bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spectral and Energy–Lyapunov stability of streamwise Couette–Poiseuille and spanwise Poiseuille base flows
Authors: Giacobbe Andrea , Perrone Carla
Published: September 2023

When a fluid fills an infinite layer between two rigid plates in relative motion, and it is simultaneously subject to a gradient of pressure not parallel to the motion, the base flow is a combination of Couette–Poiseuille in the direction along the boundaries’ relative motion, but it also possess a Poiseuille component in the transverse direction. For this reason the linearised equations include all variables x, y, z, and not only explicitly two variables x, z as it typically happens in the literature. For convenience, we indicate as streamwise the direction of the relative motions of the plates, and spanwise the orthogonal direction. We use Chebyshev collocation method to investigate the monotonic behaviour of the energy along perturbations of general streamwise Couette–Poiseuille plus spanwise Poiseuille base flow, thus obtaining energy-critical Reynolds numbers depending on two parameters. We finally compute the spectrum of the linearisation at such base flows, and hence determine spectrum-critical Reynolds numbers depending on the two parameters. The choice of convex combinations of Couette and Poiseuille flows along the streamwise direction, and spanwise Poiseuille flow, affects the value of the energy-critical Reynolds and wave numbers in interesting ways. Also the spectrum-critical Reynolds and wave numbers depend on the type of base flow in peculiar ways. These dependencies are not described in the literature.
Two-year cardio-pulmonary follow-up after severe COVID-19: a prospective study
Authors: Faverio Paola , Paciocco Giuseppe , Tassistro Elena , Rebora Paola , Rossi Emanuela , Monzani Anna , Tundo Marta , Milano Chiara , Messa Martina , Marocchi Raffaele , Pesci Alberto , Foti Giuseppe , Squillace Nicola , Cogliandro Viola , Lettino Maddalena , Strepparava Maria Grazia , Bellelli Giuseppe , Ferrarese Carlo , Valsecchi Maria Grazia , Bonfanti Paolo , Luppi Fabrizio ,   The STORM Long-COVID Team, Pollastri Ester , Caramma Ilaria , Cappelletti Anna , Bonaffini Luca , Valagussa Laura , Salvarani Valerio , Pozzi Matteo , Beretta Simone , Mori Silvia , Rossi Emanuela
Published: September 2023

Short- and medium-term cardio-pulmonary sequelae after COVID-19 have been extensively studied. However, studies with longer follow-ups are required. This study aims to identify and characterise cardio-pulmonary sequelae, in patients hospitalised for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, at 24 months follow-up. This is a prospective, observational cohort study conducted on consecutive patients hospitalised for COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure. Patients were followed up at 24 months with complete pulmonary function tests (PFTs), 6-min walking test and a dyspnoea score (Modified Medical Research Council scale). A subgroup of patients with at least one clinical or functional sign suggestive of increased pulmonary pressures also underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to evaluate the presence of direct or indirect signs of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Ninety consecutive patients (74% men, median age 59.1 years) were enrolled in the study. In regard to PFTs, carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO) impairment was observed in 23 cases (26%), in all cases of mild entity. When considering the dyspnoea, 30 (34%) patients showed some degree of breathlessness. Forty patients underwent TTE. No patients had overt PH or chronic thromboembolic PH. However, all patients showed a hyperdynamic state of the right ventricle, and 8 (20%) patients had a decreased acceleration time on pulmonary valve, signs of increased pulmonary vasculature resistances and afterload elevation. At 24-month follow-up after severe COVID-19, DLCO and TTE prove to be the most sensitive tool to detect cardio-pulmonary sequelae. Dyspnoea is still present in about one-third of patients and requires a multidisciplinary approach.
Obstetric care for environmental migrants
Authors: Lee Sadhbh A. , Corbett Gillian A. , McAuliffe Fionnuala M.
Published: September 2023

Background

Migration due to environmental factors is an international crisis affecting many nations globally. Pregnant people are a vulnerable subgroup of migrants.

Aim

This article explores the potential effects of environmental migration on pregnancy and aims to draw attention to this rising concern.

Methods

Based on the study aim, a semi-structured literature review was performed. The following databases were searched: MEDLine (PubMed) and Google Scholar. The search was originally conducted on 31st January 2021 and repeated on 22nd September 2022.

Results

Pregnant migrants are at increased risk of mental health disorders, congenital anomalies, preterm birth, and maternal mortality. Pregnancies exposed to natural disasters are at risk of low birth weight, preterm birth, hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and mental health morbidity. Along with the health risks, there are additional complex social factors affecting healthcare engagement in this population.

Conclusion

Maternity healthcare providers are likely to provide care for environmental migrants over the coming years. Environmental disasters and migration as individual factors have complex effects on perinatal health, and environmental migrants may be at risk of specific perinatal complications. Obstetricians and maternity healthcare workers should be aware of these challenges and appreciate the individualised and specialised care that these patients require.
Users of Online Child Sexual Abuse Material
Authors: Huikuri Salla
Published: September 2023

Online communities on darknet contribute to sexual violence against children. They provide offender access to Child Sexual Abuse Material and to a group of peers that supports criminal activities. This article sheds light on online child sexual abusers and their justifications for Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). It describes different offender profiles and motivations for CSA, followed by a section on policing these offences. The article then lays out psychological models, such as cognitive distortions, that are used to understand pedophiles’ behavior. The discussion is complemented by direct citations from a darknet community of CSA offenders, showing that these models are not just theoretical considerations. The last part of the article concentrates on online communities of CSA offenders. It describes different types of members of such communities and explains how the communities support individual offenders and how they provide learning models that facilitate criminal behavior. The article concludes with a short reflection of its findings, including novel insights for investigators of these crimes and proposed venues for further research.
Exercise as Medicine in Cardio-Oncology: Reducing Health Disparities in Hispanic and Latina Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Gonzalo-Encabo Paola , Sami Nathalie , Wilson Rebekah L. , Kang Dong-Woo , Ficarra Salvatore , Dieli-Conwright Christina M.
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

This review aims to access the current state of the evidence in exercise as medicine for cardio-oncology in Hispanic and Latina breast cancer survivors and to provide our preliminary data on the effects of supervised aerobic and resistance training on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in this population.

Recent Findings

Breast cancer survivors have a higher risk of CVD; particularly Hispanic and Latina breast cancer survivors have a higher burden than their White counterparts. Exercise has been shown to reduce CVD risk in breast cancer survivors; however, evidence in Hispanic and Latina breast cancer survivors is scarce.

Our review highlights a clear need for exercise oncology clinical trials in Hispanic and Latina breast cancer survivors targeting CVD risk factors. Moreover, our exploratory results highlight that 16 weeks of aerobic and resistance training may reduce the 10-year risk of developing CVD by 15% in Hispanic and Latina breast cancer survivors.
Spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis for Discovering Nature-Based Solutions Location for Urban Flood Mitigation in Accra
Authors: Asare Prince , Atun Funda , Pfeffer Karin
Published: September 2023

In recent years, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) have become instrumental in restoring ecosystems and reducing the negative effects of hard surface developments. Existing studies have shown the potential of NBS in mitigating urban floods and reducing overall hydrogeological risks, especially in high-income areas. However, there is limited knowledge on area-specific NBS implementation and the locational suitability of areas to support different NBS for urban flood mitigation in medium to low-income regions. A methodology based on Spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis (SMCA) has the potential to spatially combine and synthesize information to elicit spatially-specific opportunities for NBS implementation. However, an SMCA tool to determine suitable locations for different NBS measures for urban flood mitigation does not yet exist. In order to address this research gap, this study developed an SMCA methodology to identify different target areas where specific urban flood-related NBS measures can be implemented to minimize urban flood occurrence in Accra, Ghana. The study revealed different locations where urban flood-related NBS measures could be applied. It also demonstrated how specific NBS measures could be tailored to the characteristics of different areas in Accra to ensure effective urban flood mitigation. The suggested methodological approach provides a spatial knowledge base for flood management institutions to integrate NBS into flood management schemes. The approach has application potential for other geographic contexts facing urban flood risks. Future research could focus on possible ways of integrating NBS into the spatial development of cities.
Modeling the Distribution of Atlantic Croaker and Spot in a Dynamic Seascape Using Metabolic Scope
Authors: Marcek Benjamin J. , Humston Robert , Fabrizio Mary C. , Shen Jian , Brill Richard W.
Published: September 2023

In estuarine and coastal systems, anthropogenic activities and directional changes in global air temperatures have led to increased water temperatures, as well as increased frequency and severity of episodic hypoxia. These alterations have had population-level effects on aquatic organisms, including changes in species-specific distributions. Because physiology is the transfer function connecting environmental conditions to individual behaviors and eventually to population-level effects, we used individual-based models (IBMs) that incorporate changes in metabolic scope as motivation for movement. Our objective was to investigate the effects of temperature and hypoxia on the distribution of Atlantic croaker and spot in Chesapeake Bay. We compared the predicted monthly fish distributions from the IBMs with apparent fish distributions recorded by the VIMS Juvenile Fish Trawl Survey during 1988–2014. IBMs failed to reproduce accurately the apparent spatial distributions of Atlantic croaker and spot. More specifically, compared with the trawl survey, IBMs predicted larger proportions of these two species would be captured in the lower regions of Chesapeake Bay and smaller proportions in the York and Rappahannock rivers. We postulate that, because similar thermal and oxygen conditions were occupied by fish in the IBMs and in the wild, temperature may not be the most important factor motivating the movement of Atlantic croaker and spot in Chesapeake Bay, and other spatial factors (e.g., prey availability) act in concert with temperature and hypoxia to determine the spatial distributions of Atlantic croaker and spot in Chesapeake Bay. Alternatively, surveys used to estimate species occurrences could be biased if gear vulnerability is affected by temperature or oxygen conditions (or both). Additional research is needed to clarify which condition is true or if a combination of these factors (and others) led to discrepancies between predicted and apparent fish distributions based on trawl survey data.
Digital entrepreneurship from cellular data: How omics afford the emergence of a new wave of digital ventures in health
Authors: Rothe Hannes , Lauer Katharina Barbara , Talbot-Cooper Callum , Sivizaca Conde Daniel Juan
Published: September 2023

Data has become an indispensable input, throughput, and output for the healthcare industry. In recent years, omics technologies such as genomics and proteomics have generated vast amounts of new data at the cellular level including molecular, structural, and functional levels. Cellular data holds the potential to innovate therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics, consumer products, or even ancestry services. However, data at the cellular level is generated with rapidly evolving omics technologies. These technologies use scientific knowledge from resource-rich environments. This raises the question of how new ventures can use cellular-level data from omics technologies to create new products and scale their business. We report on a series of interviews and a focus group discussion with entrepreneurs, investors, and data providers. By conceptualizing omics technologies as external enablers, we show how characteristics of cellular-level data negatively affect the combination mechanisms that drive venture creation and growth. We illustrate how data characteristics set boundary conditions for innovation and entrepreneurship and highlight how ventures seek to mitigate their impact.
Interpolation and extrapolation in Year 5 STEM activities: exploring data about viscosity without advanced statistics
Authors: Watson Jane , Fitzallen Noleine , Kelly Ben
Published: September 2023

Incorporating an evidence-based approach in STEM education using data collection and analysis strategies when learning about science concepts enhances primary students’ discipline knowledge and cognitive development. This paper reports on learning activities that use the nature of viscosity and the power of informal statistical inference to build students’ conceptual understanding of interpolation and extrapolation without imposing on them the demands of understanding the nonlinear mathematics used to explore the concepts at the tertiary level. An exploratory research strategy was adopted to investigate the way in which Year 5 students created and analysed graphical representations from data collected when performing viscosity experiments. The data representations produced by the students and their subsequent predictions were analysed using the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) model as adapted specifically for graphical representations. The results illustrate that when provided with appropriate technological tools to scaffold student learning, in this case TinkerPlots™, development of students’ appreciation of interpolation and extrapolation within meaningful data contexts across the STEM curriculum does not have to wait until the tertiary level.
Does natural resource hinder, taxation capacity and accountability? A case of selected oil abundant developing countries
Authors: Laniran Temitope J. , Adeleke Damilola
Published: September 2023

This study aims to explore the mechanism that corroborates the political-economy explanation of the resource curse in oil rich developing countries. This mechanism elucidates that increasing resource rents provides higher incentives for leaders to remain in power, through a deliberate refusal to improve taxation capacity, which would, in turn, reduce the tax burden on its citizens to reduce their demand for accountability. Using a panel data set for 25 oil producing developing countries for the period 1996–2011, the study demonstrated that oil abundant developing countries lack adequate taxation capacity which influences fiscal contract through taxation of the citizens and minimises the scrutiny of government and the demand for accountability. In turn, the economy is plagued by inadequate provision of public goods and a limited means to raise revenue to finance government expenditure. The empirical analysis supports this mechanism. To this regard, it concludes that the presence of oil in the selected countries can undermine accountability.
Seismic control of vertically and horizontally irregular steel high-rise buildings by tuned mass dampers including SSI
Authors: Kontoni Denise-Penelope N. , Farghaly Ahmed Abdelraheem
Published: September 2023

The architectural requirements imposed on the structural design of buildings sometimes necessitate vertical and horizontal irregularities with their possibly dangerous effects when these structures are subjected to earthquakes. One of the greatest challenges in structural engineering is the design of a steel high-rise building (HRB) with vertical and horizontal irregularities. In this research, two irregular steel high-rise buildings (HRBs) were seismically analyzed as 3D models considering soil–structure interaction (SSI) and tuned mass damper (TMD) systems were used to mitigate their seismic response under different earthquakes. The two studied HRBs were a vertically irregular (step-pyramid-shaped) steel HRB, and a both vertically and horizontally irregular (L-shaped in-plan, stadium-shaped) steel HRB. The SSI provides the actual response of the tall buildings subjected to earthquake, and mitigation schemes using TMDs were suggested with arrangements of the TMDs on the top plan and along the elevation of the steel high-rise buildings to achieve seismic control of these structures. The present study has shown that the best efficiency in the mitigation of the effect of earthquakes on vertically and horizontally irregular steel high-rise buildings is obtained by implementing TMDs at the corners of the HRB plan on the top of the HRB and also at different floor levels along the upper half-height of the HRB.
Two-dimensional superlattice films of gold nanoparticle-polystyrene composites: a bioactive platform for bone homeostasis maintenance
Authors: Zhuang Zaikai , Li Zheng , Gong Guangyu , Li Qiangqiang , Zhang Yibo , Huang Caoxing , Huang Yusen , Tian Lei , Wang Peng , Guo Zhirui , Jiang Qing
Published: September 2023

Osseo-integration between the implant and bone is a crucial factor to create a strong, durable bond that allows the implant to function effectively. However, regular implant surface with poor osseo-integration ability may cause aseptic loosening, resulting in the failure of implants. Herein, a serial of macroscopic one-particle thick superlattice films generated by self-assembly of diverse size of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were termed as SFGs and were considered as bioactive implant coatings for enhancing osseo-integration. A hydroquinone-assisted seed method is established to fabricate homogenous GNPs with controllable sizes (20, 60, and 90 nm), which were further employed as building blocks to generate macroscopic one-particle thick superlattice films of GNPs (SFGs-20, SFGs-60, and SFGs-90) with the assistance of ploystryrene. The SFGs present a size-dependent performance on bone homeostasis, where SFGs-90 demonstrated the most pronounced facilitation of osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts as well as deactivation of osteoclasts compared with SFGs-20 and SFGs-60. Considering the universal applicability of SFGs for depositing on various substrates, these SFGs with enhanced osseo-integration capabilities could serve as a bioactive platform for surface modification of orthopedic implants, effectively addressing the issue of aseptic loosening.

Graphical abstract

Two-dimensional superlattice films of gold nanoparticle-polystyrene composites exhibit enhanced osteogenic-stimulation and osteoclastic-inhibition effects for regulating bone homeostasis maintenance.
Analysing English Sentence Structure
Authors: Radford Andrew
Published: September 2023

Andrew Radford has acquired an unrivalled reputation over the past forty years for writing syntax textbooks in which difficult concepts are clearly explained without excessive use of technical jargon. Analysing English Sentence Structure continues in this tradition, offering a well-structured intermediate course in English syntax and contemporary syntactic theory. Chapters are split into core modules, each focusing on a specific topic, and the reader is supported throughout with learning aids such as summaries, lists of key hypotheses and principles, extensive references, exercises with handy hints, and a glossary of terminology. Both teachers and instructors will benefit from the book's free online resources, which comprise an open-access Students' Answerbook, and a password-protected Teachers' Answerbook, each containing comprehensive answers to exercises, with detailed tree diagrams. The book and accompanying resources are designed to serve both as a coursebook for use in class, and as a self-study resource for use at home.
Satellite‐Based Fully Connected Neural Network Heating (FCNH) Algorithm for Estimating Latent Heating Rate Inside Storms
Authors: Zhao Hongwei , Li Rui , Zhang Peng , Fu Yunfei , Yang Shuping , Huang Chen , Li Dong
Published: September 2023

Latent heat (LH) released from precipitation during the water phase change process is the primary energy source driving atmospheric circulation. Current satellite LH retrieval algorithms are mainly physical‐based or lookup table‐based. In this study, a fully connected neural network LH algorithm (FCNH) was developed and tested by weather research and forecasting model (WRF) simulations and global precipitation measurement (GPM) satellite observations. FCNH uses three types of modules: feature representation, feature fusion, and regression. Using satellite observable vertical derivation of precipitation rate () and air temperature (T) as inputs into FCNH achieved the best LH retrieval performance; increasing the number of input variables covering environmental or precipitation characteristics degraded the retrieval accuracy. Compared to the WRF simulated true LH, the FCNH retrieval captured the main features of horizontal and vertical structures with high correlation coefficients and showed improved performance over the associated physical‐based LH algorithm on the same inputs. The FCNH algorithm can alleviate the overestimation of cooling near the surface and the overestimation of positive heating in the mixing layer. The LH retrievals from FCNH and the other three algorithms using inputs of GPM observations were compared, and all achieved basically consistent results. This study is the first attempt to use an artificial neural network method for satellite remote sensing of LH inside precipitation clouds. It promotes understanding of the learning efficiency, accuracy, and limitations of using a fully connected neural network to retrieve LH.
Grand Canyon Heat May Become More Dangerous
Authors: Hasler Caroline
Published: September 2023

Climate change may double the risk of heat-related illness at Grand Canyon National Park by the end of the century.
GEORGIA: A Graph Neural Network Based EmulatOR for Glacial Isostatic Adjustment
Authors: Lin Yucheng , Whitehouse Pippa L. , Valentine Andrew P. , Woodroffe Sarah A.
Published: September 2023

Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) modeling is not only useful for understanding past relative sea‐level change but also for projecting future sea‐level change due to ongoing land deformation. However, GIA model predictions are subject to a range of uncertainties, most notably due to uncertainty in the input ice history. An effective way to reduce this uncertainty is to perform data‐model comparisons over a large ensemble of possible ice histories, but this is often impossible due to computational limitations. Here we address this problem by building a deep‐learning‐based GIA emulator that can mimic the behavior of a physics‐based GIA model while being computationally cheap to evaluate. Assuming a single 1‐D Earth rheology, our emulator shows 0.54 m mean absolute error on 150 out‐of‐sample testing data with <0.5 s emulation time. Using this emulator, two illustrative applications related to the calculation of barystatic sea level are provided for use by the sea‐level community.
The Upper Mantle Geoid for Lithospheric Structure and Dynamics
Authors: Salajegheh F. , Afonso J. C.
Published: September 2023

Geoid anomalies offer crucial information on the internal density structure of the Earth, and thus, on its constitution and dynamic state. In order to interpret geoid undulations in terms of depth, magnitude and lateral extension of density anomalies in the lithosphere and upper mantle, the effects of lower mantle density anomalies need to be removed from the full geoid (thus obtaining the residual “upper mantle geoid”). However, how to achieve this seemingly simple filtering exercise has eluded consensus for decades in the solid Earth community. While there is wide agreement regarding the causative masses of degrees >10 in spherical harmonic expansions of the upper mantle geoid, those contributing to degrees <7–8 remain ambiguous. Here we use spherical harmonic analysis and recent tomography and density models from joint seismic‐geodynamic inversions to derive a representative upper mantle geoid, including the contributions from low harmonic degrees. We show that the upper mantle geoid contains important contributions from degrees 5 and 6 and interpret the causative masses as arising from the coupling between the long‐wavelength lithospheric structure and the sublithospheric upper mantle convection pattern. Importantly, the contributions from degrees 3 < l < 8 do not show a simple power‐law behavior (e.g., Kaula's rule), which precludes the use of standard filtering techniques in the spectral domain. Our upper mantle geoid model will be useful in studies of (a) lithospheric structure, (b) dynamic topography and mantle viscosity, (c) lithosphere‐asthenosphere interactions and (d) the global stress field within the lithosphere and its associated hazards.
Peri‐Siberian Ordovician to Devonian Tectonic Switching in the Olkhon Terrane (Southern Siberia): Structural and Geochronological Constraints
Authors: Li Zhi‐Yong , Jiang Ying‐De , Collett Stephen , Štípská Pavla , Schulmann Karel , Wang Sheng , Sukhorukov Vasiliy , Bai Xiu‐Juan , Zhang Wan‐Feng
Published: September 2023

The Olkhon Terrane is thought to preserve a record of the initial collision of the Siberian Craton with its peripheral orogenic system during the early Paleozoic. However, the related tectono‐metamorphic process and its time‐scale remain obscure. To address this issue, new structural observations combined with U‐Pb zircon and monazite and 40Ar/39Ar biotite geochronology were conducted in the migmatitic‐granitic Anga‐Sakhurta Zone of the terrane. An earliest syn‐collisional event associated with the development of a c. 500–480 Ma sub‐horizontal migmatitic fabric is confirmed. This early fabric was affected by later extensional doming in association with emplacement of partial melts (in terms of c. 470–445 Ma granite sills) parallel to the sub‐horizontal mechanical anisotropy. Subsequent upright folding leading to amplification of extensional domal structures and heterogeneous vertical transposition of composite horizontal fabric occurred soon after the doming, as indicated by intrusions of residual melts into the axial planes of the upright folds. The latest episode of deformation was marked by development of greenschist‐facies sinistral shear zones surrounding the Anga‐Sakhurta Zone at c. 420–400 Ma. An updated tectonic model involving (a) Middle–Late Ordovician crustal thinning associated with horizontal crustal flow, (b) Silurian crustal shortening related to northwards movement of Cambrian magmatic arc of the Birkhin Complex to the south, and (c) Early Devonian lateral extrusion and sinistral shearing associated with progression of the Birkhin Complex promontory, is proposed. Results from this study shed lights on the collisional evolution of peri‐Siberian orogenic system during the early stage evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.
Discovery of neddylation E2s inhibitors with therapeutic activity
Authors: Mamun MAA , Liu Ying , Geng Yin-Ping , Zheng Yi-Chao , Gao Ya , Sun Jian-Gang , Zhao Long-Fei , Zhao Li-Juan , Liu Hong-Min
Published: September 2023

Neddylation is the writing of monomers or polymers of neural precursor cells expressed developmentally down-regulated 8 (NEDD8) to substrate. For neddylation to occur, three enzymes are required: activators (E1), conjugators (E2), and ligators (E3). However, the central role is played by the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes E2M (UBE2M) and E2F (UBE2F), which are part of the E2 enzyme family. Recent understanding of the structure and mechanism of these two proteins provides insight into their physiological effects on apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and genome stability. To treat cancer, it is therefore appealing to develop novel inhibitors against UBE2M or UBE2F interactions with either E1 or E3. In this evaluation, we summarized the existing understanding of E2 interaction with E1 and E3 and reviewed the prospective of using neddylation E2 as a pharmacological target for evolving new anti-cancer remedies.
Dislocation interactions during plastic relaxation of epitaxial colloidal crystals
Authors: Svetlizky Ilya , Kim Seongsoo , Weitz David A. , Spaepen Frans
Published: September 2023

The severe difficulty to resolve simultaneously both the macroscopic deformation process and the dislocation dynamics on the atomic scale limits our understanding of crystal plasticity. Here we use colloidal crystals, imaged on the single particle level by high-speed three-dimensional (3D) confocal microscopy, and resolve in real-time both the relaxation of the epitaxial misfit strain and the accompanying evolution of dislocations. We show how dislocation interactions give rise to the formation of complex dislocation networks in 3D and to unexpectedly sharp plastic relaxation. The sharp relaxation is facilitated by attractive interactions that promote the formation of new dislocations that are more efficient in mediating strain. Dislocation networks form fragmented structures, as dislocation growth is blocked by either attractive interactions, which result in the formation of sessile dislocation junctions, or by repulsion from perpendicular segments. The strength of these blocking mechanisms decreases with the thickness of the crystal film. These results reveal the critical role of dislocation interactions in plastic deformation of thin films and can be readily generalized from the colloidal to the atomic scale.
Smart dynamic hybrid membranes with self-cleaning capability
Authors: Pantuso Elvira , Ahmed Ejaz , Fontananova Enrica , Brunetti Adele , Tahir Ibrahim , Karothu Durga Prasad , Alnaji Nisreen Amer , Dushaq Ghada , Rasras Mahmoud , Naumov Panče , Di Profio Gianluca
Published: September 2023

The growing freshwater scarcity has caused increased use of membrane desalination of seawater as a relatively sustainable technology that promises to provide long-term solution for the increasingly water-stressed world. However, the currently used membranes for desalination on an industrial scale are inevitably prone to fouling that results in decreased flux and necessity for periodic chemical cleaning, and incur unacceptably high energy cost while also leaving an environmental footprint with unforeseeable long-term consequences. This extant problem requires an immediate shift to smart separation approaches with self-cleaning capability for enhanced efficiency and prolonged operational lifetime. Here, we describe a conceptually innovative approach to the design of smart membranes where a dynamic functionality is added to the surface layer of otherwise static membranes by incorporating stimuli-responsive organic crystals. We demonstrate a gating effect in the resulting smart dynamic membranes, whereby mechanical instability caused by rapid mechanical response of the crystals to heating slightly above room temperature activates the membrane and effectively removes the foulants, thereby increasing the mass transfer and extending its operational lifetime. The approach proposed here sets a platform for the development of a variety of energy-efficient hybrid membranes for water desalination and other separation processes that are devoid of fouling issues and circumvents the necessity of chemical cleaning operations.
Hexanematic crossover in epithelial monolayers depends on cell adhesion and cell density
Authors: Eckert Julia , Ladoux Benoît , Mège René-Marc , Giomi Luca , Schmidt Thomas
Published: September 2023

Changes in tissue geometry during developmental processes are associated with collective migration of cells. Recent experimental and numerical results suggest that these changes could leverage on the coexistence of nematic and hexatic orientational order at different length scales. How this multiscale organization is affected by the material properties of the cells and their substrate is presently unknown. In this study, we address these questions in monolayers of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells having various cell densities and molecular repertoires. At small length scales, confluent monolayers are characterized by a prominent hexatic order, independent of the presence of E-cadherin, monolayer density, and underlying substrate stiffness. However, all three properties affect the meso-scale tissue organization. The length scale at which hexatic order transits to nematic order, the “hexanematic” crossover scale, strongly depends on cell-cell adhesions and correlates with monolayer density. Our study demonstrates how epithelial organization is affected by mechanical properties, and provides a robust description of tissue organization during developmental processes.
Discovery and pharmacophoric characterization of chemokine network inhibitors using phage-display, saturation mutagenesis and computational modelling
Authors: Vales Serena , Kryukova Jhanna , Chandra Soumyanetra , Smagurauskaite Gintare , Payne Megan , Clark Charlie J. , Hafner Katrin , Mburu Philomena , Denisov Stepan , Davies Graham , Outeiral Carlos , Deane Charlotte M. , Morris Garrett M. , Bhattacharya Shoumo
Published: September 2023

CC and CXC-chemokines are the primary drivers of chemotaxis in inflammation, but chemokine network redundancy thwarts pharmacological intervention. Tick evasins promiscuously bind CC and CXC-chemokines, overcoming redundancy. Here we show that short peptides that promiscuously bind both chemokine classes can be identified from evasins by phage-display screening performed with multiple chemokines in parallel. We identify two conserved motifs within these peptides and show using saturation-mutagenesis phage-display and chemotaxis studies of an exemplar peptide that an anionic patch in the first motif and hydrophobic, aromatic and cysteine residues in the second are functionally necessary. AlphaFold2-Multimer modelling suggests that the peptide occludes distinct receptor-binding regions in CC and in CXC-chemokines, with the first and second motifs contributing ionic and hydrophobic interactions respectively. Our results indicate that peptides with broad-spectrum anti-chemokine activity and therapeutic potential may be identified from evasins, and the pharmacophore characterised by phage display, saturation mutagenesis and computational modelling.
Global mean nitrogen recovery efficiency in croplands can be enhanced by optimal nutrient, crop and soil management practices
Authors: You Luncheng , Ros Gerard H. , Chen Yongliang , Shao Qi , Young Madaline D. , Zhang Fusuo , de Vries Wim
Published: September 2023

An increase in nitrogen (N) recovery efficiency, also denoted as N use efficiency (NUEr), is crucial to reconcile food production and environmental health. This study assessed the effects of nutrient, crop and soil management on NUEr accounting for its dependency on site conditions, including mean annual temperature and precipitation, soil organic carbon, clay and pH, by meta-regression models using 2436 pairs of observations from 407 primary studies. Nutrient management increased NUEr by 3.6-11%, crop management by 4.4–8%, while reduction in tillage had no significant impact. Site conditions strongly affected management induced changes in NUEr, highlighting their relevance for site-specific practices. Data driven models showed that the global mean NUEr can increase by 30%, from the current average of 48% to 78%, using optimal combinations of nutrient (27%), crop (6.6%) and soil (0.6%) management. This increase will in most cases allow to reconcile crop production with acceptable N losses to water. The predicted increase in NUEr was below average in most high-income regions but above average in middle-income regions.
Plasma metabolomic profiles associated with mortality and longevity in a prospective analysis of 13,512 individuals
Authors: Wang Fenglei , Tessier Anne-Julie , Liang Liming , Wittenbecher Clemens , Haslam Danielle E. , Fernández-Duval Gonzalo , Heather Eliassen A. , Rexrode Kathryn M. , Tobias Deirdre K. , Li Jun , Zeleznik Oana , Grodstein Francine , Martínez-González Miguel A. , Salas-Salvadó Jordi , Clish Clary , Lee Kyu Ha , Sun Qi , Stampfer Meir J. , Hu Frank B. , Guasch-Ferré Marta
Published: September 2023

Experimental studies reported biochemical actions underpinning aging processes and mortality, but the relevant metabolic alterations in humans are not well understood. Here we examine the associations of 243 plasma metabolites with mortality and longevity (attaining age 85 years) in 11,634 US (median follow-up of 22.6 years, with 4288 deaths) and 1878 Spanish participants (median follow-up of 14.5 years, with 525 deaths). We find that, higher levels of N2,N2-dimethylguanosine, pseudouridine, N4-acetylcytidine, 4-acetamidobutanoic acid, N1-acetylspermidine, and lipids with fewer double bonds are associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and reduced odds of longevity; whereas L-serine and lipids with more double bonds are associated with lower mortality risk and a higher likelihood of longevity. We further develop a multi-metabolite profile score that is associated with higher mortality risk. Our findings suggest that differences in levels of nucleosides, amino acids, and several lipid subclasses can predict mortality. The underlying mechanisms remain to be determined.
Dipole field in nitrogen-enriched carbon nitride with external forces to boost the artificial photosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Li Zhi , Zhou Yuanyi , Zhou Yingtang , Wang Kai , Yun Yang , Chen Shanyong , Jiao Wentao , Chen Li , Zou Bo , Zhu Mingshan
Published: September 2023

Artificial photosynthesis is a promising strategy for efficient hydrogen peroxide production, but the poor directional charge transfer from bulk to active sites restricts the overall photocatalytic efficiency. To address this, a new process of dipole field-driven spontaneous polarization in nitrogen-rich triazole-based carbon nitride (C3N5) to harness photogenerated charge kinetics for hydrogen peroxide production is constructed. Here, C3N5 achieves a hydrogen peroxide photosynthesis rate of 3809.5 µmol g−1 h−1 and a 2e− transfer selectivity of 92% under simulated sunlight and ultrasonic forces. This high performance is attributed to the introduction of rich nitrogen active sites of the triazole ring in C3N5, which brings a dipole field. This dipole field induces a spontaneous polarization field to accelerate a rapid directional electron transfer process to nitrogen active sites and therefore induces Pauling-type adsorption of oxygen through an indirect 2e− transfer pathway to form hydrogen peroxide. This innovative concept using a dipole field to harness the migration and transport of photogenerated carriers provides a new route to improve photosynthesis efficiency via structural engineering.
The impact of methane leakage on the role of natural gas in the European energy transition
Authors: Shirizadeh Behrang , Villavicencio Manuel , Douguet Sebastien , Trüby Johannes , Bou Issa Charbel , Seck Gondia Sokhna , D’herbemont Vincent , Hache Emmanuel , Malbec Louis-Marie , Sabathier Jerome , Venugopal Malavika , Lagrange Fanny , Saunier Stephanie , Straus Julian , Reigstad Gunhild A.
Published: September 2023

Decarbonising energy systems is a prevalent topic in the current literature on climate change mitigation, but the additional climate burden caused by methane emissions along the natural gas value chain is rarely discussed at the system level. Considering a two-basket greenhouse gas neutrality objective (both CO2and methane), we model cost-optimal European energy transition pathways towards 2050. Our analysis shows that adoption of best available methane abatement technologies can entail an 80% reduction in methane leakage, limiting the additional environmental burden to 8% of direct CO2emissions (vs. 35% today). We show that, while renewable energy sources are key drivers of climate neutrality, the role of natural gas strongly depends on actions to abate both associated CO2and methane emissions. Moreover, clean hydrogen (produced mainly from renewables) can replace natural gas in a substantial proportion of its end-uses, satisfying nearly a quarter of final energy demand in a climate-neutral Europe.
Structural insights into functional properties of the oxidized form of cytochrome c oxidase
Authors: Ishigami Izumi , Sierra Raymond G. , Su Zhen , Peck Ariana , Wang Cong , Poitevin Frederic , Lisova Stella , Hayes Brandon , Moss Frank R. , Boutet Sébastien , Sublett Robert E. , Yoon Chun Hong , Yeh Syun-Ru , Rousseau Denis L.
Published: September 2023

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is an essential enzyme in mitochondrial and bacterial respiration. It catalyzes the four-electron reduction of molecular oxygen to water and harnesses the chemical energy to translocate four protons across biological membranes. The turnover of the CcO reaction involves an oxidative phase, in which the reduced enzyme (R) is oxidized to the metastable OH state, and a reductive phase, in which OH is reduced back to the R state. During each phase, two protons are translocated across the membrane. However, if OH is allowed to relax to the resting oxidized state (O), a redox equivalent to OH, its subsequent reduction to R is incapable of driving proton translocation. Here, with resonance Raman spectroscopy and serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography (SFX), we show that the heme a3 iron and CuB in the active site of the O state, like those in the OH state, are coordinated by a hydroxide ion and a water molecule, respectively. However, Y244, critical for the oxygen reduction chemistry, is in the neutral protonated form, which distinguishes O from OH, where Y244 is in the deprotonated tyrosinate form. These structural characteristics of O provide insights into the proton translocation mechanism of CcO.
Genome-wide promoter responses to CRISPR perturbations of regulators reveal regulatory networks in Escherichia coli
Authors: Han Yichao , Li Wanji , Filko Alden , Li Jingyao , Zhang Fuzhong
Published: September 2023

Elucidating genome-scale regulatory networks requires a comprehensive collection of gene expression profiles, yet measuring gene expression responses for every transcription factor (TF)-gene pair in living prokaryotic cells remains challenging. Here, we develop pooled promoter responses to TF perturbation sequencing (PPTP-seq) via CRISPR interference to address this challenge. Using PPTP-seq, we systematically measure the activity of 1372 Escherichia coli promoters under single knockdown of 183 TF genes, illustrating more than 200,000 possible TF-gene responses in one experiment. We perform PPTP-seq for E. coli growing in three different media. The PPTP-seq data reveal robust steady-state promoter activities under most single TF knockdown conditions. PPTP-seq also enables identifications of, to the best of our knowledge, previously unknown TF autoregulatory responses and complex transcriptional control on one-carbon metabolism. We further find context-dependent promoter regulation by multiple TFs whose relative binding strengths determined promoter activities. Additionally, PPTP-seq reveals different promoter responses in different growth media, suggesting condition-specific gene regulation. Overall, PPTP-seq provides a powerful method to examine genome-wide transcriptional regulatory networks and can be potentially expanded to reveal gene expression responses to other genetic elements.
The phased telomere-to-telomere reference genome of Musa acuminata, a main contributor to banana cultivars
Authors: Liu Xin , Arshad Rida , Wang Xu , Li Wei-Ming , Zhou Yongfeng , Ge Xue-Jun , Huang Hui-Run
Published: September 2023

Musa acuminata is a main wild contributor to banana cultivars. Here, we reported a haplotype-resolved and telomere-to-telomere reference genome of M. acuminata by incorporating PacBio HiFi reads, Nanopore ultra-long reads, and Hi-C data. The genome size of the two haploid assemblies was estimated to be 469.83 Mb and 470.21 Mb, respectively. Multiple assessments confirmed the contiguity (contig N50: 16.53 Mb and 18.58 Mb; LAI: 20.18 and 19.48), completeness (BUSCOs: 98.57% and 98.57%), and correctness (QV: 45.97 and 46.12) of the genome. The repetitive sequences accounted for about half of the genome size. In total, 40,889 and 38,269 protein-coding genes were annotated in the two haploid assemblies, respectively, of which 9.56% and 3.37% were newly predicted. Genome comparison identified a large reciprocal translocation involving 3 Mb and 10 Mb from chromosomes 01 and 04 within M. acuminata. This reference genome of M. acuminata provides a valuable resource for further understanding of subgenome evolution of Musa species, and precise genetic improvement of banana.
An algorithm for discovering vital nodes in regional networks based on stable path analysis
Authors: Liu Yan , Liu Yimin , Liu Fenlin , Fan Jiaxing , Tao Zhiyuan
Published: September 2023

Vital node discovery is a hotspot in network topology research. The key is using the Internet’s routing characteristics to remove noisy paths and accurately describe the network topology. In this manuscript, a vital regional routing nodes discovery algorithm based on routing characteristics is proposed. We analyze the stability of multiple rounds of measurement results to overcome the single vantage point’s path deviation. The unstable paths are eliminated from the regional network which is constructed through probing for target area, and the pruned topology is more in line with real routing rules. Finally, we weight the edge based on the actual network’s routing characteristics and discover vital nodes in combination with the weighting degree. Unlike existing algorithms, the proposed algorithm reconstructs the network topology based on communication and transforms unweighted network connections into weighted connections. We can evaluate the node importance in a more realistic network structure. Experiments on the Internet measurement data (275 million probing results collected in 107 days) demonstrate that: the proposed algorithm outperforms four existing typical algorithms. Among 15 groups of comparison in 3 cities, our algorithm found more (or the same number) backbone nodes in 10 groups and found more (or the same number) national backbone nodes in 13 groups.