θ = 0°. When the depth increases to 160 m, the coal pillar undergoes penetration failure. In conclusion, the principal direction is the main factor affecting the stress field, seepage field displacement field, and energy evolution of the model. The anisotropy model of the equivalent continuum can account for the influence of the coal pillar structure surface, which could provide an analytical model for the stability of rock engineering.
Computed tomography-based body composition is associated with adverse clinical outcomes among older patients with sepsis in the emergency department
Authors: Li Qiujing , Shang Na , Gao Qian , Yang Li , Guo Shubin
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To investigate the association between body composition and adverse clinical outcomes in older patients with sepsis in the emergency department.

Methods

Body composition, including the skeletal muscle area, skeletal muscle index (SMI), mean skeletal muscle density (SMD), and intramuscular fat area, was measured at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) on abdominal computed tomography scans. Clinical outcomes included 90-day mortality, 90-day readmission, and discharge to long-term care. According to sex-specific cut-off values of L3 SMI and SMD, patients were divided into low SMI, low SMD, both low SMI and low SMD, and neither low SMI nor low SMD groups.

Results

In total, 443 patients were included, 162 (36.6%) of whom died. Lower SMI and SMD, as continuous variables, were independent risk factors for 90-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.947 and 0.963, respectively, both p < 0.001). Cut-off values of L3 SMI and L3 SMD were 32.24 cm2/m2 and 30.01 HU for men and 28.28 cm2/m2 and 28.20 HU for women, respectively. The both low SMI and low SMD group had an increased risk of 90-day mortality (adjusted HR=3.059, p < 0.001), 90-day readmission (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=2.859, p = 0.006), and discharge to long-term care (adjusted OR = 2.814, p = 0.007).

Conclusions

Lower muscle mass and muscle quality, as measured by skeletal muscle index and density, were independent risk factors for mortality among older patients with sepsis in the emergency department. Furthermore, patients with both low muscle mass and quality had an increased risk of mortality, readmission, and discharge to long-term care.
On Logical Inference over Brains, Behaviour, and Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Guest Olivia , Martin Andrea E.
Published: February 2023

In the cognitive, computational, and neuro-sciences, practitioners often reason about what computational models represent or learn, as well as what algorithm is instantiated. The putative goal of such reasoning is to generalize claims about the model in question, to claims about the mind and brain, and the neurocognitive capacities of those systems. Such inference is often based on a model’s performance on a task, and whether that performance approximates human behavior or brain activity. Here we demonstrate how such argumentation problematizes the relationship between models and their targets; we place emphasis on artificial neural networks (ANNs), though any theory-brain relationship that falls into the same schema of reasoning is at risk. In this paper, we model inferences from ANNs to brains and back within a formal framework — metatheoretical calculus — in order to initiate a dialogue on both how models are broadly understood and used, and on how to best formally characterize them and their functions. To these ends, we express claims from the published record about models’ successes and failures in first-order logic. Our proposed formalization describes the decision-making processes enacted by scientists to adjudicate over theories. We demonstrate that formalizing the argumentation in the literature can uncover potential deep issues about how theory is related to phenomena. We discuss what this means broadly for research in cognitive science, neuroscience, and psychology; what it means for models when they lose the ability to mediate between theory and data in a meaningful way; and what this means for the metatheoretical calculus our fields deploy when performing high-level scientific inference.
The factors driving land cover transitions and land degradation and the potential impacts of the proposed developments in the Isiolo dam watershed, LAPSSET corridor, Kenya
Authors: Sang Catherine C. , Olago Daniel O. , Ongeri Zedekia J.
Published: February 2023

Isiolo dam is planned to be constructed along the Ewaso Nyiro River to provide water to the planned Isiolo resort city, one of the Lamu Port and Southern Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor projects. This paper evaluates the factors driving land cover transitions and their effects, as a consequence of the proposed infrastructure developments with a view to providing evidence-based information for formulating policies and approaches for sustainable land management and development. Landsat images were used to assess Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) change, while land degradation was evaluated based on the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification guidelines (2000–2020). Spatial overlays of land degradation, LULC change, population, and land tenure were performed to establish their interrelations. The results revealed that water, bareland, built-up, and forest increased by 2043%, 83%, 35%, and 17%, respectively, while shrubland and cropland decreased by 26% and 6%, respectively. Further, 61% of the watershed remained stable, 31% experienced degradation and 8% improved. The main drivers of LULC transitions, and land degradation are population pressure, land tenure, climate change and economic growth. With the development of the LAPSSET projects, it is projected that built-up areas, cropland, and bareland will increase mainly due to population increase, while the forest and shrubland will reduce mainly as a consequence of an increase in built-up areas and potentially poor land management. To achieve sustainable development with net zero loss of natural resources, proper planning for economic investments as well as inclusive land-use planning should be enhanced in drylands such as the Isiolo watershed and similar landscapes.
Deep cryogenic treatment of AA7050: tensile response and corrosion susceptibility
Authors: Gerosa R. , Panzeri D. , Rivolta B. , Casaroli A.
Published: February 2023

Cryogenic treatments represent an innovative technology developed with the aim of improving the performance of metallic alloys. The beneficial effects on steels are well documented in the literature, whereas their influence on other materials, such as aluminum alloys, is still not completely clarified. Even if the scientific literature reports conflicting data and conclusions, the industrial applications of such treatments are constantly growing. In the present experimental work, the mechanical and corrosion properties of a high-performance 7050 aluminum alloy plate were studied after cryogenic treatment at − 196 °C in liquid nitrogen. Tensile tests were performed on heat-treated samples, and intergranular corrosion tests were carried out on prismatic samples, according to ASTM G110-92 standard. The specimens were exposed to the corrosive environment and the effect of intergranular corrosion was measured by quantitative analysis using light-optical microscopy (LOM). Whereas trifling variation was observed in the mechanical resistance and plastic behavior, the corrosion tests showed a benefic effect of the cryogenic treatment. The microstructure was investigated by FEG-SEM analysis, revealing a different distribution of precipitates near the grain boundaries, which was able to reduce the electrochemical potential difference among these regions and the center-grain.
Automated occupation coding with hierarchical features: a data-centric approach to classification with pre-trained language models
Authors: Safikhani Parisa , Avetisyan Hayastan , Föste-Eggers Dennis , Broneske David
Published: February 2023

Occupation coding is the classification of information on occupation that is collected in the context of demographic variables. Occupation coding is an important, but a tedious task for researchers in social science and official statistics that calls for automation. Due to the complexity of the task, currently, researchers carry out hand-coding or computer-assisted coding. However, we argue that, with the rise of transformer-based language models, hand-coding can be displaced by models, such as BERT or GPT3. Hence, we compare these models with state-of-the-art encoding approaches, showing that language models have a clear advantage in Cohen’s kappa compared to related approaches, but also allow for flexible fine-grained coding of single digits. Taking into consideration the hierarchical structure of the occupational group, we also develop an approach that achieves better performance for the classification of different single digit combinations.
Impact of community strategy package on uptake of reproductive tract infections health services among young street females in the municipality of Eldoret, Kenya
Authors: Maritim C Violet , Wanyoro Anthony , Maingi John , Nyamari Jackim , Ng'ang'a Murima
Published: February 2023

Background

Despite the intervention of free medical care services for street children by a dedicated clinic in Eldoret municipality, health care service of young street females (YSFs) is still deficient. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the community strategy package on the uptake of reproductive tract infections (RTI) health services among the target population.

Materials and methods

A pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental with a qualitative and quantitative approach was applied among the YSFs aged 10–24 years. The study used structured questionnaires and key informant interviews to collect data from the respondents.

Results

The study enrolled a total of 77 young street females in Eldoret municipality. A significantly higher proportion of respondents reportedly first sought treatment for RTI at a health facility after the implementation of the community strategy package (97.1%) when compared to the proportion of respondents who first sought treatment at a health facility in the pre-intervention phase (51.0%)(p<0.001). Early seeking of treatment improved significantly after the introduction of the intervention; 72.0% and 94.1% of the respondents sought treatment early during the pre-intervention and post-intervention phase, respectively (p ​= ​0.011).

Conclusion

The study recommends the adoption of the community strategy as an intervention to increase the uptake of RTIs health services and promotion of the reproductive health of young street females.
Collective Power Europe? (TheGovernment and Opposition/Leonard Schapiro Lecture 2022)
Authors: Laffan Brigid
Published: February 2023

Since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, the EU has been tested and contested as it struggled to come to terms with a series of crises, sometimes labelled a polycrisis. In response to crises, the EU has emerged as a collective power and the concept ‘Collective Power Europe’ (CPE) offers a promising lens with which to analyse the 21st-century European Union and the nature of the polity that is emerging. The aim of this article is to unpack the concept of CPE and to analyse its core features – collective leadership and framing, institutional coordination and the evolving policy toolkit – in response to three crises: Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The Spread of Ocean Heat Uptake Efficiency Traced to Ocean Salinity
Authors: Liu Maofeng , Soden Brian J. , Vecchi Gabriel A. , Wang Chenggong
Published: February 2023

Ocean heat uptake (OHU) plays an important role in determining the rate of surface warming under CO2 forcing. We examined the transient response to CO2 forcing in a set of 30 climate models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) and found that the intermodel spread in OHU efficiency largely depends on the base‐state ocean stratification, especially in the Southern Ocean. This dependence is primarily traced to ocean salinity rather than ocean temperature. Models with weaker ocean stratification primarily due to higher upper‐ocean salinity tend to sequester heat into the deeper ocean, leading to a lower rate of surface warming, a primary reason for higher OHU efficiency; the stratification impact on total OHU is secondary. We applied the relationship between salinity and OHU efficiency for an emergent constraint on OHU efficiency, suggesting an OHU efficiency higher than the CMIP6 multimodel average and arguing against models with extremely low efficiency.
Imprint of Mesospheric Quasi 2‐Day Wave in the Ground Geomagnetic Field Variations at Low Latitudes
Authors: Jadhav Ashish , Gurubaran S. , Ghodpage R. , Patil P. T. , Batista Paulo P.
Published: February 2023

The strong quasi 2‐day wave (Q2DW) event that occurred during January 2015 was studied by employing medium frequency and meteor radar observations of winds from three different locations at low latitudes with considerable longitudinal separation. The large‐amplitude wave activity that occurred in mid‐January is the focus of this study. Using the advantage offered by the longitudinal separation among the stations, the zonal structure of the Q2DW has been examined. The presence of a dominant westward propagating zonal wavenumber 3 (W3) mode was revealed in the analysis. The availability of geomagnetic field data from a number of stations at low latitudes enabled us to observe the wave event at ionospheric dynamo region heights. The phase‐longitude cross‐section of the quasi 2‐day oscillation in the Y component of the geomagnetic field reiterates the presence of the dominant W3 mode observed at lower altitudes. Similar zonal characteristics and periods of the wave signatures found at mesospheric altitudes and in the manifestation of quiet‐time ionospheric currents in geomagnetic field are in conformity with the notion of the wave coupling of the atmosphere‐ionosphere system.
Dissolved Organic Matter Sources in High Arsenic Groundwater From a Sand‐Gravel Confined Aquifer
Authors: Gao Zhipeng , Guo Huaming , Qiao Wen , He Chen , Shi Quan , Ke Tiantian , Cao Yuanyuan
Published: February 2023

Sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) triggering arsenic enrichment in deep confined groundwater is a highly debated issue. Along these lines, the spectroscopic and molecular characteristics of DOM were monitored in both shallow unconfined and deep confined groundwater from the Songnen Basin, China. Results demonstrated that deep groundwater with higher dissolved arsenic concentrations was characterized by more abundant labile organic compounds than shallow groundwater. The three‐end‐member mixing model estimated that shallow groundwater had more fraction of surface water, while deep groundwater was primarily recharged by lateral groundwater flow. Groundwater DOM sources were estimated from the fluorescence index (FI) values, which suggests that shallow groundwater DOM was primarily sourced from surface water with stronger terrestrial signatures. However, deep groundwater DOM was mainly sourced from in situ sedimentary organic matter release or by‐products from microbial activity with stronger microbial signatures. Higher values of degradation index (I_deg) indicate that deep groundwater DOM had undergone greater degradation extents than the shallow one. The microbial DOM degradation in anoxic environments mainly occurred via a pathway where more saturated and low‐molecular‐mass compounds were preferentially degraded to produce more mid‐molecular‐mass compounds with unsaturated, aromatic, and microbial signatures. This explained the significant positive correlations between groundwater arsenic concentrations and FI and I_deg values. A stronger DOM degradation state in deep groundwater was conducive to more arsenic enrichment than that in the shallow one. This work successfully identified distinct sources of shallow and deep groundwater DOM, and proposed a paradigm of DOM processing pathways during arsenic enrichment under anoxic environments.
Understanding Strong Neutral Vertical Winds and Ionospheric Responses to the 2015 St. Patrick's Day Storm Using TIEGCM Driven by Data‐Assimilated Aurora and Electric Fields
Authors: Lu Xian , Wu Haonan , Kaeppler Stephen , Meriwether John , Nishimura Yukitoshi , Wang Wenbin , Li Jintai , Shi Xueling
Published: February 2023

As one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in Solar Cycle 24, the 2015 St. Patrick's Day storm has attracted significant attention. We revisit this event by taking advantage of simultaneous observations of high‐latitude forcings (aurora and electric fields) and ionosphere‐thermosphere (I‐T) responses. The forcing terms are assimilated to drive the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM) using a newly adopted Lattice Kriging method (Wu & Lu, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002880; Wu et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003146). Compared to the default run, the TIEGCM simulation with assimilation captures: (a) secondary E‐region electron density peak due to aurora intensification; (b) strongly elevated ion temperatures (up to ∼3000 K) accompanied by a strong northward electric field (∼80 mV/m) and associated ion frictional heating; (c) elevation of electron temperatures; and (d) substantially enhanced neutral vertical winds (order of 50 m/s). Root‐mean‐square errors decrease by 30%–50%. The strong neutral upwelling is caused by large Joule heating down to ∼120 km resulting from enhanced aurora and electric field. Data assimilation increases the height‐integrated Joule heating at Poker Flat to a level of 50–100 mW/m2 while globally, its maximum value is comparable with the default run: the location of energy deposition becomes guided by data. Traveling atmospheric disturbances in the assimilation run show stronger magnitudes and larger extension leading to an increase of vertical wind variability by a factor of ∼1.5–3. Our work demonstrates that data assimilation of model drivers helps produce realistic storm‐time I‐T responses, which show richer dynamic range, scales, and variability than what has been simulated before.
Effect of adhesive strategy of universal adhesives in noncarious cervical lesions – an updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Doshi Krisha , Nivedhitha M. S. , Solete Pradeep , S Delphine Pricilla Antony , Balasubramaniam Arthi , Jacob Benoy , Siddique Riluwan
Published: February 2023

Objective

To determine the effect of adhesive strategy (total etch or self-etch) of universal adhesives in non-carious cervical lesions.

Data source

A search was made in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Web Of Science, Open Gray, Clinical Registries.

Data selection

Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials, studies on non-carious cervical lesions restored using Universal Adhesives, and studies in which universal adhesives have been used in total etch and self -etch strategies were included in this systematic review.

Data extraction

A total of 17 articles were included in the systematic review and 13 in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was conducted to assess the clinical performance of NCCLs in terms of retention, marginal adaptation, marginal discoloration, secondary caries and post-operative sensitivity at 18, 24, 36 month follow-up using USPHS as well as FDI criteria, separately.

Data synthesis

Overall there was no significant difference between total etch and self etch adhesive strategies for any of the five outcome measures using either the FDI or the USPHS criteria. p > 0.05, 95% CI, I2value of 0%. A strongly suspected publication bias in the retention domain was seen at 18 month follow up under FDI criteria.

Conclusion

Most universal adhesives show acceptable clinical performance. There is no significant effect of the adhesive strategy of universal adhesives on their clinical performance according to the results of our meta-analysis.
Essential protein P116 extracts cholesterol and other indispensable lipids for Mycoplasmas
Authors: Sprankel Lasse , Vizarraga David , Martín Jesús , Manger Sina , Meier-Credo Jakob , Marcos Marina , Julve Josep , Rotllan Noemi , Scheffer Margot P. , Escolà-Gil Joan Carles , Langer Julian D. , Piñol Jaume , Fita Ignacio , Frangakis Achilleas S.
Published: February 2023

Mycoplasma pneumoniae, responsible for approximately 30% of community-acquired human pneumonia, needs to extract lipids from the host environment for survival and proliferation. Here, we report a comprehensive structural and functional analysis of the previously uncharacterized protein P116 (MPN_213). Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy of P116 reveals a homodimer presenting a previously unseen fold, forming a huge hydrophobic cavity, which is fully accessible to solvent. Lipidomics analysis shows that P116 specifically extracts lipids such as phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin and cholesterol. Structures of different conformational states reveal the mechanism by which lipids are extracted. This finding immediately suggests a way to control Mycoplasma infection by interfering with lipid uptake.
Identification and validation of BCL6 and VEGFA as biomarkers and ageing patterns correlating with immune infiltrates in OA progression
Authors: Chen Ziyi , Wang Wenjuan , Hua Yinghui
Published: February 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis, is a complex biological response caused by cartilage wear and synovial inflammation that links biomechanics and inflammation. The progression of OA correlates with a rise in the number of senescent cells in multiple joint tissues. However, the mechanisms by which senescent cells and their involvement with immune infiltration promote OA progression are not fully understood. The gene expression profiles and clinical information of OA and healthy control synovial tissue samples were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and then differential analysis of senescence regulators between OA and normal samples was performed. The random forest (RF) was used to screen candidate senescence regulators to predict the occurrence of OA. The reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR experiments at tissue’s level was performed to confirm these biomarkers. Moreover, two distinct senescence patterns were identified and systematic correlation between these senescence patterns and immune cell infiltration was analyzed. The senescence score and senescence gene clusters were constructed to quantify senescence patterns together with immune infiltration of individual OA patient. 73 senescence differentially expressed genes were identified between OA patients and normal controls. The RF method was utilized to build an OA risk model based on two senescence related genes: BCL6 and VEGFA. Next, two distinct aging patterns were determined in OA synovial samples. Most patients from senescence cluster A were further classified into gene cluster B and high senescence score group correlated with a non-inflamed phenotype, whereas senescence cluster B were classified into gene cluster A and low senescence score group correlated with an inflamed phenotype. Our study revealed that senescence played an important role in in OA synovial inflammation. Evaluating the senescence patterns of individuals with OA will contribute to enhancing our cognition of immune infiltration characterization, providing novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and guiding more effective immunotherapy strategies.
Identification of novel targets and pathways to distinguish suicide dependent or independent on depression diagnosis
Authors: Peng Siqi , Zhou Yalan , Xiong Lan , Wang Qingzhong
Published: February 2023

In recent years, postmortem brain studies have revealed that some molecular, cellular, and circuit changes associated with suicide, have an independent or additive effect on depression. The aim of the present study is to identify potential phenotypic, tissue, and sex-specific novel targets and pathways to distinguish depression or suicide from major depressive disorder (MDD) comorbid with suicide. The mRNA expression profiling datasets from two previous independent postmortem brain studies of suicide and depression (GSE102556 and GSE101521) were retrieved from the GEO database. Machine learning analysis was used to differentiate three regrouped gene expression profiles, i.e., MDD with suicide, MDD without suicide, and suicide without depression. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was further conducted to identify the key modules and hub genes significantly associated with each of these three sub-phenotypes. TissueEnrich approaches were used to find the essential brain tissues and the difference of tissue enriched genes between depression with or without suicide. Dysregulated gene expression cross two variables, including phenotypes and tissues, were determined by global analysis with Vegan. RRHO analysis was applied to examine the difference in global expression pattern between male and female groups. Using the optimized machine learning model, several ncRNAs and mRNAs with higher AUC and MeanDecreaseGini, including GCNT1P1 and AC092745.1, etc., were identified as potential molecular targets to distinguish suicide with, or without MDD and depression without suicide. WGCNA analysis identified some key modules significantly associated with these three phenotypes, and the gene biological functions of the key modules mainly relate to ncRNA and miRNA processing, as well as oxidoreductase and dehydrogenase activity. Hub genes such as RP11-349A22.5, C20orf196, MAPK8IP3 and RP11-697N18.2 were found in these key modules. TissueEnrich analysis showed that nucleus accumbens and subiculum were significantly changed among the 6 brain regions studied. Global analysis with Vegan and RRHO identified PRS26, ARNT and SYN3 as the most significantly differentially expressed genes across phenotype and tissues, and there was little overlap between the male and female groups. In this study, we have identified novel gene targets, as well as annotated functions of co-expression patterns and hub genes that are significantly distinctive between depression with suicide, depression without suicide, and suicide without depression. Moreover, global analysis across three phenotypes and tissues confirmed the evidence of sex difference in mood disorders.
In vivo determination of domestic quail (Coturnix japonica) muscle development by ultrasonography as a function of energy levels
Authors: Santos Thailine Santana , Alves Isis Nayara Santana , dos Santos Araujo Jucélia , de Assis Ananda Santos , Ribeiro Júnior Valdir , Brito Claudson Oliveira , Silva Camilla Mendonça , Santos Anselmo Domingos Ferreira , Barbosa Leandro Teixeira , Zancanela Vittor Tuzzi , de Oliveira Júnior Gregório Murilo
Published: February 2023

The aim was to evaluate the growth and meat production and some meat quality characteristics of domestic quail (Coturnix japonica) as a function of metabolizable energy (ME) levels in the diet and to adjust predicting equations in ratio to area pectoralis major muscle of the carcass through the ultrasound. Two hundred and seventy mixed sex quail from 7 to 49 days old were distributed in three treatments (7 to 21 days old, diets with 2700; 2900 and 3100 kcal ME/kg; from 21 to 49 days, diets with 2900, 3050 and 3200 kcal of ME/kg), with five replications per treatment. Ultrasonography was performed at 21; 35 and 49 days of age in the pectoralis major muscle to determine prediction equations through multiple linear regression. Feed intake (FI) and feed efficiency (FE) were linearly influenced (P < 0.05) by energy levels in both phases evaluated. Regarding sensory analysis, there was no interference of ME levels on sensory attributes. The equation for predicting breast area was Y = 0.00271*ME + 0.25411*Age-9.58002, R2 = 74.25%. It is concluded that increasing the energy level of the feed from 2700 to 3100 kcal ME/kg reduces FI and improves the FE of quail. The increase in carcass fat from 35 days of age does not harm the physical and sensory characteristics of the meat. The ultrasonography in vivo of the M. pectoralis major, considering the age and energy level of the diet, made it possible to predict the pectoral muscle are a with higher reliability.
Evaluating red tide effects on the West Florida Shelf using a spatiotemporal ecosystem modeling framework
Authors: Vilas Daniel , Buszowski Joe , Sagarese Skyler , Steenbeek Jeroen , Siders Zach , Chagaris David
Published: February 2023

The West Florida Shelf (WFS), located in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, fosters high species richness and supports highly valuable fisheries. However, red tide events occur regularly that can impact fisheries resources as well as ecosystem state, functioning, and derived services. Therefore, it is important to evaluate and quantify the spatiotemporal impacts of red tides to improve population assessments, mitigate potential negative effects through management, and better understand disturbances to support an ecosystem-based management framework. To model red tide effects on the marine community, we used Ecospace, the spatiotemporal module of the ecosystem modeling framework Ecopath with Ecosim. The inclusion of both lethal and sublethal response functions to red tide and a comprehensive calibration procedure allowed to systematically evaluate red tide effects and increased the robustness of the model and management applicability. Our results suggest severe red tide impacts have occurred on the WFS at the ecosystem, community, and population levels in terms of biomass, catch, and productivity. Sublethal and indirect food-web effects of red tide triggered compensatory responses such as avoidance behavior and release from predation and/or competition.. This study represents a step forward to operationalize spatiotemporal ecosystem models for management purposes that may increase the ability of fisheries managers to respond more effectively and be more proactive to episodic mortality events, such as those caused by red tides.
Adélie penguins north and east of the ‘Adélie gap’ continue to thrive in the face of dramatic declines elsewhere in the Antarctic Peninsula region
Authors: Wethington Michael , Flynn Clare , Borowicz Alex , Lynch Heather J.
Published: February 2023

While population declines among Adélie penguins and population increases among gentoo penguins on the Western Antarctic Peninsula are well established, the logistical challenges of operating in the sea ice-heavy northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula have prohibited reliable monitoring of seabirds in this region. Here we describe the findings of an expedition to the northern and eastern sides of the Antarctic Peninsula—a region at the nexus of two proposed Marine Protected Areas—to investigate the distribution and abundance of penguins in this region. We discovered several previously undocumented penguin colonies, completed direct surveys of three colonies initially discovered in satellite imagery, and re-surveyed several colonies last surveyed more than a decade ago. Whereas our expectation had been that the Peninsula itself would divide the areas undergoing ecological transition and the apparently more stable Weddell Sea region, our findings suggest that the actual transition zone lies in the so-called "Adélie gap," a 400-km stretch of coastline in which Adélies are notably absent. Our findings suggest that the region north and east of this gap represents a distinct ecoregion whose dynamics stand in sharp contrast to surrounding areas and is likely to be impacted by future conservation measures.
Effects of thinning on soil nutrient availability and fungal community composition in a plantation medium-aged pure forest of Picea koraiensis
Authors: Caihong Zhao , Nier Su , Hao Wang , Honglin Xing , Hailong Shen , Ling Yang
Published: February 2023

Thinning is an important silvicultural practice for improving the productivity and wood production in plantation forest. Different intensities of thinning management can affect tree growth and alter soil nutrient effectiveness, thus affecting soil fungal community structure and diversity. Our objective is to determine the soil factors and their regulatory mechanisms that influence stand growth by thinning, and to provide data to support the establishment of large diameter timber cultivation technology for Picea koraiensis. In this study, we conducted medium- and high-intensity thinning in 43a P. koraiensis plantation middle-aged forests and investigated the growth indexes, soil physicochemical properties, and fungal community diversity in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of the stands after thinning at different densities (904 plants/ha for control, 644 plants/ha for 30% thinning intensity, and 477 plants/ha for 50% thinning intensity). The results showed that all growth indicators (annual growth of tree height, diameter at breast height, height under live branches and crown width) of the plantation after high-intensity thinning (477 plants/ha) were higher than those of the control (no thinning, significant) and medium-intensity thinning (644 plants/ha). Mycorrhizal infection rate was higher at the beginning of the growing season than at the end of the growing season, and increased slightly with decreasing stand density. Compared to the control, all medium- and high-intensity thinning treatments significantly improved soil nutrient content (P < 0.05), including total carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, Available phosphorus and Available potassium. Fungal diversity was higher but lower in abundance than the control in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils after thinning. The number of OTUs and fungal richness and diversity indices of non-rhizosphere soil fungi were higher than those of rhizosphere soil fungi. In conclusion, this study provides new evidence that reasonable intercalation can increase the radial and vertical growth of P. koraiensis plantation forests and promote the diversity of subsurface soil fungal communities. It is shown that thinning intensity regulates biogeochemical cycles in P. koraiensis plantation ecosystems by affecting soil nutrients and fungal community structure. Therefore, 50% thinning intensity can be used to increase timber production in plantation forests during large diameter timber cultivation of P. koraiensis and improve predictions associated with achieving long-term forest management strategies.
Associations among perceived health competence, effortful control, self-control, and personality traits in Japanese university students
Authors: Yoshioka Takuma , Ohara Kumiko , Momoi Katsumasa , Mase Tomoki , Nakamura Harunobu
Published: February 2023

Perceived health competence is thought to contribute to lifelong healthy behavior. However, the factors that affect perceived health competence have not been investigated. We investigated the associations among perceived health competence, effortful control, self-control, and personality traits in university students and proposed a model of how these factors affect perceived health competence. The participants were 320 Japanese university students who completed a questionnaire regarding their height, weight, perceived health competence, effortful control, self-control, and personality traits. The three-step multiple regression analysis showed that effortful control was positively associated with the perceived health competence, and self-control was positively with, and impulsivity was inversely associated with effortful control respectively, indicating that effortful control was an intermediate factor. Structural equation modeling showed a good fit for both genders, with a common path for both genders to perceived health competence via effortful control and a different involvement of personality traits for men and women. These results suggest that effortful control is directly associated with perceived health competence; in addition, both self-control and impulsiveness are indirectly associated with perceived health competence via effortful control.
Predicting the prevalence of complex genetic diseases from individual genotype profiles using capsule networks
Authors: Luo Xiao , Kang Xiongbin , Schönhuth Alexander
Published: February 2023

Diseases that have a complex genetic architecture tend to suffer from considerable amounts of genetic variants that, although playing a role in the disease, have not yet been revealed as such. Two major causes for this phenomenon are genetic variants that do not stack up effects, but interact in complex ways; in addition, as recently suggested, the omnigenic model postulates that variants interact in a holistic manner to establish disease phenotypes. Here we present DiseaseCapsule, as a capsule-network-based approach that explicitly addresses to capture the hierarchical structure of the underlying genome data, and has the potential to fully capture the non-linear relationships between variants and disease. DiseaseCapsule is the first such approach to operate in a whole-genome manner when predicting disease occurrence from individual genotype profiles. In experiments, we evaluated DiseaseCapsule on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease, with a particular emphasis on ALS, which is known to have a complex genetic architecture and is affected by 40% missing heritability. On ALS, DiseaseCapsule achieves 86.9% accuracy on hold-out test data in predicting disease occurrence, thereby outperforming all other approaches by large margins. Also, DiseaseCapsule required sufficiently less training data for reaching optimal performance. Last but not least, the systematic exploitation of the network architecture yielded 922 genes of particular interest, and 644 ‘non-additive’ genes that are crucial factors in DiseaseCapsule, but remain masked within linear schemes.
Unusual shrinkage and reshaping of Earth’s magnetosphere under a strong northward interplanetary magnetic field
Authors: Wang Xiang-Yu , Zhang Qing-He , Wang Chi , Zhang Yong-Liang , Tang Bin-Bin , Xing Zan-Yang , Oksavik Kjellmar , Lyons Larry R. , Lockwood Michael , Zong Qiu-Gang , Li Guo-Jun , Liu Jing , Ma Yu-Zhang , Wang Yong
Published: February 2023

The Earth’s magnetosphere is the region of space where plasma behavior is dominated by the geomagnetic field. It has a long tail typically extending hundreds of Earth radii (RE) with plentiful open magnetic fluxes threading the magnetopause associated with magnetic reconnection and momentum transfer from the solar wind. The open-flux is greatly reduced when the interplanetary magnetic field points northward, but the extent of the magnetotail remains unknown. Here we report direct observations of an almost complete disappearance of the open-flux polar cap characterized by merging poleward edges of a conjugate horse-collar aurora (HCA) in both hemispheres’ polar ionosphere. The conjugate HCA is generated by particle precipitation due to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the dawn and dusk cold dense plasma sheets (CDPS). These CDPS are consist of solar wind plasma captured by a continuous dual-lobe magnetic reconnections, which is further squeezed into the central magnetotail, resulting in a short “calabash-shaped” magnetotail.
The role of the light source in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy
Authors: Piksa Marta , Lian Cheng , Samuel Imogen C. , Pawlik Krzysztof J. , Samuel Ifor D. W. , Matczyszyn Katarzyna
Published: February 2023

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) is a promising approach to fight the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance that threatens health care, food security and agriculture. Suitable light sources include lasers, LEDs, OLEDs and lamps.
Comparing the reactivity of an oxoiron(iv) cation radical and its oxoiron(v) tautomer towards C–H bonds
Authors: Jana Sandipan , Pattanayak Santanu , Das Soumadip , Ghosh Munmun , Velasco Lucia , Moonshiram Dooshaye , Sen Gupta Sayam
Published: February 2023

An oxoiron(iv) cation radical is generated upon two-electron oxidation of an iron(iii) complex bearing an electron-rich methoxy substituted bTAML framework and characterized via multiple spectroscopic techniques and density functional theory (DFT).
A two-dimensional tunable double Weyl fermion in BL-α borophene
Authors: Wei Xiaoyu , Jin Lei , Zhang Xiaoming , Liu Ying , Dai Xuefang , Liu Guodong
Published: February 2023

Two-dimensional (2D) materials with nontrivial band crossings, namely linear or double Weyl points, have been attracting tremendous attention.
Unraveling the initial steps of the ignition chemistry of the hypergolic ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium cyanoborohydride ([EMIM][CBH]) with nitric acid (HNO3) exploiting chirped pulse triggered droplet merging
Authors: Biswas Souvick , Antonov Ivan , Fujioka Kazuumi , Rizzo Grace L. , Chambreau Steven D. , Schneider Stefan , Sun Rui , Kaiser Ralf I.
Published: February 2023

A new container-less droplet merging method in combination with high-speed imaging and spectroscopy were employed to explore the chemistry in the initial stages of ignition in a hyperogolic ionic liquid – oxidizer reaction.
Defect engineering of two-dimensional materials for advanced energy conversion and storage
Authors: Liu Fu , Fan Zhanxi
Published: February 2023

Defective two-dimensional (2D) materials show huge potential for energy-related fields. This review overviews the formation/evolution mechanisms and engineering strategies of defects in 2D materials, which enable enhanced electrode reaction kinetics.
Advanced supramolecular design for direct ink writing of soft materials
Authors: Tang Miao , Zhong Zhuoran , Ke Chenfeng
Published: February 2023

This review draws connections between top-down direct-ink-writing and bottom-up supramolecular designs. Examples of supramolecularly designed viscoelastic inks and perspectives of using supramolecular motifs for 3D printing have been discussed.
An open-source environmental chamber for materials-stability testing using an optical proxy
Authors: Keesey Rodolfo , Tiihonen Armi , Siemenn Alexander E. , Colburn Thomas W. , Sun Shijing , Putri Hartono Noor Titan , Serdy James , Zeile Margaret , He Keqing , Gurtner Cole A. , Flick Austin C. , Batali Clio , Encinas Alex , Naik Richa R. , Liu Zhe , Oviedo Felipe , Peters I. Marius , Thapa Janak , Parker Tian Siyu Isaac , Dauskardt Reinhold H. , Norquist Alexander J. , Buonassisi Tonio
Published: February 2023

Designs for an open source environmental chamber for stability testing of metal halide perovskites and other materials using optical degradation fingerprints. The design suite can accommodate bulk samples, thin films or full photovoltaic devices.
Thermodynamic and voltammetric study on carnosine and ferrocenyl-carnosine
Authors: Abate Chiara , Piperno Anna , Fragoso Alex , Giuffrè Ottavia , Mazzaglia Antonino , Scala Angela , Foti Claudia
Published: February 2023

An electroactive carnosine derivative (ferrocenyl-carnosine, FcCAR (L)) was synthesized and its complexing and sensing properties were evaluated; it was found to be promising for the electrochemical detection of Hg2+and Pb2+in an aqueous environment.
Lignin as a green and multifunctional alternative to phenol for resin synthesis
Authors: Li Wei , Sun Hao , Wang Guanhua , Sui Wenjie , Dai Lin , Si Chuanling
Published: February 2023

The substitution of phenol by lignin not only reduces the feedstock cost of resin synthesis but also improves the resin's physicochemical properties and endues the resin with new functions.