bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Joint scheduling optimization model for yard cranes and AGVs considering running routes
Authors: Zhou Shaorui , Liang Tianyi , Liao Qijie , Song Xiaoming , Pang Renjing , Ma Delin
Published: December 2023

The escalation in global consumer demand has prompted the continual expansion of container throughput, which drives container terminals to bolster their production capacities. Globally, ports worldwide have been adopting automated equipment and embracing digital operational environments to reinforce their logistics system efficiency and curtail transportation costs. Enhancement of the efficiency of container transportation at automated terminals depends on terminal loading and unloading operations. The efficiency of these operations directly hinges on the automated mechanical equipment deployed at terminals. Consequently, optimization of resource allocation and production scheduling of loading and unloading equipment at terminals has become an essential and effective approach. In this regard, automated yard cranes, which are responsible for rear-end handling, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which transport containers between the yard and the terminal quay, have been proven indispensable. This paper principally delves into the scheduling optimization of mechanical equipment in automated container terminal yards, with a unique focus on the coordinated scheduling optimization of yard cranes and AGVs while also accounting for AGV path planning. This research centers on the automated container terminal yard system and the challenge in yard crane scheduling. This work also establishes a grid-based terminal network model and validates the model and algorithm using practical examples. Optimal solutions are obtained for the joint scheduling of yard cranes and AGVs, accompanied by strategies on rational AGV path selection. The findings provide valuable references and theoretical underpinnings for operational scheduling and enhancement of the efficiency in container transport in automated container terminal yards. Furthermore, these results facilitate the overall improvement of production efficiency at automated terminals and the reduction of operational costs, thus carrying theoretical and practical significance.
Sustainability Science
Authors: de Vries Bert J. M.
Published: December 2023

The fully updated second edition of this innovative textbook provides a system analysis approach to sustainability for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. To an extent unparalleled in other textbooks, the latest scientific data and insights are integrated into a broad and deep transdisciplinary framework. Readers are encouraged to explore and engage with sustainability issues through the lenses of a cultural and methodological pluralism which promotes dialogue and alliances in the search for a (more) sustainable future. Ideal for students and their teachers in sustainable development, environmental science and policy, ecology, conservation, natural resources and geopolitics, the book will also appeal to interested citizens, activists, and policymakers, exposing them to the variety of perspectives on sustainability issues. Review questions and exercises provide the opportunity for consolidation and reflection. Online resources include appendices with more advanced mathematical material, model answers, and a wealth of recommended additional sources.
Ground-penetrating radar as a tool for determining the interface between temperate and cold ice, and snow depth: a case study for Hurd-Johnsons glaciers, Livingston Island, Antarctica
Authors: Letamendia Unai , Navarro Francisco , Benjumea Beatriz
Published: December 2023

We analyze the internal structure of two polythermal glaciers, Hurd and Johnsons, located on Livingston Island, Antarctica, using 200 and 750 MHz GPR data collected in 2003/04, 2008/09 and 2016/17 field campaigns. Based on the different permittivities of snow and ice, we determined the thickness distribution of the end-of winter snow cover and of the cold ice layer. Their knowledge is fundamental for mass balance and glacier dynamics studies due to the different densities and rheological properties of such media. The average measured thicknesses for the snow and cold ice layers (the latter including the snow layer) were of 1.44 ± 0.09 and 29.1 ± 1.5 m, and their corresponding maxima were of 2.45 ± 0.21 and 80.8 ± 2.5 m. GPR snow profiling allowed for extension of the coverage of the snow thickness survey, but added little information to that supplied by snow pits, stake readings and manual snow probing, because of the multiplicity of reflections within the seasonal snowpack caused by internal ice layers and lenses. The polythermal structure determined for Hurd Glacier fits into the so-called Scandinavian type, seldom reported for the Antarctic region.
Development of a social and environmental determinants of health informatics maturity model
Authors: Espinoza Juan C. , Sehgal Shruti , Phuong Jimmy , Bahroos Neil , Starren Justin , Wilcox Adam , Meeker Daniella
Published: December 2023

Introduction:

Integrating social and environmental determinants of health (SEDoH) into enterprise-wide clinical workflows and decision-making is one of the most important and challenging aspects of improving health equity. We engaged domain experts to develop a SEDoH informatics maturity model (SIMM) to help guide organizations to address technical, operational, and policy gaps.

Methods:

We established a core expert group consisting of developers, informaticists, and subject matter experts to identify different SIMM domains and define maturity levels. The candidate model (v0.9) was evaluated by 15 informaticists at a Center for Data to Health community meeting. After incorporating feedback, a second evaluation round for v1.0 collected feedback and self-assessments from 35 respondents from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, the Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration’s Informatics Enterprise Committee, and a publicly available online self-assessment tool.

Results:

We developed a SIMM comprising seven maturity levels across five domains: data collection policies, data collection methods and technologies, technology platforms for analysis and visualization, analytics capacity, and operational and strategic impact. The evaluation demonstrated relatively high maturity in analytics and technological capacity, but more moderate maturity in operational and strategic impact among academic medical centers. Changes made to the tool in between rounds improved its ability to discriminate between intermediate maturity levels.

Conclusion:

The SIMM can help organizations identify current gaps and next steps in improving SEDoH informatics. Improving the collection and use of SEDoH data is one important component of addressing health inequities.
Hospital Performance Evaluation Checklist in Context of COVID-19 Pandemic: Design and Validation
Authors: Salarvand Abbas , Khoshvaghti Amir , Sharififar Simintaj , Jame Sanaz Zargar Balaye , Markazi-moghaddam Nader , Zareiyan Armin
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Around the world, pandemics have been considered among the main hazards in the last 2 decades. Hospitals are 1 of the most important organizations responding to pandemics. The aim of this study was to design and develop a valid checklist for evaluating the hospitals’ performance in response to COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time.

Methods:

This study is a mixed method research design that began in February, 2020 and was conducted in 3 phases: Designing a conceptual model, designing a primary checklist structure, and checklist psychometric evaluation. Known-groups method has been used to evaluate construct validity. Two groups of hospitals were compared: group A (COVID-19 Hospitals) and group B (the other hospitals).

Results:

The checklist’s main structure was designed with 6 main domains, 23 sub-domains, and 152 items. The content validity ratio and index were 0.94 and 0.79 respectively. Eleven items were added, 106 items were removed, and 40 items were edited. Independent t-test showed a significant difference between the scores of the 2 groups of hospitals (P < 0.0001). Pearson correlation coefficient test also showed a high correlation between our checklist and the other. The internal consistency of the checklist was 0.98 according to Cronbach’s alpha test.

Conclusions:

Evaluating the hospitals’ performance and identifying their strengths and weaknesses, can help health system policymakers and hospital managers, and leads to improved performance in response to COVID-19.
Two-variable fibrations, factorisation systems and -categories of spans
Authors: Haugseng Rune , Hebestreit Fabian , Linskens Sil , Nuiten Joost
Published: December 2023

We prove a universal property for

$\infty $

-categories of spans in the generality of Barwick’s adequate triples, explicitly describe the cocartesian fibration corresponding to the span functor, and show that the latter restricts to a self-equivalence on the class of orthogonal adequate triples, which we introduce for this purpose.

As applications of the machinery we develop, we give a quick proof of Barwick’s unfurling theorem, show that an orthogonal factorisation system arises from a cartesian fibration if and only if it forms an adequate triple (generalising work of Lanari), extend the description of dual (co)cartesian fibrations by Barwick, Glasman and Nardin to two-variable fibrations, explicitly describe parametrised adjoints (extending work of Torii), identify the orthofibration classifying the mapping category functor of an

$(\infty ,2)$

-category (building on work of Abellán García and Stern), formally identify the unstraightenings of the identity functor on the

$\infty $

-category of

$\infty $

-categories with the (op)lax under-categories of a point, and deduce a certain naturality property of the Yoneda embedding (answering a question of Clausen).
Creating a Feminist Religious Counterpublic: RLDS Feminists and Women's Ordination Advocacy in America, 1970–1985
Authors: Howlett David , Ross Nancy
Published: December 2023

The 1970s witnessed an efflorescence of religious feminism in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, particularly around the issue of women's ordination. We pose a model for understanding this development—the formation of publics/counterpublics—and explore how it illuminates our case study. Drawing upon oral history interviews and archival sources, we document how RLDS women created independent publications, grassroots consciousness-raising groups, feminist classes and conferences, and Women-Church–inspired worship to reimagine priesthood within their church. We conclude that the lens of a counterpublic offers a capacious view of our topic, one capable of integrating both social movement theory and network theory. Furthermore, we suggest that the RLDS example featured in this essay is simply a manifestation of a larger late twentieth-century American “feminist religious counterpublic” formed across many religious denominations and groups that held a shared feminist social imaginary.
Expanding the scope of grammatical variation: towards a comprehensive account of genitive variation across registers
Authors: BIBER DOUGLAS , SZMRECSANYI BENEDIKT , REPPEN RANDI , LARSSON TOVE
Published: December 2023

Most studies of genitive variation in English have considered only the choice of two variants ('s versus of), based on analysis of only tokens that are judged to be interchangeable. We argue in the present article that research on genitive variation can be usefully extended in both respects: including premodifying nouns as a third variant; and attempting to account for all tokens of the genitive. In addition, we extend the scope of analysis to explore the possibility of contextual constraints having different importance in different registers.

First, we carry out a text-linguistic analysis comparing the rates of genitive variants in texts from three registers (conversation, newspaper reports, academic articles), showing that genitives overall are much more frequent in written registers, with the premodifying noun variant being especially frequent. Then, a variationist analysis is undertaken to account for the choice of genitive variant in particular contexts and registers. A total of 3,425 genitive tokens were coded for ten contextual characteristics (e.g. length of the Modifying NP, semantic category of the Modifying noun and the Head noun, final sibilancy of the Modifying noun). Statistical analyses with random forests and conditional inference trees are triangulated, showing how contextual factors interact in predicting the use of each genitive variant – and how patterns of variation differ across registers.
Cylindrical conformation and miniaturization of cavity-backed magnetoelectric antenna with an outer Γ-shaped probe
Authors: Causse Alexandre , Bernard Loïc , Collardey Sylvain , Sharaiha Ala
Published: December 2023

In this article, the cylindrical conformation of a linearly polarized cavity-backed magnetoelectric (ME) antenna is studied. Starting from a planar ME antenna presenting a wide bandwidth due to a specific design of its feeding probe, the impact of conformation is shown; the coupling between the ME dipole and the cavity walls is demonstrated to be the key element to keep a wideband behavior. Conformal antennas offering the same impedance bandwidth as the planar antenna are presented operating at Global Navigation Satellite System frequencies (1.164–1.61 GHz). As a result of the conformation, the antenna size has to be reduced to maintain the coupling and a wideband behavior. A prototype conformed to a 44-mm radius cylinder was built using low-cost additive manufacturing. External dimensions of 62 × 62 × 35 mm3 (0.285 × 0.285 × 0.16λ03, where λ0 is the wavelength at 1.38 GHz) were obtained, showing a ground plane area reduction of 46% compared to the planar antenna with the same materials. The conformal antenna also exhibits very steady radiation properties with a gain of around 4.5 dBi and a very similar and stable 3 dB beamwidth around 113° in E- and H-planes. A relatively good agreement is found between measurements and simulation.
First Break Traveltime Picking Using Unsupervised Machine Learning and Super‐Virtual Refraction Interferometry
Authors: Awais Muhammad , Hanafy Sherif M. , Shafiq Saifullah , Al‐Shuhail Abdullatif , Waheed Umair Bin
Published: December 2023

An accurate and trustworthy first break picking plays a key role in static correction calculations, velocity analysis, and deconvolution. First break traveltimes picking accuracy ensures correct and reliable seismic data processing results. Many methods are available to perform the first break pickings automatically. Most of these methods, however, are not robust when there is a low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). In this study, to automatically determine the traveltimes of the first arrivals, we used the density‐based spatial clustering application with noise (DBSCAN) and the super‐virtual refraction interferometry (SVI). In the case of noisy data, using only DBSCAN for first break picking shows poor accuracy. To deal with this issue, SVI is employed to improve the SNR of the data, and then DBSCAN is applied again to the enhanced data for accurate picking. In the first step, DBSCAN is used to define a muting window for SVI. In the second step, SVI is employed to improve the first arrival SNR. In the third step, DBSCAN is applied to determine the final first arrival traveltime. The proposed approach is tested on synthetic and field data sets, where the manual and the cross‐correlation pickings are compared to the DBSCAN automatic pickings. We further test the proposed approach on a publicly available data set to benchmark our technique for first‐break accuracy with other established methods. Results show that the first arrival traveltime picks using the proposed approach are very accurate compared to manual picking.
Effects of Global Dust Storms on Water Vapor in the Southern Polar Region of Mars
Authors: Pankine Alexey A. , Leung Cecilia , Tamppari Leslie , Martinez German , Giuranna Marco , Piqueux Sylvain , Smith Michael , Trokhimovskiy Alexander
Published: December 2023

Martian global dust storms (GDS) can significantly affect the water cycle in the lower atmosphere (0−40 km). We compare the evolution of water vapor abundances, dust opacity and surface temperatures in the Southern Polar Region (SPR) during GDS years of MY25, MY28, and MY34 relative to years without GDS. During all GDS years, the vapor abundances decrease in the lower atmosphere in the SPR following the storm. Our results suggest that this decrease could be the result of disruption of the southward transport of vapor by atmospheric circulation. Alternatively, the decrease in vapor abundances could be caused by decreased desorption of vapor from the subsurface.
Soil Moisture Rather Than Atmospheric Dryness Dominates CO2 Uptake in an Alpine Steppe
Authors: Tao Jing , Wei Da , Qi Yahui , Wang Zhuangzhuang , Hua Liqin , Wang Xiaodan
Published: December 2023

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has the largest area of alpine grasslands in the world. Among the various grassland types, alpine steppe covers 72 million hectares in the central–western TP, where the climate is even drier than in other alpine ecosystems. Rapid climate warming (0.34°C per decade) since the 1970s has caused significant atmospheric dryness—that is, an increase in the vapor pressure deficit—despite increases in both precipitation and soil moisture on the TP. However, it remains controversial whether the availability of atmospheric or soil moisture has a stronger role in the growth of vegetation. We used eddy covariance to measure the CO2 fluxes in a grazed alpine steppe over three consecutive years. Our results showed that the alpine steppe acted as a net CO2 sink of 47.9–72.7 g C m−2 yr−1 despite significant grazing. The CO2 fluxes showed a clear seasonal pattern, largely regulated by climate factors, although human activities were also documented. The soil moisture content dominated the seasonal variation in the net ecosystem productivity: the importance of soil moisture to the net ecosystem productivity was 49.0%, whereas the importance of the vapor pressure deficit was 36.5%. We found that the surface soil moisture, rather than the water content of soil layers deeper than 10 cm, affected the net CO2 uptake more strongly, although its role may have been affected by intense rainfall. This study emphasizes that the availability of surface soil water rather than atmospheric dryness regulates CO2 uptake in alpine steppe ecosystems, suggesting that a warming–wetting climate will favor the net uptake of CO2 by alpine steppes.
Discovery of an Active Forearc Fault in an Urban Region: Holocene Rupture on the XEOLXELEK‐Elk Lake Fault, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Harrichhausen Nicolas , Finley Theron , Morell Kristin D. , Regalla Christine , Bennett Scott E. K. , Leonard Lucinda J. , Nissen Edwin , McLeod Eleanor , Lynch Emerson M. , Salomon Guy , Sethanant Israporn
Published: December 2023

Subduction forearcs are subject to seismic hazard from upper plate faults that are often invisible to instrumental monitoring networks. Identifying active faults in forearcs therefore requires integration of geomorphic, geologic, and paleoseismic data. We demonstrate the utility of a combined approach in a densely populated region of Vancouver Island, Canada, by combining remote sensing, historical imagery, field investigations, and shallow geophysical surveys to identify a previously unrecognized active fault, the XEOLXELEK‐Elk Lake fault, in the northern Cascadia forearc, ∼10 km north of the city of Victoria. Lidar‐derived digital terrain models and historical air photos show a ∼2.5‐m‐high scarp along the surface of a Quaternary drumlinoid ridge. Paleoseismic trenching and electrical resistivity tomography surveys across the scarp reveal a single reverse‐slip earthquake produced a fault‐propagation fold above a blind southwest‐dipping fault. Five geologically plausible chronological models of radiocarbon dated charcoal constrain the likely earthquake age to between 4.7 and 2.3 ka. Fault‐propagation fold modeling indicates ∼3.2 m of reverse slip on a blind, 50° southwest‐dipping fault can reproduce the observed deformation. Fault scaling relations suggest a M 6.1–7.6 earthquake with a 13 to 73‐km‐long surface rupture and 2.3–3.2 m of dip slip may be responsible for the deformation observed in the paleoseismic trench. An earthquake near this magnitude in Greater Victoria could result in major damage, and our results highlight the importance of augmenting instrumental monitoring networks with remote sensing and field studies to identify and characterize active faults in similarily challenging environments.
Asymmetric Dependence in Hydrological Extremes
Authors: Deidda Cristina , Engelke Sebastian , De Michele Carlo
Published: December 2023

Extremal dependence describes the strength of correlation between the largest observations of two variables. It is usually measured with symmetric dependence coefficients that do not depend on the order of the variables. In many cases, there is a natural asymmetry between extreme observations that cannot be captured by such coefficients. An example for such asymmetry is large discharges at an upstream and a downstream stations on a river network: an extreme discharge at the upstream station will directly influence the discharge at the downstream station, but not vice versa. Simple measures for asymmetric dependence in extreme events have not yet been investigated. We propose the asymmetric tail Kendall's τ as a measure for extremal dependence that is sensitive to asymmetric behavior in the largest observations. It essentially computes the classical Kendall's τ but conditioned on the extreme observations of one of the two variables. We show theoretical properties of this new coefficient and derive a formula to compute it for existing copula models. We further study its effectiveness and connections to causality in simulation experiments. We apply our methodology to a case study on river networks in the United Kingdom to illustrate the importance of measuring asymmetric extremal dependence in hydrology. Our results show that there is important structural information in the asymmetry that would have been missed by a symmetric measure. Our methodology is an easy but effective tool that can be applied in exploratory analysis for understanding the connections among variables and to detect possible asymmetric dependencies.
Psychometric Properties of the Weekly Assessment of Child Behavior Forms in Pediatric Primary Care
Authors: Bailin Abby , Niu Luping , Egger Dominique , Bearman Sarah Kate
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Disruptive behavior problems make up the largest proportion of diagnosed disorders in children. Rates of these problems are higher in primary care clinics serving children from urban, low-income, and racial/ethnic minority communities. Primary care clinics provide an optimal setting for screening and assessment of disruptive behavior issues; however, many instruments may be challenging to implement in the context of primary care.

Method:

The current study examines the psychometric properties of the Weekly Assessment of Child Behavior (WACB) forms (positive and negative) with a nonclinical sample in Federally Qualified Health Centers collected from caregivers of children ages 2–12 ( N = 156) who presented to their routine well-child visits.

Results:

The WACB-P and the WACB-N both demonstrated high internal reliability and moderate test–retest reliability, as well as strong convergent validity with an established measure of child behavior problems. The item response theory (IRT) paradigm revealed that the WACB-Positive Intensity scale had a better item fit overall compared to the WACB-Negative Intensity scale. In general, both scales were found to more accurately measure the children who exhibit more problematic behaviors.

Conclusions:

Results suggest that both WACB scales may be helpful in identifying children in the primary care setting who are at risk for or are experiencing behavioral problems.

Implications for Impact Statement

This study provides psychometric evidence for the utility of a brief and free measure—the Weekly Assessment of Child Behavior—in screening and assessing disruptive behavior issues in young children in the pediatric primary care setting.
Behavioral Treatment of Pica in a Child With Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Thomas Benjamin R. , Bali Diksha , O’Connor Julia T.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) have the highest population risk for pica, a dangerous feeding disorder that involves consuming nonnutritive and nonfood items. There are currently no evidence-based treatments for pica in children with SCD. This study describes an applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment of pica in a child with SCD and autism spectrum disorder.

Method:

A pretreatment functional analysis revealed the child’s pica was maintained by automatic reinforcement (i.e., nonsocial consequences). The final behavioral treatment involved differential reinforcement of discarding pica items, communication, response interruption and redirection, and response cost.

Results:

Treatment resulted in near zero pica that was maintained across months of follow-up, new contexts, and with minimal supervision. Additionally, parents continued implementing the treatment with high integrity and reported satisfaction with the process.

Conclusions:

Results indicate the potential effectiveness of evidenced-based ABA methods in treating pica in SCD, and suggest treatment referrals to licensed professionals with Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA or BCBA-D) credential or similar ABA experience.

Implications for Impact Statement

Pica is a dangerous behavior frequently occuring in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). There is minimal published literature to guide treatments for this population. The prevalence of SCD is higher in children of color. Adding to the existing literature to guide treatment could help with greater healthcare equity among racially minoritized children. This case report describes the successful use of applied behavior analysis procedures to support parents in treating pica in a young child with SCD and autism spectrum disorder.
Controlled formation of gold nanoparticles with tunable plasmonic properties in tellurite glass
Authors: Wei Yunle , Zhao Jiangbo , Fuhrmann Sindy , Sajzew Roman , Wondraczek Lothar , Ebendorff-Heidepriem Heike
Published: December 2023

Silicate glasses with metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have been of intense interest in art, science and technology as the plasmonic properties of these NPs equip glass with light modulation capability. The so-called striking technique has enabled precise control of the in situ formation of metallic NPs in silicate glasses for applications from coloured glasses to photonic devices. Since tellurite glasses exhibit the unique combination of comparably easy fabrication, low phonon energy, wide transmission window and high solubility of luminescent rare earth ions, there has been a significant amount of work over the past two decades to adapt the striking technique to form gold or silver NPs in tellurite glasses. Despite this effort, the striking technique has remained insufficient for tellurite glasses to form metal NPs suitable for photonic applications. Here, we first uncover the challenges of the traditional striking technique to create gold NPs in tellurite glass. Then, we demonstrate precise control of the size and concentration of gold NPs in tellurite glass by developing new approaches to both steps of the striking technique: a controlled gold crucible corrosion technique to incorporate gold ions in tellurite glass and a glass powder reheating technique to subsequently transform the gold ions to gold NPs. Using the Mie theory, the size, size distribution and concentration of the gold NPs formed in tellurite glass are determined from the plasmonic properties of the NPs. This fundamental research provides guidance for designing and manipulating the plasmonic properties in tellurite glass for photonics research and applications.
Programmed cell death 11 modulates but not entirely relies on p53-HDM2 loop to facilitate G2/M transition in colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Ding Li , Xu Yujie , Xu Lin , Zhao Chenhong , Zhang Zhiping , Zhang Jie , Liao Kai , Chen Yuerou , Li Jingwen , Mei Xinyu , Zhang Xinyue
Published: December 2023

We previously described a nucleolar protein RSL1D1 but distributed throughout the nucleus in HCT116 colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to facilitate G1/S transition by inhibiting p53 signaling. Here, we found another nucleolar protein, programmed cell death 11 (PDCD11), also with an “Extra-nucleolar” localization in CRC cells but to regulate G2/M checkpoint. This protein directly interacts with p53 and HDM2 in the nucleoplasm, thereby recruiting p53 to HDM2 for ubiquitination and degradation. The ensuing downregulation of p53 increases the CDK1 level to help the cells pass G2/M checkpoint. Upon DNA damage stress, PDCD11 gains the power to upregulate CDK1 independently of p53. Beyond these, PDCD11 also upregulates CDC25C in a p53-independent manner to dephosphorylate CDK1 to facilitate G2/M transition. Downregulation of PDCD11 greatly reduced cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo, additionally sensitized cells to DNA damage signals, highlighting that PDCD11 is a crucial driving factor of CRC and a potential target for cancer treatment.
Epigenome-wide association studies of prenatal maternal mental health and infant epigenetic profiles: a systematic review
Authors: Drzymalla Emily , Crider Krista S. , Wang Arick , Marta Gwinn , Khoury Muin J. , Rasooly Danielle
Published: December 2023

Prenatal stress and poor maternal mental health are associated with adverse offspring outcomes; however, the biological mechanisms are unknown. Epigenetic modification has linked maternal health with offspring development. Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have examined offspring DNA methylation profiles for association with prenatal maternal mental health to elucidate mechanisms of these complex relationships. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive, systematic review of EWASs of infant epigenetic profiles and prenatal maternal anxiety, depression, or depression treatment. We conducted a systematic literature search following PRISMA guidelines for EWAS studies between prenatal maternal mental health and infant epigenetics through May 22, 2023. Of 645 identified articles, 20 fulfilled inclusion criteria. We assessed replication of CpG sites among studies, conducted gene enrichment analysis, and evaluated the articles for quality and risk of bias. We found one repeated CpG site among the maternal depression studies; however, nine pairs of overlapping differentially methylatd regions were reported in at least two maternal depression studies. Gene enrichment analysis found significant pathways for maternal depression but not for any other maternal mental health category. We found evidence that these EWAS present a medium to high risk of bias. Exposure to prenatal maternal depression and anxiety or treatment for such was not consistently associated with epigenetic changes in infants in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Small sample size, potential bias due to exposure misclassification and statistical challenges are critical to address in future efforts to explore epigenetic modification as a potential mechanism by which prenatal exposure to maternal mental health disorders leads to adverse infant outcomes.
Pressure-induced reversal of Peierls-like distortions elicits the polyamorphic transition in GeTe and GeSe
Authors: Fujita Tomoki , Chen Yuhan , Kono Yoshio , Takahashi Seiya , Kasai Hidetaka , Campi Davide , Bernasconi Marco , Ohara Koji , Yumoto Hirokatsu , Koyama Takahisa , Yamazaki Hiroshi , Senba Yasunori , Ohashi Haruhiko , Inoue Ichiro , Hayashi Yujiro , Yabashi Makina , Nishibori Eiji , Mazzarello Riccardo , Wei Shuai
Published: December 2023

While polymorphism is prevalent in crystalline solids, polyamorphism draws increasing interest in various types of amorphous solids. Recent studies suggested that supercooling of liquid phase-change materials (PCMs) induces Peierls-like distortions in their local structures, underlying their liquid-liquid transitions before vitrification. However, the mechanism of how the vitrified phases undergo a possible polyamorphic transition remains elusive. Here, using high-energy synchrotron X-rays, we can access the precise pair distribution functions under high pressure and provide clear evidence that pressure can reverse the Peierls-like distortions, eliciting a polyamorphic transition in GeTe and GeSe. Combined with simulations based on machine-learned-neural-network potential, our structural analysis reveals a high-pressure state characterized by diminished Peierls-like distortion, greater coherence length, reduced compressibility, and a narrowing bandgap. Our finding underscores the crucial role of Peierls-like distortions in amorphous octahedral systems including PCMs. These distortions can be controlled through pressure and composition, offering potentials for designing properties in PCM-based devices.
Topological electronic structure and spin texture of quasi-one-dimensional higher-order topological insulator Bi4Br4
Authors: Zhao Wenxuan , Yang Ming , Xu Runzhe , Du Xian , Li Yidian , Zhai Kaiyi , Peng Cheng , Pei Ding , Gao Han , Li Yiwei , Xu Lixuan , Han Junfeng , Huang Yuan , Liu Zhongkai , Yao Yugui , Zhuang Jincheng , Du Yi , Zhou Jinjian , Chen Yulin , Yang Lexian
Published: December 2023

The notion of topological insulators (TIs), characterized by an insulating bulk and conducting topological surface states, can be extended to higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) hosting gapless modes localized at the boundaries of two or more dimensions lower than the insulating bulk. In this work, by performing high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements with submicron spatial and spin resolution, we systematically investigate the electronic structure and spin texture of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) HOTI candidate Bi4Br4. In contrast to the bulk-state-dominant spectra on the (001) surface, we observe gapped surface states on the (100) surface, whose dispersion and spin-polarization agree well with our ab-initio calculations. Moreover, we reveal in-gap states connecting the surface valence and conduction bands, which is a signature of the hinge states inside the (100) surface gap. Our findings provide compelling evidence for the HOTI phase of Bi4Br4. The identification of the higher-order topological phase promises applications based on 1D spin-momentum locked current in electronic and spintronic devices.
Stabilizing ruthenium dioxide with cation-anchored sulfate for durable oxygen evolution in proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers
Authors: Xue Yanrong , Zhao Jiwu , Huang Liang , Lu Ying-Rui , Malek Abdul , Gao Ge , Zhuang Zhongbin , Wang Dingsheng , Yavuz Cafer T. , Lu Xu
Published: December 2023

Ruthenium dioxide is the most promising alternative to the prevailing but expensive iridium-based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers. However, the under-coordinated lattice oxygen of ruthenium dioxide is prone to over-oxidation, and oxygen vacancies are formed at high oxidation potentials under acidic corrosive conditions. Consequently, ruthenium atoms adjacent to oxygen vacancies are oxidized into soluble high-valence derivatives, causing the collapse of the ruthenium dioxide crystal structure and leading to its poor stability. Here, we report an oxyanion protection strategy to prevent the formation of oxygen vacancies on the ruthenium dioxide surface by forming coordination-saturated lattice oxygen. Combining density functional theory calculations, electrochemical measurements, and a suite of operando spectroscopies, we showcase that barium-anchored sulfate can greatly impede ruthenium loss and extend the lifetime of ruthenium-based catalysts during acidic oxygen evolution, while maintaining the activity. This work paves a new way for designing stable and active anode catalysts toward acidic water splitting.
Towards understanding structure–property relations in materials with interpretable deep learning
Authors: Vu Tien-Sinh , Ha Minh-Quyet , Nguyen Duong-Nguyen , Nguyen Viet-Cuong , Abe Yukihiro , Tran Truyen , Tran Huan , Kino Hiori , Miyake Takashi , Tsuda Koji , Dam Hieu-Chi
Published: December 2023

Deep learning (DL) models currently employed in materials research exhibit certain limitations in delivering meaningful information for interpreting predictions and comprehending the relationships between structure and material properties. To address these limitations, we propose an interpretable DL architecture that incorporates the attention mechanism to predict material properties and gain insights into their structure–property relationships. The proposed architecture is evaluated using two well-known datasets (the QM9 and the Materials Project datasets), and three in-house-developed computational materials datasets. Train–test–split validations confirm that the models derived using the proposed DL architecture exhibit strong predictive capabilities, which are comparable to those of current state-of-the-art models. Furthermore, comparative validations, based on first-principles calculations, indicate that the degree of attention of the atoms’ local structures to the representation of the material structure is critical when interpreting structure–property relationships with respect to physical properties. These properties encompass molecular orbital energies and the formation energies of crystals. The proposed architecture shows great potential in accelerating material design by predicting material properties and explicitly identifying crucial features within the corresponding structures.
Genetic risk variants in New Yorkers of Puerto Rican and Dominican Republic heritage with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Miltenberger-Miltenyi Gabriel , Ortega Roberto A. , Domingo Aloysius , Yadav Rachita , Nishiyama Ayumi , Raymond Deborah , Katsnelson Viktoriya , Urval Nikita , Swan Matthew , Shanker Vicki , Miravite Joan , Walker Ruth H. , Bressman Susan B. , Ozelius Laurie J. , Cabassa José C. , Saunders-Pullman Rachel
Published: December 2023

There is a paucity of genetic characterization in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) of Latino and Afro-Caribbean descent. Screening LRRK2 and GBA variants in 32 New Yorkers of Puerto Rican ethnicity with PD and in 119 non-Hispanic-non-Jewish European PD cases revealed that Puerto Rican participants were more likely to harbor the LRRK2-p.G2019S variant (15.6% vs. 4.2%, respectively). Additionally, whole exome sequencing of twelve Puerto Rican and Dominican PD participants was performed as an exploratory study.
Development and validation of an expanded antibody toolset that captures alpha-synuclein pathological diversity in Lewy body diseases
Authors: Altay Melek Firat , Kumar Senthil T. , Burtscher Johannes , Jagannath Somanath , Strand Catherine , Miki Yasuo , Parkkinen Laura , Holton Janice L. , Lashuel Hilal A.
Published: December 2023

The abnormal aggregation and accumulation of alpha-synuclein (aSyn) in the brain is a defining hallmark of synucleinopathies. Various aSyn conformations and post-translationally modified forms accumulate in pathological inclusions and vary in abundance among these disorders. Relying on antibodies that have not been assessed for their ability to detect the diverse forms of aSyn may lead to inaccurate estimations of aSyn pathology in human brains or disease models. To address this challenge, we developed and characterized an expanded antibody panel that targets different sequences and post-translational modifications along the length of aSyn, and that recognizes all monomeric, oligomeric, and fibrillar aSyn conformations. Next, we profiled aSyn pathology across sporadic and familial Lewy body diseases (LBDs) and reveal heterogeneous forms of aSyn pathology, rich in Serine 129 phosphorylation, Tyrosine 39 nitration and N- and C-terminal tyrosine phosphorylations, scattered both to neurons and glia. In addition, we show that aSyn can become hyperphosphorylated during processes of aggregation and inclusion maturation in neuronal and animal models of aSyn seeding and spreading. The validation pipeline we describe for these antibodies paves the way for systematic investigations into aSyn pathological diversity in the human brain, peripheral tissues, as well as in cellular and animal models of synucleinopathies.
Structural insights into the iron nitrogenase complex
Authors: Schmidt Frederik V. , Schulz Luca , Zarzycki Jan , Prinz Simone , Oehlmann Niels N. , Erb Tobias J. , Rebelein Johannes G.
Published: December 2023

Nitrogenases are best known for catalyzing the reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia at a complex metallic cofactor. Recently, nitrogenases were shown to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide to hydrocarbons, offering a pathway to recycle carbon waste into hydrocarbon products. Among the three nitrogenase isozymes, the iron nitrogenase has the highest wild-type activity for the reduction of CO2, but the molecular architecture facilitating these activities has remained unknown. Here, we report a 2.35-Å cryogenic electron microscopy structure of the ADP·AlF3-stabilized iron nitrogenase complex from Rhodobacter capsulatus, revealing an [Fe8S9C-(R)-homocitrate] cluster in the active site. The enzyme complex suggests that the iron nitrogenase G subunit is involved in cluster stabilization and substrate channeling and confers specificity between nitrogenase reductase and catalytic component proteins. Moreover, the structure highlights a different interface between the two catalytic halves of the iron and the molybdenum nitrogenase, potentially influencing the intrasubunit ‘communication’ and thus the nitrogenase mechanism.
A future for digital public goods for monitoring SDG indicators
Authors: Liang Dong , Guo Huadong , Nativi Stefano , Kulmala Markku , Shirazi Zeeshan , Chen Fang , Kalonji Gretchen , Yan Dongmei , Li Jianhui , Duerler Robert , Luo Lei , Han Qunli , Deng Siming , Wang Yuanyuan , Kong Lingyi , Jelinek Thorsten
Published: December 2023

Digital public goods (DPGs), if implemented with effective policies, can facilitate the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are ongoing deliberations on how to define DPGs and assure that society can extract the maximum benefit from the growing number of digital resources. The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) sees DPGs as an important mechanism to facilitate information-driven policy and decision-making processes for the SDGs. This article presents the results of a CBAS survey of 51 respondents from around the world spanning multiple scientific fields, who shared their expert opinions on DPGs and their thoughts about challenges related to their practical implementation in supporting the SDGs. Based on the survey results, the paper presents core principles in a proposed strategy, including establishment of international standards, adherence to open science and open data principles, and scalability in monitoring SDG indicators. A community-driven strategy to develop DPGs is proposed to accelerate DPG production in service of the SDGs while adhering to the core principles identified in the survey.
The UCLA Cosmochemistry Database
Authors: Zhang Bidong , Lehnert Kerstin A. , Rubin Alan E. , McKeegan Kevin D. , Warren Paul H. , Mays Jennifer L. , Profeta Lucia R. , Johansson Annika K. , Ni Peng , Young Edward D. , Kyte Frank T. , Liu Ming-Chang , Dunham Emilie T. , Tang Haolan , Ji Peng , Figueroa-Salazar Juan D.
Published: December 2023

The UCLA Cosmochemistry Database was initiated as part of a data-rescue and -storage project aimed at archiving a variety of cosmochemical data acquired at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The data collection includes elemental compositions of extraterrestrial materials analyzed by UCLA cosmochemists over the last five decades. The analytical techniques include atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and neutron activation analysis (NAA) at UCLA. The data collection is stored on the Astromaterials Data System (Astromat). We provide both interactive tables and downloadable datasheets for users to access all data. The UCLA Cosmochemistry Database archives cosmochemical data that are essential tools for increasing our understanding of the nature and origin of extraterrestrial materials. Future studies can reference the data collection in the examination, analysis, and classification of newly acquired extraterrestrial samples.
Assessing household lifestyle exposures from consumer purchases, the My Purchases cohort
Authors: Møller Frederik T. , Junker Thor Grønborg , Kold Sørensen Kathrine , Eves Caroline , Wohlfahrt Jan , Dillner Joakim , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Wilkowski Bartlomiej , Chong Steven , Pers Tune H. , Yakimov Victor , Müller Heimo , Ethelberg Steen , Melbye Mads
Published: December 2023

Consumer purchase data (CPD) is a promising instrument to assess the impact of purchases on health, but is limited by the need for manual scanning, a lack of access to data from multiple retailers, and limited information on product data and health outcomes. Here we describe the My Purchases cohort, a web-app enabled, prospective collection of CPD, covering several large retail chains in Denmark, that enables linkage to health outcomes. The cohort included 459 participants as of July 03, 2023. Up to eight years of CPD have been collected, with 2,225,010 products purchased, comprising 223,440 unique products. We matched 88.5% of all products by product name or item number to one generic food database and three product databases. Combined, the databases enable analysis of key exposures such as nutrients, ingredients, or additives. We found that increasing the number of retailers that provide CPD for each consumer improved the stability of individual CPD profiles and when we compared kilojoule information from generic and specific product matches, we found a median modified relative difference of 0.23. Combined with extensive product databases and health outcomes, CPD could provide the basis for extensive investigations of how what we buy affects our health.
Infection of wild-caught wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) and yellow-necked mice (A. flavicollis) with tick-borne encephalitis virus
Authors: Bakker Julian W. , Pascoe Emily L. , van de Water Sandra , van Keulen Lucien , de Vries Ankje , Woudstra Lianne C. , Esser Helen J. , Pijlman Gorben P. , de Boer Willem F. , Sprong Hein , Kortekaas Jeroen , Wichgers Schreur Paul J. , Koenraadt Constantianus J. M.
Published: December 2023

The distribution of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is expanding to Western European countries, including the Netherlands, but the contribution of different rodent species to the transmission of TBEV is poorly understood. We investigated whether two species of wild rodents native to the Netherlands, the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus and the yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis, differ in their relative susceptibility to experimental infection with TBEV. Wild-caught individuals were inoculated subcutaneously with the classical European subtype of TBEV (Neudoerfl) or with TBEV-NL, a genetically divergent TBEV strain from the Netherlands. Mice were euthanised and necropsied between 3 and 21 days post-inoculation. None of the mice showed clinical signs or died during the experimental period. Nevertheless, TBEV RNA was detected up to 21 days in the blood of both mouse species and TBEV was also isolated from the brain of some mice. Moreover, no differences in infection rates between virus strains and mouse species were found in blood, spleen, or liver samples. Our results suggest that the wood mouse and the yellow-necked mouse may equally contribute to the transmission cycle of TBEV in the Netherlands. Future experimental infection studies that include feeding ticks will help elucidate the relative importance of viraemic transmission in the epidemiology of TBEV.