bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Present and paleo-hydrogeological reconstruction of a complex deep groundwater system in a tectonically active region (Golan Heights, Middle East)
Authors: Ben-nun Levanon Hadas , Burg Avihu , Gavrieli Ittai , Rosenberg Yoav O. , Gersman Ronen , Bartov Yuval , Livshitz Yakov , Starinsky Avraham , Reznik Itay J.
Published: April 2024

The geochemical and isotopic composition of deep groundwater in sedimentary aquitards reveals a complex paleo-hydrological system affected by intensive tectonic activity. Water samples collected from deep research boreholes in the Golan Heights (Middle East) exhibit a unique combination of high salinity (>2,000 mg/L Cl) with low Na/Cl (<0.7) and Mg/Ca (<0.3) equivalent ratios, calcium chloride water type [Ca > (HCO3 + SO4)], relatively low δ18OVSMOW and δ2HVSMOW values (–7 and –42‰, respectively), and enriched 87Sr/86Sr ratios compared to the host rocks. The salinity source is related to ancient lagoonary hypersaline brines (10–5 Ma) that existed along the Dead Sea Rift (DSR). These brines intruded into the rocks surrounding the DSR and, based on the current study, also extended away from the rift. Following their subsurface intrusion, the brines have been gradually diluted by 18O- and 2H-depleted freshwater recharged at high elevations, nowadays leaving only traces of the brines that originally intruded. It is also shown that variable hydraulic conductivities in different formations control the dilution rates and subsequently the preservation of the entrapped brines. A paleo-hydrological reconstruction is provided to demonstrate intrusion and backflow dynamics and also the relationship to freshwater dilution, which was triggered by a tectonically active basin of the nearby continental DSR. Brines that initially migrated from the rift have since been gradually flushed back to the rift through the current natural outlets. As the system discharges, it mixes and converges with a separate hydrogeological system, while still preserving some of the geochemical signals of the ancient brines.
Safety of masitinib in patients with neurodegenerative diseases: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Hamad Abdullah Ashraf , Amer Basma Ehab
Published: April 2024

Objectives

This meta-analysis aimed to examine the safety of masitinib in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Methods

We considered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different doses of masitinib versus placebo. We performed our analysis using the R (v.4.3.0) programming language and the incidence of adverse events was pooled using risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

We included five RCTs, focusing on multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The meta-analysis revealed a significantly higher incidence of adverse events in the masitinib group compared to the control group, regardless of adverse event grade and masitinib dose (RR = 1.12, 95% CI [1.07 to 1.17], P < 0.01). Adverse events categorized as severe, non-fatal serious, leading to dose reduction, and leading to permanent discontinuation also showed a higher incidence in the masitinib group (P ≤ 0.01). Subgroup analysis for AD and MS supported these findings. The pooled incidence of adverse events, regardless of their grade, was higher in the masitinib group for both the 3 mg/kg/d dose (RR = 1.13, P = 0.01) and the 4.5 mg/kg/d dose (RR = 1.11, P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between masitinib 3 mg/kg/d dose and placebo regarding severe and non-fatal serious adverse events for the.

Conclusion

Masitinib use in neurodegenerative diseases presents safety concerns that may impact patients' quality of life and require management. Further research is recommended to determine the optimal dose with minimal safety concerns in this patient population.
Targeting inflammation in perivascular cells and neuroimmune interactions for treating kidney disease
Authors: Tanaka Shinji
Published: April 2024

Inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of various kidney diseases. Kidney perivascular cells (pericytes/fibroblasts) are responsible for producing proinflammatory molecules, promoting immune cell infiltration, and enhancing inflammation. Vascular adhesion protein-1, expressed in kidney perivascular cells, is an ectoenzyme that catalyzes the oxidative deamination of primary amines with the production of hydrogen peroxide in the extracellular space. Our study demonstrated that blocking this enzyme suppressed hydrogen peroxide production and neutrophil infiltration, thereby reducing renal ischemia–reperfusion injury. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) signaling was also observed to play an essential role in the regulation of perivascular inflammation. S1P, which is produced in kidney perivascular cells, is transported into the extracellular space via spinster homolog 2, and then binds to S1P receptor-1 expressed in perivascular cells. Upon injury, inflammatory signaling in perivascular cells is enhanced by this pathway, thereby promoting immune cell infiltration and subsequent fibrosis. Furthermore, inhibition of S1P transport by spinster homolog 2 reduces kidney fibrosis. Hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors can restore the capacity for erythropoietin production in kidney perivascular cells. Animal data suggested that these drugs could also alleviate kidney and lipid inflammation although the precise mechanism is still unknown. Neuroimmune interactions have been attracting significant attention due to their potential to benefit patients with inflammatory diseases. Vagus nerve stimulation is one of the most promising strategies for harnessing neuroimmune interactions and attenuating inflammation associated with various diseases, including kidney disease. Using cutting-edge tools, the vagal afferents–C1 neurons–sympathetic nervous system–splenic nerve–spleen–kidney axis responsible for kidney protection induced by vagus nerve stimulation was identified in our study. Further research is required to decipher other crucial systems that control kidney inflammation and to determine whether these novel strategies can be applied to patients with kidney disease.
Sex-related differences in the clinical presentation of multiple system atrophy
Authors: Leys Fabian , Eschlböck Sabine , Campese Nicole , Mahlknecht Philipp , Peball Marina , Goebel Georg , Sidoroff Victoria , Krismer Florian , Granata Roberta , Kiechl Stefan , Poewe Werner , Seppi Klaus , Wenning Gregor K. , Fanciulli Alessandra
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To investigate sex-related differences in the clinical presentation of multiple system atrophy (MSA) through a literature review and an analysis of a retrospective cohort.

Methods

The PubMed database was searched for articles including sex-related information in MSA. In a retrospective Innsbruck cohort, we investigated the baseline to last available follow-up clinical-demographic differences between men and women with MSA in a univariate fashion, followed by multivariable binary regression analysis.

Results

The literature search yielded 46 publications with sex-related information in MSA. Most studies found comparable survival rates between the sexes, while some recent reports suggested a potential survival benefit for women, possibly due to initial motor onset and overall less severe autonomic failure compared to men. The retrospective Innsbruck MSA cohort comprised 56 female and 60 male individuals with a comparable median follow-up of 27 months. At baseline, female sex was independently associated with depression (odds ratio [OR] 4.7; p = 0.007) and male sex with severe orthostatic hypotension (OR 5.5; p = 0.016). In addition, at last follow-up, female sex was associated with the intake of central nervous system-active drugs (OR 4.1; p = 0.029), whereas male sex was associated with the presence of supine hypertension (OR 3.0; p = 0.020) and the intake of antihypertensive medications (OR 8.7; p = 0.001). Male sex was also associated with initiation of antihypertensive medications over the observation period (OR 12.4; p = 0.004).

Conclusion

The available literature and findings of the present study indicate sex-related differences in the clinical presentation of MSA and its evolution over time, highlighting the importance of considering sex in symptom exploration, therapeutic decision-making, and future clinical trial design.
The role of cue salience in prospective memory commission errors in nonperformed nonfocal tasks
Authors: Mello Beatriz , Matos Patrícia , Albuquerque Pedro B.
Published: April 2024

Prospective memory (PM) refers to the ability to remember to execute an intention in the future without having a permanent reminder. These intentions can be performed when they are not relevant or become no-longer needed, the so-called “commission errors”. The present study aims to understand the effect of cue salience on PM commission errors with unperformed intentions and on the ongoing task performance-associated costs. Through a between-subjects design, eighty-one participants were assigned to 3 conditions: the no-PM condition, which served as control, and the salient and nonsalient conditions, which were asked to perform a lexical decision task and an incomplete nonfocal prospective memory task (i.e. no PM cues were presented). Subsequently, participants were instructed to no longer execute the prospective intention. In the second phase, a lexical decision task occurred again, including irrelevant PM cues, which should not be answered as such. In the salient condition, cues were salient (i.e. presented in red or blue background). In contrast, in the nonsalient condition, PM cues appeared on a black background, as any other stimuli. In the no-PM control condition, participants only performed an LDT. A commission error occurred when the (irrelevant) intention was performed in this second phase. Results showed that more participants performed a commission error in the presence of salient cues, even when PM intentions became irrelevant. Additionally, when cues were not salient, participants took longer to answer the LDT, as reasoned by the spontaneous retrieval theory. These findings are discussed according to the dual-mechanism account.
Submarine landslides and tsunami genesis in Sagami Bay, Japan, caused by the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake
Authors: Murata Kazuki , Ebisuzaki Toshikazu , Sassa Shinji , Takagawa Tomohiro , Masuda Koichi , Miyamoto Takujiro , Ohno Masato , Maruyama Shigenori
Published: April 2024

The 1923 Great Kanto earthquake occurred on September 1, in Japan, and caused severe damage mainly in the Kanto region. Tsunamis were observed over wide regions from the east coast of the Izu Peninsula to the west coast of the Boso Peninsula, and particularly, the damage in Atami was devastating. Many earthquake fault models including those of Kanamori (1971) and Ando (1971) were proposed based on the records of land deformation. However, such fault models cannot sufficiently explain the tsunami elevation and its initial sea-level motion on the coasts. Hence, the detailed mechanisms remain elusive. This study examines the possibility that a leading mechanism of the tsunami in the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake was a large-scale submarine landslide that occurred at Sagami Bay and at the mouth of Tokyo Bay based on the records of depth data measured by the Imperial Japanese Navy (1924) before and after the earthquake. We first show that the tsunami calculated by each fault model was inconsistent with the waveform at Yokosuka, the coastal tsunami elevations, and initial sea-level motion. Then, based on statistical analysis of the depth changes at the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake, we found that the seafloor bathymetric changes represented large-scale submarine landslides that may correspond to long-runout submarine liquefied sediment flows. The seafloor gradient over a 40 km flow-out distance was equal to or less than 0.4$$^\circ$$

∘

. Through the identification of the submarine landslide source by tsunami backpropagation analysis and utilizing an analytical solution of a high-density gravity flow and a sensitivity analysis, we conducted a range of numerical simulations of the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake tsunamis using a fault model and a submarine landslide tsunami source model due to a high-density liquefied gravity flow. The results quantitatively accounted for the discrepancy between the observed tsunami records with maximum tsunami elevations over 12 m and the fault-model–based simulations with maximum tsunami elevations of 2 to 5 m and explained consistently the maximum tsunami elevation distributions as well as the time-series tsunami waveforms. These results may thus facilitate and deepen our understanding of the earthquake-induced submarine landslide tsunami risk as cascading multi-geohazards.
The challenge of open-texture in law
Authors: Guitton Clement , Tamò-Larrieux Aurelia , Mayer Simon , van Dijck Gijs
Published: April 2024

An important challenge when creating automatically processable laws concerns open-textured terms. The ability to measure open-texture can assist in determining the feasibility of encoding regulation and where additional legal information is required to properly assess a legal issue or dispute. In this article, we propose a novel conceptualisation of open-texture with the aim of determining the extent of open-textured terms in legal documents. We conceptualise open-texture as a lever whose state is impacted by three types of forces: internal forces (the words within the text themselves), external forces (the resources brought to challenge the definition of words), and lateral forces (the merit of such challenges). We tested part of this conceptualisation with 26 participants by investigating agreement in paired annotators. Five key findings emerged. First, agreement on which words are open-texture within a legal text is possible and statistically significant. Second, agreement is even high at an average inter-rater reliability of 0.7 (Cohen’s kappa). Third, when there is agreement on the words, agreement on the Open-Texture Value is high. Fourth, there is a dependence between the Open-Texture Value and reasons invoked behind open-texture. Fifth, involving only four annotators can yield similar results compared to involving twenty more when it comes to only flagging clauses containing open-texture. We conclude the article by discussing limitations of our experiment and which remaining questions in real life cases are still outstanding.
circRNA-PTPN4 mediated regulation of FOXO3 and ZO-1 expression: implications for blood–brain barrier integrity and cognitive function in uremic encephalopathy
Authors: Liu Yuhan , Qin Yanling , Zhang Yanning
Published: April 2024

Uremic encephalopathy (UE) poses a significant challenge in neurology, leading to the need to investigate the involvement of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in its development. This study employed ncRNA-seq and RNA-seq approaches to identify fundamental ncRNAs, specifically circRNA and miRNA, in the pathogenesis of UE using a mouse model. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to explore the circRNA-PTPN4/miR-301a-3p/FOXO3 axis and its effects on blood–brain barrier (BBB) function and cognitive abilities. The research revealed that circRNA-PTPN4 binds to and inhibits miR-301a-3p, leading to an increase in FOXO3 expression. This upregulation results in alterations in the transcriptional regulation of ZO-1, affecting the permeability of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). The axis also influences the growth, proliferation, and migration of HBMECs. Mice with UE exhibited cognitive deficits, which were reversed by overexpression of circRNA-PTPN4, whereas silencing FOXO3 exacerbated these deficits. Furthermore, the uremic mice showed neuronal loss, inflammation, and dysfunction in the BBB, with the expression of circRNA-PTPN4 demonstrating therapeutic effects. In conclusion, circRNA-PTPN4 plays a role in promoting FOXO3 expression by sequestering miR-301a-3p, ultimately leading to the upregulation of ZO-1 expression and restoration of BBB function in mice with UE. This process contributes to the restoration of cognitive abilities.

Graphical Abstract

1. The circRNA-PTPN4/miR-301a-3p/FOXO3 axis is identified as a key regulator of blood–brain barrier integrity and cognitive function in uremic encephalopathy.

2. circRNA-PTPN4 sequestration of miR-301a-3p enhances FOXO3 expression, leading to upregulation of ZO-1 and improved endothelial permeability.

3. Overexpression of circRNA-PTPN4 in uremic mice restores cognitive abilities and reduces neuronal loss and inflammatory infiltration.
Identification and characterization of Phaseolus vulgaris CHS genes in response to salt and drought stress
Authors: Isıyel Murat , İlhan Emre , Kasapoğlu Ayşe Gül , Muslu Selman , Öner Burak Muhammed , Aygören Ahmed Sidar , Yiğider Esma , Aydın Murat , Yıldırım Ertan
Published: April 2024

Common beans hold significant importance in sustainable agriculture and their critical role in human nutrition cannot be overstated. Factors such as climate change underscore the necessity for expanding genetic diversity and delineating the attributes of local bean cultivars. Among the various abiotic stressors, drought emerges as a formidable constraint limiting bean cultivation. While diverse set of strategies are employed to mitigate the impacts of drought stress, the ultimate and enduring solution lies in the development of drought-resistant bean cultivars, and it can be stated that the same situation is valid for salinity stress. Flavonoid biosynthesis is very important for plant growth and development and flavonoids are known to be involved in many pathways including stress response. This study aimed to comprehensively identify and characterize the CHS gene family within different bean cultivars exposed to drought and salt stress, utilizing genome-wide analysis, and assessing gene expression levels. Employing a spectrum of in silico methodologies, 14 CHS genes were identified in the common bean genome. These genes exhibited molecular weights ranging from 37.38 to 43.34 kDa and consisted of 341–393 amino acid residues. Remarkably, all Pvul-CHS genes shared a common structure comprising two exons. Phylogenetic analyses conducted across Phaseolus vulgaris, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Glycine max revealed that the Pvul-CHS gene family could be classified into three primary clusters. The expression profiles of Pvul-CHS genes unveiled their varied tissue-specific expressions and their pivotal roles in responding to diverse abiotic stresses. Furthermore, we conducted in silico assessments of the chromosomal positions of CHS gene family members in beans, their orthologous associations with related genomes, and cis-acting element analyses. The outcomes of this study hold the potential to significantly contribute to the breeding of beans endowed with enhanced resilience against salt and drought conditions.
Neuroprotective effect of Withania somnifera leaves extract nanoemulsion against penconazole-induced neurotoxicity in albino rats via modulating TGF-β1/Smad2 signaling pathway
Authors: Abomosallam Mohamed , Hendam Basma M. , Abdallah Amr A. , Refaat Rasha , EL-Hak Heba Nageh Gad
Published: April 2024

Penconazole (PEN) is a systemic triazole fungicide used to control various fungal diseases on grapes, stone fruits, cucurbits, and strawberries. Still, it leaves residues on treated crops after collection with many hazardous effects on population including neurotoxicity. Withania somnifera leaves extract (WSLE) is known for its memory and brain function enhancing ability. To evoke such action efficiently, WSLE bioactive metabolites are needed to cross the blood–brain barrier, that could limit the availability of such compounds to be localized within the brain. Therefore, in the present study, the association between PEN exposure and neurotoxicity was evaluated, and formulated WSLE nanoemulsion was investigated for improving the permeability of the plant extract across the blood–brain barrier. The rats were divided into five groups (n = 6). The control group was administered distilled water, group II was treated with W. somnifera leaves extract nanoemulsion (WSLE NE), group III received PEN, group IV received PEN and WSLE, and group V received PEN and WSLE NE. All rats were gavaged daily for 6 weeks. Characterization of compounds in WSLE using LC–MS/MS analysis was estimated. Neurobehavioral disorders were evaluated in all groups. Oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant enzyme activities, and inflammatory cytokines were measured in brain tissue. Furthermore, the gene expression patterns of GFAP, APP, vimentin, TGF-β1, Smad2 and Bax were measured. Histopathological changes and immunohistochemical expression in the peripheral sciatic nerve and cerebral cortex were evaluated. A total of 91 compounds of different chemo-types were detected and identified in WSLE in both ionization modes. Our data showed behavioral impairment in the PEN-treated group, with significant elevation of oxidative stress biomarkers, proinflammatory cytokines, neuronal damage, and apoptosis. In contrast, the PEN-treated group with WSLE NE showed marked improvement in behavioral performance and histopathological alteration with a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activity and anti-inflammatory cytokines compared to the group administered WSLE alone. The PEN-treated group with WSLE NE in turn significantly downregulated the expression levels of GFAP, APP, vimentin, TGF-β1, Smad2 and Bax in brain tissue. In conclusion, WSLE NE markedly enhanced the permeability of plant extract constituents through the blood brain barrier to boost its neuroprotective effect against PEN-induced neurotoxicity.
Following Schubert varieties under Feigin’s degeneration of the flag variety
Authors: Bossinger Lara , Lanini Martina
Published: April 2024

We study the effect of Feigin’s flat degeneration of the type $$\text {A}$$
A
flag variety on the defining ideals of its Schubert varieties. In particular, we describe two classes of Schubert varieties which stay irreducible under the degenerations and in several cases we are able to encode reducibility of the degenerations in terms of symmetric group combinatorics. As a side result, we obtain an identification of some degenerate Schubert varieties (i.e. the vanishing sets of initial ideals of the ideals of Schubert varieties with respect to Feigin’s Gröbner degeneration) with Richardson varieties in higher rank partial flag varieties.
Human Research Ethics Review Challenges in the Social Sciences: A Case for Review
Authors: Macnamara Jim
Published: April 2024

Ethical conduct is a maxim in scholarly research as well as scholarly endeavour generally. In the case of research involving humans, few if any question the necessity for ethics approval of procedures by ethics boards or committees. However, concerns have been raised about the appropriateness of ethics approval processes for social science research arguing that the orientation of ethics boards and committees to biomedical and experimental scientific research, institutional risk aversion, and other factors lead to over-protection of research participants and overly restrictive processes that delay and sometimes prevent important social science research. This is particularly significant when social science research is required to respond to social, environmental, or health emergencies and in contract research projects for the reasons explained. This analysis of an ethics approval case study adds to increasing concerns that ethics approval processes can have perverse effects in the social sciences. While a single case study does not provide generalizable findings, in-depth analysis of a significant case can identify issues that need to be further explored. Recommendations offer pathways for facilitating social science research including in emergency situations in which timeliness is important and in collaborative approaches such as participatory action research, while maintaining high ethical standards.
From UK-2A to florylpicoxamid: Active learning to identify a mimic of a macrocyclic natural product
Authors: Cleves Ann E. , Jain Ajay N. , Demeter David A. , Buchan Zachary A. , Wilmot Jeremy , Hancock Erin N.
Published: April 2024

Scaffold replacement as part of an optimization process that requires maintenance of potency, desirable biodistribution, metabolic stability, and considerations of synthesis at very large scale is a complex challenge. Here, we consider a set of over 1000 time-stamped compounds, beginning with a macrocyclic natural-product lead and ending with a broad-spectrum crop anti-fungal. We demonstrate the application of the QuanSA 3D-QSAR method employing an active learning procedure that combines two types of molecular selection. The first identifies compounds predicted to be most active of those most likely to be well-covered by the model. The second identifies compounds predicted to be most informative based on exhibiting low predicted activity but showing high 3D similarity to a highly active nearest-neighbor training molecule. Beginning with just 100 compounds, using a deterministic and automatic procedure, five rounds of 20-compound selection and model refinement identifies the binding metabolic form of florylpicoxamid. We show how iterative refinement broadens the domain of applicability of the successive models while also enhancing predictive accuracy. We also demonstrate how a simple method requiring very sparse data can be used to generate relevant ideas for synthetic candidates.
The output performance evaluations of multilayered piezoelectric nanogenerators based on the PVDF-HFP/PMN-35PT using various layer-by-layer assembly techniques
Authors: Paralı Levent
Published: April 2024

Multilayered Poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and lead magnesium niobate lead titanate Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3) O3–PbTiO3 (PMN-35PT) composition-based piezoelectric nanogenerators (PNGs) were fabricated as series, parallel, and combined series-parallel connections using various layer-by-layer assembly techniques. Supporting the theoretical approaches with experimental results shows that the fabricated four-layered PNG with parallel connections (4L-P) reached an open-circuit voltage of 0.4 V (VRMS) and a maximum electrical power of 0.3 µW (PRMS) by drawing a current (IRMS) of 1.46 µA under a resistive load of 140.2 KΩ. Increasing the capacitance and decreasing the impedance with the fabrication of the four-layer PNG by connecting the layers in parallel connection with the support of the impedance matching process led to an increase in electrical output. With the use of an impedance matching system, the piezoelectric performance tests revealed that the 4L-P-based PNG had a 6.7 times greater electrical power efficiency (72.92 µW) at the vibrational frequency of 20 Hz compared to that of the single-layered PNG (10.82 µW). Furthermore, the multilayer PNG was successfully used as a wearable sensor for the monitoring of human body motions in real time on an IOT (Internet of Things) platform.
160 Gbps MMF/FSO system based on OAM beams and PV code under rainy weather
Authors: Abd El-Mottaleb Somia A. , Singh Mehtab , Aly Moustafa H.
Published: April 2024

In this paper, a high-speed transmission system that combines a multimode fiber (MMF) with Free Space Optics (FSO) is proposed to accommodate the rapid growth of traffic. As Orbital Angular Beams Multiplexing (OAM) plays a crucial role in 6G networks by enhancing transmission capacity, four OAM beams ($${LG}_{\mathrm{0,0}}$$LG0,0,$${LG}_{\mathrm{0,20}}$$LG0,20,$${LG}_{\mathrm{0,40}}$$LG0,40, and$${LG}_{\mathrm{0,40}}$$LG0,40) are utilized in this study. Additionally, the Optical Code Division Multiple Access (OCDMA) technique is employed, known for its high level of confidentiality and the ability to allow multiple channels to transmit data simultaneously. To ensure ubiquitous data transmission, two channels: MMF and FSO are used. Accordingly, in our proposed MMF/FSO system, we employ four OAM beams, with each carrying four OCDMA channels assigned distinct Permutation Vector (PV) codes. With a data transmission rate of 10 Gbps on each OCDMA channel, the overall capacity of the system amounts to 160 Gbps (10 Gbps × 4 OCDMA channels × 4 OAM beams). Moreover, the performance is investigated and evaluated using two scenarios. The first assumes an FSO range of 5 km and Clear Air (CA) weather conditions, with a variable MMF length. In contrast, the second scenario maintains a fixed MMF length of 1 km while altering the FSO span. Weather conditions like CA and rain conditions; Light Rain (LR), Medium Rain (MR), and Heavy Rain (HR) are considered while evaluating the system performance in the second case. The bit error rate (BER), travelling distances in the channel either MMF or FSO, and eye diagrams are among the metrics used for evaluation. They all provide information about the received signal performance. Finally, the obtained results for the proposed MMF/FSO system, utilizing OAM beams and PV codes, indicate that in the first scenario, the system can support a total capacity of 160 Gbps across all channels. The performance is noteworthy, with a BER below$${10}^{-5}$$10-5and a wide eye opening, enabling successful transmission over 6.2 km (1.2 km MMF length + fixed 5 km FSO span). For the second scenario, the achievable distance is decreased due to the attenuation caused by rain. It becomes 2.62 km (1 km MMF + 1.62 km FSO span), 5.2 km (1 km MMF + 1.2 km FSO span), and 1.77 km (1 km MMF + 0.77 km FSO span), under LR, MR, and HR, respectively.
A generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation with logarithmic nonlinearity and its Gaussian solitary wave
Authors: Hosseini K. , Alizadeh F. , Hinçal E. , Kaymakamzade B. , Dehingia K. , Osman M. S.
Published: April 2024

In the current paper, a generalized nonlinear Schrödinger (gNLS) equation with logarithmic nonlinearity is studied as a model for the propagation of optical pulses. More precisely, after applying a specific hypothesis for the solution of the governing equation, its Gaussian solitary wave is retrieved using the ansatz method. Some numerical simulations in two- and three-dimensional postures are presented to investigate the impact of different physical parameters on Gaussian solitary wave’ dynamics. Results confirm that the physical parameters of the gNLS equation have a key role in controlling the dynamics of the Gaussian solitary wave.
Paying attention: the neurocognition of archery, Middle Stone Age bow hunting, and the shaping of the sapient mind
Authors: Lombard Marlize
Published: April 2024

With this contribution I explore the relationship between attention development in modern archers and attention as a cognitive requirement for ancient bow hunting – a techno-behaviour that may have originated sometime between 80 and 60 thousand years ago in sub-Saharan Africa. Material Engagement Theory serves as a framework for the inextricable interrelatedness between brain, body and mind, and how practicing to use bimanual technologies shapes aspects of our cognition, including our ability to pay attention. In a cross-disciplinary approach, I use cognitive-motor neuroscience to demonstrate the role of attention in modern archery and highlight brain regions that are activated or ‘pressured’ during aiming with attention. One of these areas, the precuneus together with the default mode network, serves as neurological hub for accurate bimanual material engagement practiced over a distance. The likely development of the precuneus, in tandem with the unique globularisation of the human skull, can be traced in theHomo sapiensfossil record since about 160 thousand years ago, reaching the modern range by around 100 thousand years ago within a continuum of brain modification. Variation in human neuro-genetic adaptations since our split from the Denisovan and Neanderthal groups further suggest differences in attention as a cognitive trait between recent big-brained humans. I suggest that these observations may serve as bridging theory for understanding how some aspects of the sapient ability to pay attention was developed.
Need help blurring the boundaries of your process archaeology? Don’t use agential realism. Try playing with clay
Authors: March Paul Louis
Published: April 2024

Over the last twenty years, archaeologists have used various process-oriented modes of enquiry to undermine the belief that humans are special. Barad (2007) developed Bohr’s indeterminist interpretation of quantum mechanics into agential realism which offers an ontological basis for distributing agency away from humans and plays a crucial role in underwriting some posthumanist archaeological agendas. But its origins in quantum physics make agential realism difficult to understand and evaluate. Despite the challenge, the first two parts of this paper are devoted to each task in turn, with limited success. Part three turns to the archaeological literature, where the evaluation of agential realism turns out to be even more inadequate and so I advise against its use in support of process-oriented approaches in archaeology. The final section turns to the activity of an art workshop and introduces a playful approach to working with clay. Clayful phenomenology is a way of investigating the relationship between gesture, material and ideation. During sculpting, phenomenological experience is not subjective, stable and external but is generated within a transient creative system where entities, ideas and agency reciprocally, emerge as ephemeral manifestations. Clayful phenomenology and agential realism are ontologically similar and both are controversial but agential realism has a wall of quantum conceptual complexity standing between it and a judgement about credibility whereas playing with clay can be assessed directly, through experience.
GATA transcription factor in common bean: A comprehensive genome-wide functional characterization, identification, and abiotic stress response evaluation
Authors: Abdulla Mohamed Farah , Mostafa Karam , Aydin Abdullah , Kavas Musa , Aksoy Emre
Published: April 2024

The GATA transcription factors (TFs) have been extensively studied for its regulatory role in various biological processes in many plant species. The functional and molecular mechanism of GATA TFs in regulating tolerance to abiotic stress has not yet been studied in the common bean. This study analyzed the functional identity of the GATA gene family in the P. vulgaris genome under different abiotic and phytohormonal stress. The GATA gene family was systematically investigated in the P. vulgaris genome, and 31 PvGATA TFs were identified. The study found that 18 out of 31 PvGATA genes had undergone duplication events, emphasizing the role of gene duplication in GATA gene expansion. All the PvGATA genes were classified into four significant subfamilies, with 8, 3, 6, and 13 members in each subfamily (subfamilies I, II, III, and IV), respectively. All PvGATA protein sequences contained a single GATA domain, but subfamily II members had additional domains such as CCT and tify. A total of 799 promoter cis-regulatory elements (CREs) were predicted in the PvGATAs. Additionally, we used qRT-PCR to investigate the expression profiles of five PvGATA genes in the common bean roots under abiotic conditions. The results suggest that PvGATA01/10/25/28 may play crucial roles in regulating plant resistance against salt and drought stress and may be involved in phytohormone-mediated stress signaling pathways. PvGATA28 was selected for overexpression and cloned into N. benthamiana using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic lines were subjected to abiotic stress, and results showed a significant tolerance of transgenic lines to stress conditions compared to wild-type counterparts. The seed germination assay suggested an extended dormancy of transgenic lines compared to wild-type lines. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the PvGATA gene family, which can serve as a foundation for future research on the function of GATA TFs in abiotic stress tolerance in common bean plants.
A field- and time-normalized Bayesian approach to measuring the impact of a publication
Authors: Gómez–Déniz Emilio , Dorta–González Pablo
Published: April 2024

Measuring the impact of a publication in a fair way is a significant challenge in bibliometrics, as it must not introduce biases between fields and should enable comparison of the impact of publications from different years. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian approach to tackle this problem, motivated by empirical data demonstrating heterogeneity in citation distributions. The approach uses the a priori distribution of citations in each field to estimate the expected a posteriori distribution in that field. This distribution is then employed to normalize the citations received by a publication in that field. Our main contribution is the Bayesian Impact Score, a measure of the impact of a publication. This score is increasing and concave with the number of citations received and decreasing and convex with the age of the publication. This means that the marginal score of an additional citation decreases as the cumulative number of citations increases and increases as the time since publication of the document grows. Finally, we present an empirical application of our approach in eight subject categories using the Scopus database and a comparison with the normalized impact indicator Field Citation Ratio from the Dimensions AI database.
Lurking Glares. A Comparative Critique of Latency and Cryptotypes
Authors: Costantini Cristina
Published: April 2024

Based on Rodolfo Sacco’s passionate research on cryptotypes and mute law, the essay aims to propose an onto-aesthetic understanding of latency in law. Inspired by a transdisciplinary way of thinking, the Author elevates comparative law to the privileged site where a critique of the unexpressed can be performed; the degree of figurality of the law can be uncovered and measured; an economy of surplus can be disclosed as the proper segnatorial trait of the material appearances of the law. In this direction, comparative law combines a phenomenology of latency with a hermeneutics of the implicit/implied and becomes the place where it is possible to uncover the communality among plural symbolic universes (literature, arts, music) against the tyranny of disciplinary strategy.
Perceptual occlusion and the differentiation condition
Authors: Overgaard Søren
Published: April 2024

Numerous philosophers accept the differentiation condition, according to which one does not see an object unless one visually differentiates it from its immediate surroundings. This paper, however, sounds a sceptical note. Based on suggestions by Dretske (2007) and Gibson (2002 [1972]), I articulate two ‘principles of occlusion’ and argue that each principle admits of a reading on which it is both plausible and incompatible with the differentiation condition. To resolve the inconsistency, I suggest we abandon the differentiation condition.
Does obstructive sleep apnea–induced intermittent hypoxia increase the incidence of solitary pulmonary nodules, thyroid nodules, and other disorders? A retrospective study based on 750 cardiovascular disease patients
Authors: Ding Chen , Mao Libo , Lu Yinghong , Wu Sai , Ji Wenyan
Published: April 2024

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been shown to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and intermittent hypoxia is an important pathogenetic factor for it. In the clinic, it was found that most CVD patients combined with OSA were also combined with solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) or thyroid nodules (TN). Are these disorders related to intermittent hypoxia? One study showed that intermittent hypoxia is a pathogenic factor for lung cancer in mice, but there have been no clinical reports. So we conducted a retrospective study to explore whether intermittent hypoxia caused by OSA increases the incidence of SPN, TN, and other disorders.

Methods

We selected 750 patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), who were divided into the control group and the OSA group according to the result of portable sleep monitoring. Retrospectively analyzed the comorbidities that patients with OSA are prone to and explored the correlation between OSA and those comorbidities.

Results

The incidence of SPN, TN, cervical spondylosis, and carotid-artery plaques was higher in the OSA group than in the control group. These diseases are significantly associated with OSA (p < 0.05), and their incidence increased with an elevated apnea–hypopnea index. After excluding interference from age, gender, BMI, smoking history, history of lung disease, and history of tumors, OSA showed a significant correlation with SPN. After excluding age, gender, BMI, and thyroid disease, OSA was associated with TN. Patients with comorbidities have lower nocturnal oxygen saturation and more extended periods of apnea. Logistic multiple regression results revealed that male, advanced age, obesity, CS, and nasal septum deviation were independent risk factors for OSA.

Conclusions

Patients combined with OSA may further develop more comorbidities, such as SPN, TN, and carotid-artery plaques. It may be related to intermittent hypoxia caused by OSA.
High Speed Impact Testing of UHMWPE Composite Using Orthogonal Arrays
Authors: Hannah T. , Martin V. , Ellis S. , Kraft R. H.
Published: April 2024

Background

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene composites are fiber based composites used in armor applications. While some characterization has been conducted experimentally, this study varies multiple parameters simultaneously to investigate material response under a wide range of conditions.

Objective

This work focuses on characterizing the response of Dyneema® HB26 hard laminate composites under high-speed impacts to examine the influence of plate diameter, clamping pressure, and plate spacing on target performance. Additionally, micro Computer Tomography scans are used to nondestructively evaluate the damage evolution in the targets.

Methods

These scan results are used in concert with more traditional armor performance metrics to evaluate the effect of various parameters using the method of orthogonal array analysis. This technique allows for multiple variables to be investigated in the same test series, saving time and budget while still providing quality results across a range of variables and variable values.

Results

We conclude that of the parameters investigated, the plate spacing parameter has the largest effect on performance, followed by the plate diameter. Bolt torque was found to not have a significant impact on results, indicating that an edge clamping pressure is not critical to material response. Additionally, by examining the high resolution scans, we can quantify the damage with an effective damage angle and that this angle is a good predictor of performance.

Conclusion

Finally a damage theory involving the effective bending strength of the plates is discussed as an explanation for all of the results observed in this test series.
NASH triggers cardiometabolic HFpEF in aging mice
Authors: Kucsera Dániel , Ruppert Mihály , Sayour Nabil V. , Tóth Viktória E. , Kovács Tamás , Hegedűs Zsombor I. , Onódi Zsófia , Fábián Alexandra , Kovács Attila , Radovits Tamás , Merkely Béla , Pacher Pál , Ferdinandy Péter , Varga Zoltán V.
Published: April 2024

Both heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) develop due to metabolic dysregulation, has similar risk factors (e.g., insulin resistance, systemic inflammation) and are unresolved clinical challenges. Therefore, the potential link between the two disease is important to study. We aimed to evaluate whether NASH is an independent factor of cardiac dysfunction and to investigate the age dependent effects of NASH on cardiac function. C57Bl/6 J middle aged (10 months old) and aged mice (24 months old) were fed either control or choline deficient (CDAA) diet for 8 weeks. Before termination, echocardiography was performed. Upon termination, organ samples were isolated for histological and molecular analysis. CDAA diet led to the development of NASH in both age groups, without inducing weight gain, allowing to study the direct effect of NASH on cardiac function. Mice with NASH developed hepatomegaly, fibrosis, and inflammation. Aged animals had increased heart weight. Conventional echocardiography revealed normal systolic function in all cohorts, while increased left ventricular volumes in aged mice. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography showed subtle systolic and diastolic deterioration in aged mice with NASH. Histologic analyses of cardiac samples showed increased cross-sectional area, pronounced fibrosis and Col1a1 gene expression, and elevated intracardiac CD68+ macrophage count with increased Il1b expression. Conventional echocardiography failed to reveal subtle change in myocardial function; however, 2D speckle tracking echocardiography was able to identify diastolic deterioration. NASH had greater impact on aged animals resulting in cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and inflammation.
An Overview of Coupled Lagrangian–Eulerian Methods for Ocean Engineering
Authors: Qian Zhihao , Yang Tengmao , Liu Moubin
Published: April 2024

Combining the strengths of Lagrangian and Eulerian descriptions, the coupled Lagrangian–Eulerian methods play an increasingly important role in various subjects. This work reviews their development and application in ocean engineering. Initially, we briefly outline the advantages and disadvantages of the Lagrangian and Eulerian descriptions and the main characteristics of the coupled Lagrangian–Eulerian approach. Then, following the developmental trajectory of these methods, the fundamental formulations and the frameworks of various approaches, including the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian finite element method, the particle-in-cell method, the material point method, and the recently developed Lagrangian–Eulerian stabilized collocation method, are detailedly reviewed. In addition, the article reviews the research progress of these methods with applications in ocean hydrodynamics, focusing on free surface flows, numerical wave generation, wave overturning and breaking, interactions between waves and coastal structures, fluid-rigid body interactions, fluid–elastic body interactions, multiphase flow problems and visualization of ocean flows, etc. Furthermore, the latest research advancements in the numerical stability, accuracy, efficiency, and consistency of the coupled Lagrangian–Eulerian particle methods are reviewed; these advancements enable efficient and highly accurate simulation of complicated multiphysics problems in ocean and coastal engineering. By building on these works, the current challenges and future directions of the hybrid Lagrangian–Eulerian particle methods are summarized.
Local heat transitions—a comparative case study of five bioenergy villages in Northern and Southern Germany
Authors: Guhl Fenja , Zeigermann Ulrike
Published: April 2024

Although the heat transition is one of the greatest challenges that Germany faces in terms of its climate and sustainability goals, local initiatives that target a renewable heat transition remain contested. In the present article, we examine bioenergy villages and investigate both how and under what conditions these villages can contribute to the heat transition. We explore five typical bioenergy villages in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and three typical bioenergy villages in Baden-Württemberg. Drawing on the analytical framework of actor-centred institutionalism, we adopt a dual perspective by focusing on both actors and institutions. In our interviews, local farmers and mayors are identified as key actors in bioenergy villages. We argue that the main contributions of these local entrepreneurs to heat transitions involve increasing social acceptance of new ecological heat infrastructures and technologies, fostering democratic governance, and supporting regional added value and learning.