bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clausal types and syntactic subjects
Authors: Di Domenico Elisa
Published: October 2023

In previous work (Di Domenico,
2020), I have analyzed the narrative productions of a
group of Italian native speakers, in order to investigate whether
the core assumption of the Position of Antecedent Hypothesis,
proposed by Carminati
(2002) for the resolution of intra-sentential pro in Italian, could be extended to the
discourse level despite Carminati’s (2002, p. 306) claim to the contrary. The
data suggested that, while pro was
overwhelmingly the most attested anaphoric device, Discourse
Referents were never introduced pre-verbally; the data, however,
also revealed that Discourse Referents introduced as non-subject
constituents were restated in subject position for subsequent
resumption (through a pseudo-relative, a subject relative or an
Accusative + Infinitive clause). This led to the conclusion that the
core assumption of the Position of Antecedent Hypothesis could be
maintained at the discourse level as well: in Italian pro looks for an antecedent in Spec, IP
also inter – sententially. The present work addresses the same
question in Greek, which is, as Italian, a null-subject language,
and compares the Greek results to the Italian ones of the previous
work. The analysis reveals that things work in part differently in
the two languages, given that the pre-verbal subject position is
frequently employed for the introduction of brand new Discourse
Referents in Greek, contrary to Italian. Restatement in subject
position, however, modulo some differences concerning the clausal
types attested in the two languages, still holds whenever Discourse
Referents are introduced as non-subject constituents, suggesting
that pro looks for an antecedent in
Spec, IP in Greek as well as in Italian.
On the interaction of age, cognitive abilities, print exposure
and pronoun type in pronoun resolution
Authors: Peristeri Eleni , Maria Katsiperi , Eleni Fleva , Tsimpli Ianthi Maria
Published: October 2023

Our study examines the impact of age differences in the
interpretation of null and overt subject pronouns in referentially
ambiguous sentences, while investigating at the same time the extent
to which ambiguous anaphora resolution is affected by cognitive and
print exposure measures. Older adults (n = 46) and younger adults
(n = 62) were administered an online self-paced listening
referent-choice task and a battery of cognitive measures including
digit span, visual attention switching, as well as a print exposure.
Pronoun resolution was found to be subject to age differences,
however, the two pronouns were not equally affected. Referent
preference radically changed with age for the null pronoun contexts
only, while overt pronoun resolution patterns were similar across
the two age groups. The groups’ performance is accounted for in
terms of both age-related cognitive decline and the pronouns’ degree
of morphophonological specification.
North Africa: the climate emergency and family farming
Authors: Ajl Max , Ayeb Habib , Bush Ray
Published: October 2023

This article examines recent international financial institution and national government policy in North Africa intended to address the climate emergency. It focuses on the role of the World Bank and general policy trends since the 1970s. These policy trends fail to understand the continuing centrality of small-scale family farming to social reproduction and food production. The article stresses the significance of historical patterns of underdevelopment, and the uneven incorporation of North Africa into global capitalism. An understanding of thelongue duréeis crucial in understanding why, and how, agrarian transformations have taken the form that they have, and why national sovereign projects and popular struggles offer an alternative strategy to counter imperialism and neo-colonialism. International financial institutions’ preoccupation with policies of mitigation and adaptation to climate change fails to address how poverty is generated and reproduced.
Quantum problem of the potential of a ring charged on the symmetry axis
Authors: dos Santos Wytler Cordeiro , Carmo Nunes Bruno , Amorim Ronni G G
Published: October 2023

In this work we discuss about the problem of an electrically charged particle placed on the symmetry axis of an electrically charged ring in a quantum viewpoint. This problem should be an expanded version of the usual quantum ring and quantum corral. For this purpose, we present a detailed and pedagogical review about a version of the quantum ring focusing in mathematical aspects. As a new result, we calculate numerically the spectrum and wave functions related to charged particle located on the symmetry axis of charged ring and respective wave functions using two different ways: Numerov and perturbative method.
Complete population transfer between next-adjacent energy levels of a transmon qudit
Authors: Zhang 张 Yingshan 颖珊 , Liu 刘 Pei 培 , Zhang 张 Jingning 静宁 , Wang 王 Ruixia 睿侠 , Liu 刘 Weiyang 伟洋 , Han 韩 Jiaxiu 佳秀 , Jin 金 Yirong 贻荣 , Yu 于 Haifeng 海峰
Published: October 2023

The utilization of qudits in quantum systems has led to significant advantages in quantum computation and information processing. Therefore, qudits have gained increased attention in recent research for their precise and efficient operations. In this work, we demonstrate the complete population transfer between the next-adjacent energy levels of a transmon qudit using the Pythagorean coupling method and energy level mapping. We achieve a |0〉 to |2〉 transfer with a process fidelity of 97.76% in the subspace spanned by |0〉 to |2〉. Moreover, the transfer operation is achieved within a remarkably fast timescale, as short as 20 ns. This study may present a promising avenue for enhancing the operation flexibility and efficiency of qudits in future implementations.
Quantum algorithm for minimum dominating set problem with circuit design
Authors: Zhang 张 Haoying 皓颖 , Wang 王 Shaoxuan 绍轩 , Liu 刘 Xinjian 新建 , Shen 沈 Yingtong 颖童 , Wang 王 Yukun 玉坤
Published: October 2023

Using quantum algorithms to solve various problems has attracted widespread attention with the development of quantum computing. Researchers are particularly interested in using the acceleration properties of quantum algorithms to solve NP-complete problems. This paper focuses on the well-known NP-complete problem of finding the minimum dominating set in undirected graphs. To expedite the search process, a quantum algorithm employing Grover’s search is proposed. However, a challenge arises from the unknown number of solutions for the minimum dominating set, rendering direct usage of original Grover’s search impossible. Thus, a swap test method is introduced to ascertain the number of iterations required. The oracle, diffusion operators, and swap test are designed with achievable quantum gates. The query complexity is O(1.414
n
) and the space complexity is O(n). To validate the proposed approach, qiskit software package is employed to simulate the quantum circuit, yielding the anticipated results.
Design considerations for an ultrahigh-bandwidth Phase Contrast Imaging system applied to fusion grade devices
Authors: Marinoni A. , Rost J.C. , Porkolab M.
Published: October 2023

The PCI diagnostic is an internal reference interferometer that creates an image of
absolutely calibrated electron density fluctuations integrated along the line of sight of the
probing light beam. While conventional PCI diagnostics installed on fusion experiments worldwide
employ light of wavelength equal to 10.59 μm, the same system using light at 1.55 μm
wavelength would extend the spectral response in wave-number and frequency by factors of seven and
over one hundred, respectively, thereby potentially providing quantitative measurements of the
internal structure of density perturbations induced by either turbulent or radio-frequency waves,
simultaneously covering ion to electron gyro-radius scales up to the GHz frequency region. Based
on a previously developed 1.55 μm PCI prototype system, constraints to the design for such a
diagnostic in fusion grade devices are presented and compared to those faced with the conventional
method.
Quantum covariant derivative: a tool for deriving adiabatic perturbation theory to all orders
Authors: Requist Ryan
Published: October 2023

The covariant derivative suitable for differentiating and parallel transporting tangent vectors and other geometric objects induced by a parameter-dependent adiabatic quantum eigenstate is introduced. It is proved to be covariant under gauge and coordinate transformations and compatible with the quantum geometric tensor. For a quantum system driven by a Hamiltonian

H
=
H
(
x
)

depending on slowly-varying parameters

x
=
{

x
1

(
ϵ
t
)
,

x
2

(
ϵ
t
)
,
…
}

,

ϵ
≪
1

, the quantum covariant derivative is used to derive a recurrence relation that determines an asymptotic series for the wave function to all orders in

ϵ

. This adiabatic perturbation theory provides an efficient tool for calculating nonlinear response properties.
Microfabrication and lab-on-a-chip devices promote in vitro modeling of neural interfaces for neuroscience researches and preclinical applications
Authors: Liu Yang , Yao Xiangyun , Fan Cunyi , Zhang Guifeng , Luo Xi , Qian Yun
Published: October 2023

Neural tissues react to injuries through the orchestration of cellular reprogramming, generating specialized cells and activating gene expression that helps with tissue remodeling and homeostasis. Simplified biomimetic models are encouraged to amplify the physiological and morphological changes during neural regeneration at cellular and molecular levels. Recent years have witnessed growing interest in lab-on-a-chip technologies for the fabrication of neural interfaces. Neural system-on-a-chip devices are promising in vitro microphysiological platforms that replicate the key structural and functional characteristics of neural tissues. Microfluidics and microelectrode arrays are two fundamental techniques that are leveraged to address the need for microfabricated neural devices. In this review, we explore the innovative fabrication, mechano-physiological parameters, spatiotemporal control of neural cell cultures and chip-based neurogenesis. Although the high variability in different constructs, and the restriction in experimental and analytical access limit the real-life applications of microphysiological models, neural system-on-a-chip devices have gained considerable translatability for modeling neuropathies, drug screening and personalized therapy.
Set-conditional set generation for particle physics
Authors: Soybelman Nathalie , Kakati Nilotpal , Heinrich Lukas , Di Bello Francesco Armando , Dreyer Etienne , Ganguly Sanmay , Gross Eilam , Kado Marumi , Shlomi Jonathan
Published: October 2023

The simulation of particle physics data is a fundamental but computationally intensive ingredient for physics analysis at the large Hadron collider, where observational set-valued data is generated conditional on a set of incoming particles. To accelerate this task, we present a novel generative model based on a graph neural network and slot-attention components, which exceeds the performance of pre-existing baselines.
Artificial neural networks exploiting point cloud data for fragmented solid objects classification
Authors: Baiocchi A , Giagu S , Napoli C , Serra M , Nardelli P , Valleriani M
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a novel approach for fragmented solid object classification exploiting neural networks based on point clouds. This work is the initial step of a project in collaboration with the Institution of ‘Ente Parco Archeologico del Colosseo’ in Rome, which aims to reconstruct ancient artifacts from their fragments. We built from scratch a synthetic dataset (DS) of fragments of different 3D objects including aging effects. We used this DS to train deep learning models for the task of classifying internal and external fragments. As model architectures, we adopted PointNet and dynamical graph convolutional neural network, which take as input a point cloud representing the spatial geometry of a fragment, and we optimized model performance by adding additional features sensitive to local geometry characteristics. We tested the approach by performing several experiments to check the robustness and generalization capabilities of the models. Finally, we test the models on a real case using a 3D scan of artifacts preserved in different museums, artificially fragmented, obtaining good performance.
Exact Short Products From Truncated Multipliers
Authors: Lemire Daniel
Published: October 2023

We sometimes need to compute the most significant digits of the product of small integers with a multiplier requiring much storage, e.g. a large integer (e.g. $5^{100}$) or an irrational number ($\pi $). We only need to access the most significant digits of the multiplier—as long as the integers are sufficiently small. We provide an efficient algorithm to compute the range of integers given a truncated multiplier and a desired number of digits.
Intra-pocket ultrasound-guided axillary vein puncture vs. cephalic vein cutdown for cardiac electronic device implantation: the ACCESS trial
Authors: Charles Paul , Ditac Geoffroy , Montoy Mathieu , Thenard Thibaut , Courand Pierre-Yves , Lantelme Pierre , Harbaoui Brahim , Fareh Samir
Published: October 2023

Background and Aims

Intra-pocket ultrasound-guided axillary vein puncture (IPUS-AVP) for venous access in implantation of transvenous cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) is uncommon due to the lack of clinical evidence supporting this technique. This study investigated the efficacy and early complications of IPUS-AVP compared to the standard method using cephalic vein cutdown (CVC) for CIED implantation.

Methods

ACCESS was an investigator-led, interventional, randomized (1:1 ratio), monocentric, controlled superiority trial. A total of 200 patients undergoing CIED implantation were randomized to IPUS-AVP (n = 101) or CVC (n = 99) as a first assigned route. The primary endpoint was the success rate of insertion of all leads using the first assigned venous access technique. The secondary endpoints were time to venous access, total procedure duration, fluoroscopy time, X-ray exposure, and complications. Complications were monitored during a follow-up period of three months after procedure.

Results

IPUS-AVP was significantly superior to CVC for the primary endpoint with 100 (99.0%) vs. 86 (86.9%) procedural successes (P = .001). Cephalic vein cutdown followed by subclavian vein puncture was successful in a total of 95 (96.0%) patients, P = .21 vs. IPUS-AVP. All secondary endpoints were also significantly improved in the IPUS-AVP group with reduction in time to venous access [3.4 vs. 10.6 min, geometric mean ratio (GMR) 0.32 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.28–0.36), P < .001], total procedure duration [33.8 vs. 46.9 min, GMR 0.72 (95% CI 0.67–0.78), P < .001], fluoroscopy time [2.4 vs. 3.3 min, GMR 0.74 (95% CI 0.63–0.86), P < .001], and X-ray exposure [1083 vs. 1423 mGy.cm², GMR 0.76 (95% CI 0.62–0.93), P = .009]. There was no significant difference in complication rates between groups (P = .68).

Conclusions

IPUS-AVP is superior to CVC in terms of success rate, time to venous access, procedure duration, and radiation exposure. Complication rates were similar between the two groups. Intra-pocket ultrasound-guided axillary vein puncture should be a recommended venous access technique for CIED implantation.
Evolutionary consequences of microbiomes for hosts: impacts on host fitness, traits, and heritability
Authors: O’Brien Anna M , Laurich Jason R , Frederickson Megan E
Published: October 2023

An organism’s phenotypes and fitness often depend on the interactive effects of its genome (Gh⁢o⁢s⁢t), microbiome (Gm⁢i⁢c⁢r⁢o⁢b⁢e), and environment (E). These G × G, G × E, and G × G × E effects fundamentally shape host-microbiome (co)evolution and may be widespread, but are rarely compared within a single experiment. We collected and cultured L⁢e⁢m⁢n⁢am⁢i⁢n⁢o⁢r (duckweed) and its associated microbiome from 10 sites across an urban-to-rural ecotone. We factorially manipulated host genotype and microbiome in two environments (low and high zinc, an urban aquatic stressor) in an experiment with 200 treatments: 10 host genotypes × 10 microbiomes × 2 environments. Host genotype explained the most variation in L.m⁢i⁢n⁢o⁢r fitness and traits, while microbiome effects often depended on host genotype (G × G). Microbiome composition predicted G × G effects: when compared in more similar microbiomes, duckweed genotypes had more similar effects on traits. Further, host fitness increased and microbes grew faster when applied microbiomes more closely matched the host’s field microbiome, suggesting some local adaptation between hosts and microbiota. Finally, selection on and heritability of host traits shifted across microbiomes and zinc exposure. Thus, we found that microbiomes impact host fitness, trait expression, and heritability, with implications for host–microbiome evolution and microbiome breeding.
Population Genomics of the Mostly Thelytokous Diplolepis rosae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) Reveals Population-specific Selection for Sex
Authors: Mozhaitseva Ksenia , Tourrain Zoé , Branca Antoine
Published: October 2023

In Hymenoptera, arrhenotokous parthenogenesis (arrhenotoky) is a common reproductive mode. Thelytokous parthenogenesis (thelytoky), when virgin females produce only females, is less common and is found in several taxa. In our study, we assessed the efficacy of recombination and the effect of thelytoky on the genome structure of Diplolepis rosae, a gall wasp-producing bedeguars in dog roses. We assembled a high-quality reference genome using Oxford Nanopore long-read technology and sequenced 17 samples collected in France with high-coverage Illumina reads. We found two D. rosae peripatric lineages that differed in the level of recombination and homozygosity. One of the D. rosae lineages showed a recombination rate that was 13.2 times higher and per-individual heterozygosity that was 1.6 times higher. In the more recombining lineage, the genes enriched in functions related to male traits (‘sperm competition”, “insemination”, and “copulation” gene ontology terms) showed signals of purifying selection, whereas in the less recombining lineage, the same genes showed traces pointing towards balancing or relaxed selection. Thus, although D. rosae reproduces mainly by thelytoky, selection may act to maintain sexual reproduction.
Protective effects of dietary dimethyl itaconate supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in broilers under chronic heat stress
Authors: Wang Huihui , Yang Ying , Huang Benzeng , Cui Ziyi , Li Longlong
Published: October 2023

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary dimethyl itaconate (DI) supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in broilers under chronic heat stress (HS). Twenty-one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers (n = 120) were randomly allocated to 5 groups: a control group, HS group, HS + 50 mg/kg DI group, HS + 150 mg/kg DI group, and HS + 200 mg/kg DI group. The birds in the control group received the basal diets and were maintained at 21 ± 1 °C for 24 h daily. The birds in the HS group and HS + DI groups were raised at 32 ± 1 °C for 8 h daily and received basal diets containing DI at the indicated dose (0, 50, 150, or 200 mg/kg). The results showed that the contents of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were markedly elevated by exposure to chronic HS (P < 0.01), and this elevation was alleviated by 150 and 200 mg/kg DI supplementation (P < 0.05). Chronic HS-induced declines (P < 0.05) in total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and activities of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in serum were markedly attenuated after 200 mg/kg DI treatment in broilers (P < 0.05). Moreover, broilers subjected to chronic HS exhibited higher contents of MDA, protein carbonyl, and hydrogen peroxide (P < 0.01), but lower T-AOC and activities of antioxidant enzymes (P < 0.05), as well as reduced inhibition of superoxide and hydroxyl free radicals (P < 0.01) in the liver compared to the control group; these changes were effectively mitigated by treatment with 200 mg/kg DI in broilers (P < 0.05). In addition, 50-200 mg/kg DI effectively ameliorated chronic HS-stimulated upregulation of the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory mediators in the livers of broilers (P < 0.01). Dietary supplementation with 150 and 200 mg/kg DI significantly alleviated chronic HS challenge-induced upregulation of the mRNA levels of Bcl-2-associated X, caspase 3, and caspase 9 (P < 0.01), but downregulation of Bcl-2 mRNA levels (P < 0.01) in broilers (P < 0.05). Importantly, chronic HS-induced downregulation of the mRNA or protein levels of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF-2), NADPH quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), SOD2, or glutathione-S-transferases (GST) (P < 0.01) was markedly improved by 150 and 200 mg/kg DI (P < 0.05). The above results indicated that DI can ameliorate oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in broilers under chronic HS.
Selection and validation of reference genes for quantifying gene expression in the Gill's mealybug
Authors: Bansal Raman , Haviland David R , Hunter Wayne B
Published: October 2023

The Gill's mealybug, Ferrisia gilli Gullan, (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has emerged as a major pest of pistachio in California. Because F. gilli is only relatively recently described, there are no validated reference genes to normalize the expression data from real-time quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in this species. We selected and validated 8 commonly used reference genes (RPS8, TBP, UBQE2, RPL7, RPL5, RPL40, RPLP1, and HEL) for expression stability in F. gilli. These genes were evaluated in 5 different geographical populations of F. gilli collected from organic and conventionally grown pistachio orchards. Candidate reference genes were also evaluated in F. gilli fed with 4 plant hosts: pistachio, almond, grapes, and lima beans. The stability of candidate genes was analyzed using 4 software algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder. Three genes RPS8, RPL40, and RPL7 encoding for ribosomal proteins were identified as the most stable across the treatments and thus were recommended for normalizing the qRT-PCR data. These findings will support resistance monitoring, molecular toxicology, and functional genomics research in F. gilli.
Relationships between water quality and mosquito presence and abundance: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Avramov Marc , Thaivalappil Abhinand , Ludwig Antoinette , Miner Lauren , Cullingham Catherine I , Waddell Lisa , Lapen David R
Published: October 2023

Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) are emerging in response to climate and land use changes. As mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) habitat selection is often contingent on water availability for egg and larval development, studies have recognized water quality also influences larval habitats. However, underlying species-, genera-, and mosquito level preferences for water quality conditions are varied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify, characterize, appraise, and synthesize available global data on the relationships between water quality and mosquito presence and abundance (MPA); with the goal to further our understanding of the geographic expansion of MBD risks. A systematic review was conducted to identify studies investigating the relationships between water quality properties and MPA. Where appropriate, random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to provide pooled estimates for the association between the most reported water quality properties and MPA. The most reported water quality parameters were pH (87%), nitrogen concentrations (56%), turbidity (56%), electrical conductivity (54%), dissolved oxygen (43%), phosphorus concentrations (30%), and alkalinity (10%). Overall, pH (P = 0.05), turbidity (P < 0.0001), electrical conductivity (P = 0.005), dissolved oxygen (P < 0.0001), nitrogen (P < 0.0001), and phosphorus (P < 0.0001) showed significantly positive pooled correlations with MPA, while alkalinity showed a nonsignificant null pooled correlation (P = 0.85). We observed high heterogeneity in most meta-analyses, and climate zonation was shown to influence the pooled estimates. Linkages between MPA and water quality properties will enhance our capacity to predict MBD risks under changing environmental and land use changes.
Polyhedral semantics and the tractable approximation of Łukasiewicz infinitely-valued logic
Authors: Finger Marcelo , Preto Sandro
Published: October 2023

In this work, we present polyhedral semantics as a means to tractably approximate Łukasiewicz infinitely-valued logic (Ł$_{\infty}$). As Ł$_{\infty}$ is an expressive multivalued propositional logic whose decision problem is NP-complete, we show how to to obtain an approximation for this problem providing a family of multivalued logics over the same language as Ł$_{\infty}$. Each element of the family is associated to a polynomial-time linear program, thus providing a tractable way of deciding each intermediate step. We also investigate properties of the logic system derived from polyhedral semantics and the details of an algorithm for the approximation process.
Jet power extracted from ADAFs and the application to Fermi BL Lacertae objects
Authors: Chen(陈永云) Yongyun , Gu(顾秋生) Qiusheng , Fan(樊军辉) Junhui , Yu(俞效龄) Xiaoling , Ding(丁楠) Nan , Guo(郭晓通) Xiaotong , Xiong(熊定荣) Dingrong
Published: October 2023

We calculate the jet power of the Blandford–Znajek (BZ) model and the hybrid model based on the self-similar solution of advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs). We study the formation mechanism of the jets of BL Lacertae (BL Lacs) with known redshifts detected by the Fermi satellite after 10 yr of data (4FGL-DR2). The kinetic power of the jets of Fermi BL Lacs is estimated through radio luminosity. The main results are as follows. (1) We find that the jet kinetic power of about 72 per cent intermediate peak frequency BL Lacs (IBL) and 94 per cent high-frequency peak BL Lacs (HBL) can be explained by the hybrid jet model based on ADAFs surrounding Kerr black holes. However, the jet kinetic power of about 74 per cent low-frequency peak BL Lacs (LBL) cannot be explained by the BZ jet model or the hybrid model. (2) The LBL has a higher accretion rate than IBL and HBL. About 14 per cent IBL and 62 per cent HBL have pure optically thin ADAFs. However, 7 per cent LBL may have a hybrid structure consisting of an standard thin disc (SS) plus optically thin ADAFs. (3) After excluding the redshift dependence, there is a weak correlation between the jet kinetic power and the accretion disc luminosity for Fermi BL Lacs. (4) There is a significant correlation between inverse-Compton luminosity and synchrotron luminosity for Fermi BL Lacs. The slope of the relation between inverse-Compton luminosity and synchrotron luminosity for Fermi BL Lacs is consistent with the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) process. The result may suggest that the high-energy components of Fermi BL Lacs are dominated by the SSC process.
Interstellar tryptophan revisited
Authors: Hudson Reggie L
Published: October 2023

A recent assignment of the amino acid tryptophan to infrared emission lines in the gas of the IC 348 star cluster is re-examined. A comparison of spectra from the Spitzer Telescope to laboratory data shows that there is no firm support for the tryptophan assignment. Suggestions are made for future observational searches for tryptophan and for supporting laboratory work.
High-redshift supermassive black hole mergers in simulations with dynamical friction modelling
Authors: DeGraf Colin , Chen Nianyi , Ni Yueying , Di Matteo Tiziana , Bird Simeon , Tremmel Michael , Croft Rupert
Published: October 2023

In the near future, projects like Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and pulsar timing arrays are expected to detect gravitational waves from mergers between supermassive black holes, and it is crucial to precisely model the underlying merger populations now to maximize what we can learn from this new data. Here, we characterize expected high-redshift (z > 2) black hole mergers using the very large volume Astrid cosmological simulation, which uses a range of seed masses to probe down to low-mass black holes (BHs), and directly incorporates dynamical friction so as to accurately model the dynamical processes that bring black holes to the galaxy centre where binary formation and coalescence will occur. The black hole populations in Astrid include black holes down to $\sim 10^{4.5} \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$, and remain broadly consistent with the TNG simulations at scales $\gt 10^6 \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ (the seed mass used in TNG). By resolving lower mass black holes, the overall merger rate is ∼5× higher than in TNG. However, incorporating dynamical friction delays mergers compared to a recentring scheme, reducing the high-z merger rate mass-matched mergers by a factor of ∼2×. We also calculate the expected LISA signal-to-noise values, and show that the distribution peaks at high SNR (>100), emphasizing the importance of implementing a seed mass well below LISA’s peak sensitivity ($\sim 10^6 \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$) to resolve the majority of LISA’s gravitational wave detections.
Understanding the broad-band emission process of 3C 279 through long term spectral analysis
Authors: Thekkoth Aminabi , Sahayanathan S , Shah Zahir , Paliya Vaidehi S , Ravikumar C D
Published: October 2023

The long term broad-band spectral study of Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars during different flux states has the potential to infer the emission mechanisms and the cause of spectral variations. To scrutinize this, we performed a detailed broad-band spectral analysis of 3C 279 using simultaneous Swift-XRT/UVOT and Fermi-LAT observations spanning from 2008 August to 2022 June. We also supplement this with the simultaneous NuSTAR observations of the source. The optical/UV, X-ray, and γ-ray spectra were individually fitted by a power law to study the long term variation in the flux and the spectral indices. A combined spectral fit of simultaneous optical/UV and X-ray spectra was also performed to obtain the transition energy at which the spectral energy distribution is minimum. The correlation analysis suggests that the long term spectral variations of the source are mainly associated with the variations in the low energy index and the break energy of the broken power-law electron distribution which is responsible for the broad-band emission. The flux distribution of the source represents a lognormal variability while the γ-ray flux distribution showed a clear double lognormal behaviour. The spectral index distributions were again normal except for γ-ray which showed a double-Gaussian behaviour. This indicates that the lognormal variability of the source may be associated with the normal variations in the spectral index. The broad-band spectral fit of the source using synchrotron and inverse Compton processes indicates different emission processes are active at optical/UV, X-ray, and γ-ray energies.
In situ or accreted? Using deep learning to infer the origin of extragalactic globular clusters from observables
Authors: Trujillo-Gomez Sebastian , Kruijssen J M Diederik , Pfeffer Joel , Reina-Campos Marta , Crain Robert A , Bastian Nate , Cabrera-Ziri Ivan
Published: October 2023

Globular clusters (GCs) are powerful tracers of the galaxy assembly process, and have already been used to obtain a detailed picture of the progenitors of the Milky Way (MW). Using the E-MOSAICS cosmological simulation of a (34.4 Mpc)3 volume that follows the formation and co-evolution of galaxies and their star cluster populations, we develop a method to link the origin of GCs to their observable properties. We capture this complex link using a supervised deep learning algorithm trained on the simulations, and predict the origin of individual GCs (whether they formed in the main progenitor or were accreted from satellites) based solely on extragalactic observables. An artificial neural network classifier trained on ∼50 000 GCs hosted by ∼700 simulated galaxies successfully predicts the origin of GCs in the test set with a mean accuracy of 89 per cent for the objects with $\rm [Fe/H]\lt -0.5$ that have unambiguous classifications. The network relies mostly on the alpha-element abundances, metallicities, projected positions, and projected angular momenta of the clusters to predict their origin. A real-world test using the known progenitor associations of the MW GCs achieves up to 90 per cent accuracy, and successfully identifies as accreted most of the GCs in the inner Galaxy associated to the Kraken progenitor, as well as all the Gaia-Enceladus GCs. We demonstrate that the model is robust to observational uncertainties, and develop a method to predict the classification accuracy across observed galaxies. The classifier can be optimized for available observables (e.g. to improve the accuracy by including GC ages), making it a valuable tool to reconstruct the assembly histories of galaxies in upcoming wide-field surveys.
Natal forest fragment size does not predict fledgling, pre-migration or apparent annual survival in Wood Thrushes
Authors: Hayes Sue M , Boyd Brendan P , Israel Alexandra M , Stutchbury Bridget J M
Published: October 2023

Determining the drivers and mechanisms for first year survival of migratory songbirds has been an understudied area in population dynamics due to the difficulty in tracking juveniles once they have dispersed from the natal site. With the advancement in miniaturization of radio-tags (battery life ~400 days) and the development of the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, we tracked 189 Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) nestlings through independence and to fall migration departure, and their return the following spring. Natal forest fragment size and landscape forest cover (at different spatial scales) were not strong predictors of fledgling, pre-migration, or apparent annual survival; and onset of fall migration was best predicted by fledge date but not natal fragment size. Survival probability was lowest the first 16 days post-fledging (70%, or 0.86 weekly survival probability), very high for juveniles as they explored the landscape prior to fall migration (89%, or 0.99 weekly survival probability) and low during their first migration and wintering season (26%, or 0.95 weekly survival probability). To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly estimate annual apparent juvenile survival in a migratory songbird using year-round radio-tracking. Our study suggests that small forest fragments are important for the conservation for forest songbirds because they can support high survival of juveniles.
The OsCPK17-OsPUB12-OsRLCK176 module regulates immune homeostasis in rice
Authors: Mou Baohui , Zhao Guosheng , Wang Jiyang , Wang Shanzhi , He Feng , Ning Yuese , Li Dayong , Zheng Xinhang , Cui Fuhao , Xue Fang , Zhang Shiyong , Sun Wenxian
Published: October 2023

Plant immunity is fine-tuned to balance growth and defense. However, little is yet known about molecular mechanisms underlying immune homeostasis in rice (Oryza sativa). In this study, we reveal that a rice calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK), OsCPK17, interacts with and stabilizes the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase (RLCK) OsRLCK176, a close homolog of Arabidopsis thaliana BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE 1 (AtBIK1). Oxidative burst and pathogenesis-related gene expression triggered by pathogen-associated molecular patterns are significantly attenuated in the oscpk17 mutant. The oscpk17 mutant and OsCPK17-silenced lines are more susceptible to bacterial diseases than the wild-type plants, indicating that OsCPK17 positively regulates rice immunity. Furthermore, the plant U-box (PUB) protein OsPUB12 ubiquitinates and degrades OsRLCK176. OsCPK17 phosphorylates OsRLCK176 at Ser83, which prevents the ubiquitination of OsRLCK176 by OsPUB12 and thereby enhances the stability and immune function of OsRLCK176. The phenotypes of the ospub12 mutant in defense responses and disease resistance show that OsPUB12 negatively regulates rice immunity. Therefore, OsCPK17 and OsPUB12 reciprocally maintain OsRLCK176 homeostasis and function as positive and negative immune regulators, respectively. This study uncovers positive cross talk between CDPK- and RLCK-mediated immune signaling in plants and reveals that OsCPK17, OsPUB12, and OsRLCK176 maintain rice immune homeostasis.
COVID-19 lockdown effect on healthcare utilization and in-hospital mortality in children under 5 years in Cape Town, South Africa: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Elmi Noradin , Smit Liezl , Wessels Thandi , Zunza Moleen , Rabie Helena
Published: October 2023

Background

COVID-19 pandemic measures resulted in the de-escalation of non-COVID-19 healthcare provision.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional study of routinely collected data was done to investigate the effect of COVID-19 policies on the healthcare utilization and mortality of children younger than 5 years in Eastern Cape Town, South Africa. We compared visits to primary and urgent care facilities, hospitalization, in-hospital deaths, and vaccine uptake from 1 January to 31 December 2020 to similar periods in 2018 and 2019.

Results

During April and May 2020, the most restricted period, visits to primary care facilities declined from 126 049 in 2019 to 77 000 (1.8-fold; p < 0.05). This corresponded with a 1.2-fold reduction in the provision of the first dose of measles vaccine at 6 months compared to 2019. Throughout 2020 there was a 4-fold decline in the number of fully immunized children at 1 year of age (p = 0.84). Emergency room visits fell by 35.7% in 2020 (16 368) compared to 2019 (25 446). Hospital admissions decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in 2020 (9810) compared to 2018 (11 698) and 2019 (10 247). The in-hospital mortality rate increased from 2.3% (96/4163) in 2019 to 3.8% (95/2498) (p < 0.01) in Tygerberg Hospital, where 80% (95/119) of deaths were recorded. Twelve of the 119 (10%) deaths occurred in HIV-positive children (p = <0.01).

Conclusion

Measures instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to healthcare services for children. This resulted in an immediate, and potential future, indirect effect on child morbidity and mortality in Cape Town.
Insights into Phakopsora pachyrhizi Effector–Effector Interactions
Authors: Qi Mingsheng , Yu Haiyue , Bredow Melissa , Chicowski Aline Sartor , Fields Letícia Dias , Whitham Steven A.
Published: October 2023

The multifaceted role of pathogen-encoded effectors in plant–pathogen interactions is complex and not fully understood. Effectors operate within intricate host environments, interacting with host proteins and other effectors to modulate virulence. The complex interplay between effectors raises the concept of metaeffectors, wherein some effectors regulate the activity of others. While previous research has demonstrated the importance of effector repertoires in pathogen virulence, only a limited number of studies have investigated the interactions between these effectors. This study explores the interactions among Phakopsora pachyrhizi effector candidates ( PpECs). P. pachyrhizi haustorial transcriptome analysis identified a collection of predicted PpECs. Among these, PpEC23 was found to interact with PpEC48, prompting further exploration into their potential interaction with other effectors. Here, we utilized a yeast two-hybrid screen to explore protein–protein interactions between PpECs. A split-luciferase complementation assay also demonstrated that these interactions could occur within soybean cells. Interestingly, PpEC48 displayed the ability to interact with several small cysteine-rich proteins (SCRPs), suggesting its affinity for this specific class of effectors. We show that these interactions involve a histidine-rich domain within PpEC48, emphasizing the significance of structural motifs in mediating effector interactions. The unique nature of PpEC48, showing no sequence matches in other organisms, suggests its relatively recent evolution and potential orphan gene status. Our work reveals insights into the intricate network of interactions among P. pachyrhizi effector–effector interactions.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
Parkland Trauma Index of Mortality in Orthopaedic Trauma Patients: An Initial Report
Authors: Tiziani Simon , Hinkle Andrew J. , Mesarick Enzo C. , Turner Alexander C. , Kenfack Yves J. , Dumas Ryan P. , Grewal Ishvinder S. , Park Caroline , Sanders Drew T. , Sathy Ashoke K. , Starr Adam J.
Published: October 2023

Objectives:

The extent and timing of surgery in severely injured patients remains an unsolved problem in orthopaedic trauma. Different laboratory values or scores have been used to try to predict mortality and estimate physiological reserve. The Parkland Trauma Index of Mortality (PTIM) has been validated as an electronic medical record–integrated algorithm to help with operative timing in trauma patients. The aim of this study was to report our initial experience with PTIM and how it relates to other scores.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of level 1 and level 2 trauma patients admitted to our institution between December 2020 and November 2022 was conducted. Patients scored with PTIM with orthopaedic injuries were included in this study. Exclusion criteria were patients younger than 18 years.

Results:

Seven hundred seventy-four patients (246 female patients) with a median age of 40.5 (18–101) were included. Mortality was 3.1%. Patients in the PTIM high-risk category (≥0.5) had a 20% mortality rate. The median PTIM was 0.075 (0–0.89) and the median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 9.0 (1–59). PTIM (P < 0.001) and ISS (P < 0.001) were significantly lower in surviving patients. PTIM was mentioned in 7.6% of cases, and in 1.7% of cases, providers indicated an action in response to the PTIM. PTIM and ISS were significantly higher in patients with documented PTIM.

Conclusion:

PTIM is better at predicting mortality compared with ISS. Our low rate of PTIM documentation in provider notes highlights the challenges of implementing a new algorithm.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective cohort study.
Biomimetic Hematoma as a Novel Delivery Vehicle for rhBMP-2 to Potentiate the Healing of Nonunions and Bone Defects
Authors: Glatt Vaida , Tetsworth Kevin
Published: October 2023

The management of bone defects and nonunions creates unique clinical challenges. Current treatment alternatives are often insufficient and frequently require multiple surgeries. One promising option is bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), which is the most potent inducer of osteogenesis. However, its use is associated with many side effects, related to the delivery and high doses necessary. To address this need, we developed an ex vivo biomimetic hematoma (BH), replicating naturally healing fracture hematoma, using whole blood and the natural coagulants calcium and thrombin. It is an autologous carrier able to deliver reduced doses of rhBMP-2 to enhance bone healing for complex fractures. More than 50 challenging cases involving recalcitrant nonunions and bone defects have already been treated using the BH delivering reduced doses of rhBMP-2, to evaluate both the safety and efficacy. Preliminary data suggest the BH is currently the only clinically used carrier able to effectively deliver reduced doses (∼70% less) of rhBMP-2 with high efficiency, rapidly and robustly initiating the bone repair cascade to successfully reconstruct complex bone injuries without side effects. The presented case provides a clear demonstration of this technology's ability to significantly alter the clinical outcome in extremely challenging scenarios where other treatment options have failed or are considered unsuitable. A favorable safety profile would portend considerable promise for BH as an alternative to bone grafts and substitutes. Although further studies regarding its clinical efficacy are still warranted, this novel approach nevertheless has tremendous potential as a favorable treatment option for bone defects, open fractures, and recalcitrant nonunions.
Myelomeningocele Defects Reconstruction With Various Types of Keystone Flaps: An Algorithmic Approach Based on Defect Shape
Authors: Hifny Mahmoud A. , Park Tae Hwan , Yagi Shunjiro , Abdelmegeed Ahmed Gaber , El-Shazly Mohamed
Published: October 2023

The keystone flap has become an established option that has been utilized recently to close significant myelomeningocele defects. Although the keystone flaps can be adapted to repair myelomeningocele defects of different sizes, the shape of the defect is also an essential factor to consider. In this study, the authors proposed an algorithmic approach for reconstructing significant meningomyelocele defects utilizing different types of keystone flaps based on the shape of the resulting defect. From September 2016 to March 2022, the authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 28 patients with meningomyelocele who underwent repair with the keystone flaps. The mean age was 28 days (3 days to 4.5 months). Twenty-one meningomyelocele defects were in the lumbosacral (75%) and 7 in the thoracolumbar regions (25%). The defect sizes ranged from 3.5×5 cm (area, 13.4 cm2) to 9×7 cm (area, 49.5 cm2), with an average of 26.2 cm2. Ten meningomyelocele defects were a vertically oriented oval shape, 16 defects were a transversely oriented oval shape, and 2 defects were circular. In addition, unilateral keystone flap was used in 7.1% of the patients (2 patients), bilateral keystone flap in 28.6% (8 patients), and rotation advancement keystone flaps in 64.3% (18 patients). According to these findings, an algorithm was created based on the defect shape. This algorithmic approach is used as a decision-making guide to select the correct type of keystone flaps to repair myelomeningocele according to the defect shape.
Short-term Outcomes of Different Techniques for Gastric Ischemic Pre-Conditioning Before Esophagectomy
Authors: Aiolfi Alberto , Bona Davide , Bonitta Gianluca , Bonavina Luigi ,   Gastric Ischemic Conditioning (GIC) International Collaborative Group,, Cayre Luigi , Guerrazzi Guglielmo , Gutschow Christian A. , Lipham John , Manara Michele , Popa Călin , Rausa Emanuele , Schlanger Diana , Schoppmann Sebastian , Simić Aleksandar , Sozzi Andrea , Zehetner Joerg
Published: October 2023

Background:

Ischemia at the anastomotic site is a critical protagonist in the development of anastomosis-related complications after esophagectomy. Gastric ischemic conditioning (GIC) before esophagectomy has been described to improve the vascular perfusion at the tip of the gastric conduit with a potential effect on anastomotic leak (AL) and stenosis (AS) risk minimization. Laparoscopic (LapGIC) and angioembolization (AngioGIC) techniques have been reported.

Purpose:

Compare short-term outcomes among different GIC techniques.

Methods:

Systematic review and network meta-analysis. One-step esophagectomy (noGIC), LapGIC, and AngioGIC were compared. Primary outcomes were AL, AS, and gastric conduit necrosis (GCN). Risk ratio (RR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) were used as pooled effect size measures, whereas 95% credible intervals (CrI) were used to assess relative inference.

Results:

Overall, 1760 patients (14 studies) were included. Of those, 1028 patients (58.4%) underwent noGIC, 593 (33.6%) LapGIC, and 139 (8%) AngioGIC. AL was reduced for LapGIC vs. noGIC (RR=0.68; 95% CrI 0.47-0.98) and AngioGIC vs. noGIC (RR=0.52; 95% CrI 0.31-0.93). Similarly, AS was reduced for LapGIC vs. noGIC (RR=0.32; 95% CrI 0.12-0.68) and AngioGIC vs. noGIC (RR=1.30; 95% CrI 0.65-2.46). The indirect comparison, assessed with the network methodology, did not show any differences for LapGIC vs. AngioGIC in term of postoperative AL and AS risk. No differences were found for GCN, pulmonary complications, overall complications, hospital length of stay, and 30-day mortality among different treatments.

Conclusions:

Compared to noGIC, both LapGIC and AngioGIC before esophagectomy seem equivalent and associated with a reduced risk for postoperative AL and AS.