bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impaired glucose utilization in the brain of patients with delirium following hip fracture
Authors: Titlestad Irit , Watne Leiv Otto , Caplan Gideon A , McCann Adrian , Ueland Per Magne , Neerland Bjørn Erik , Myrstad Marius , Halaas Nathalie Bodd , Pollmann Christian Thomas , Henjum Kristi , Ranhoff Anette Hylen , Solberg Lene B , Figved Wender , Cunningham Colm , Giil Lasse M
Published: September 2023

Alterations in brain energy metabolism have long been proposed as one of several neurobiological processes contributing to delirium. This is supported by previous findings of altered CSF lactate and neuron-specific enolase concentrations and decreased glucose uptake on brain-PET in patients with delirium. Despite this, there are limited data on metabolic alterations found in CSF samples, and targeted metabolic profiling of CSF metabolites involved in energy metabolism has not been performed.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether metabolites related to energy metabolism in the serum and CSF of patients with hip fracture are associated with delirium.

The study cohort included 406 patients with a mean age of 81 years (standard deviation 10 years), acutely admitted to hospital for surgical repair of a hip fracture. Delirium was assessed daily until the fifth postoperative day. CSF was collected from all 406 participants at the onset of spinal anaesthesia, and serum samples were drawn concurrently from 213 participants. Glucose and lactate in CSF were measured using amperometry, whereas plasma glucose was measured in the clinical laboratory using enzymatic photometry. Serum and CSF concentrations of the branched-chain amino acids, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid, acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate were measured using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS).

In total, 224 (55%) patients developed delirium pre- or postoperatively. Ketone body concentrations (acetoacetate, β-hydroxybutyrate) and branched-chain amino acids were significantly elevated in the CSF but not in serum among patients with delirium, despite no group differences in glucose concentrations. The level of 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid was significantly elevated in both CSF and serum. An elevation of CSF lactate during delirium was explained by age and comorbidity.

Our data suggest that altered glucose utilization and a shift to ketone body metabolism occurs in the brain during delirium.
Risk management in traditional agriculture: intercropping in Italian wine production
Authors: Federico Giovanni , Martinelli Lasheras Pablo
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we provide an economic interpretation of intercropping as a risk management strategy based on spatial diversification of production. We study vine intercropping, i.e., the scattering of vines across fields rather than concentrating them in specialized vineyards, a traditional practice in Italian agriculture. We argue that, in the absence of developed financial markets, spatial diversification provided a third layer of insurance for peasants operating in traditional agrarian economies, distinct from and in addition to crop diversification at the farm level and risk sharing through tenancy contracts at the estate level. Spatial diversification increased production costs, particularly transportation costs. Therefore, the price of this form of insurance (and the likelihood of its adoption) depended critically on rural settlement patterns. We test our model with data from Italy in the 1930s, when intercropping still prevailed in many areas of the country. We show that its adoption was positively related to the pattern of scattered dwellings that dated back to the late Middle Ages and reduced transportation costs to individual plots. The mass exodus from the countryside during the economic miracle of the 1950s and 1960s made intercropping no longer viable.
Transcriptomic analysis of biofilm formation by Bacillus cereus under different carbon source conditions
Authors: Qi Yajin , Zhou Jianwei , Wu Yuhao , Han Jingzeng , Liu Donghong , Lv Ruiling
Published: September 2023

Background

Previous studies found differences in the utilization of different carbon sources during biofilm formation by Bacillus cereus. Illumina HiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was used to investigate the changes in gene transcript levels in Bacillus cereus biofilm bacteria under different carbon source conditions.

Results

Compared with the control group, the number of differentially expressed genes in the glucose, maltose, lactose, and skim milk-supplemented groups was 351, 1136, 133, and 487, respectively. The results showed that the pathways involved in the differentially expressed genes were mainly distributed in glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway, tricarboxylic acid cycle, amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism. The gene expression of enzymes related to acetoin synthesis from pyruvate was mostly upregulated in the glucose-supplemented group. The gene expression of enzymes related to pyruvate synthesis of branched-chain amino acids in the maltose-supplemented group was mostly upregulated. In the lactose-supplemented group, the gene expression of acetoin biosynthesis from pyruvate was upregulated. Pyruvate production through glycolysis pathway increased in the skim milk-supplemented group, but the metabolic capacity of the tricarboxylic acid cycle did not change significantly.

Conclusion

The content of pyruvate stored by Bacillus cereus biofilm bacteria through glycolysis or pentose phosphate pathway increased, but the carbon flux into the tricarboxylic acid cycle did not increase, which suggested that carbon fluxes in the extracellular polysaccharide synthesis pathway of the biofilm may be increased, resulting in increased biofilm biomass formation.
Near-complete de novo assembly of Tricholoma bakamatsutake chromosomes revealed the structural divergence and differentiation of Tricholoma genomes
Authors: Ichida Hiroyuki , Murata Hitoshi , Hatakeyama Shin , Yamada Akiyoshi , Ohta Akira
Published: September 2023

Tricholoma bakamatsutake, which is an edible ectomycorrhizal fungus associated with Fagaceae trees, may have diverged before the other species in Tricholoma section Caligata. We generated a highly contiguous whole-genome sequence for T. bakamatsutake SF-Tf05 isolated in an Oak (Quercus salicina) forest in Japan. The assembly of high-fidelity long reads, with a median read length of 12.3 kb, resulted in 13 chromosome-sized contigs comprising 142,068,211 bases with an average guanine and cytosine (GC) content of 43.94%. The 13 chromosomes were predicted to encode 11,060 genes. A contig (122,566 bases) presumably containing the whole circular mitochondrial genome was also recovered. The chromosome-wide comparison of T. bakamatsutake and Tricholoma matsutake (TMA_r1.0) indicated that the basic number of chromosomes (13) was conserved, but the structures of the corresponding chromosomes diverged, with multiple inversions and translocations. Gene conservation and cluster analyses revealed at least 3 phylogenetic clades in Tricholoma section Caligata. Specifically, all T. bakamatsutake strains belonged to the “bakamatsutake” clade, which is most proximal to the “caligatum” clade consisting of Tricholoma caligatum and Tricholoma fulvocastaneum. The constructed highly contiguous nearly telomere-to-telomere genome sequence of a T. bakamatsutake isolate will serve as a fundamental resource for future research on the evolution and differentiation of Tricholoma species.
The Profile of Stress and Coping Related to Successful Aging Among Chinese Migrant and Nonmigrant Grandparents
Authors: Hu Yue , Wangliu Yiqi , Fung Helene H , Bookwala Jamila , Wong Jason , Tong Yuying
Published: September 2023

Background and Objectives

Around eight million older adults have internally migrated to take care of grandchildren in China. This study aimed to explore how Chinese migrant and nonmigrant grandparents perceived successful aging and how they coped with challenges to successful aging.

Research Design and Methods

Based on ecological systems theory, semistructured interviews were conducted among 21 grandparents (12 migrants, median age = 59 years old) from urban areas in China who provided noncustodial grandchild care. Deductive content analysis was employed to examine the data pertaining to the definition of successful aging, the stressors encountered, and coping strategies employed by both groups.

Results

Findings revealed that both migrant and nonmigrant grandparents placed a higher emphasis on family prosperity than their own physical health, in their definitions of successful aging. Although both groups experienced common stressors in the microsystem (e.g., intergenerational conflicts), migrant grandparents uniquely encountered stressors in the mesosystem (e.g., hardships in their close relationships) and in the macrosystem (e.g., uncertainty in aging preparation). In terms of coping, migrant grandparents exhibited a distinctive pattern of utilizing avoidant coping strategies when navigating intergenerational conflicts and planning for their later life, compared to nonmigrant grandparents.

Discussion and Implications

Our findings suggested that although migration was not associated with grandparents’ definition of successful aging, migrant grandparents encountered specific challenges in achieving successful aging. This highlights the necessity of providing more support to grandparents through the family, community, or state, particularly to those who are migrants.
Hippocampal and peripheral blood DNA methylation signatures correlate at the gene and pathway level in a mouse model of autism
Authors: Alberca Carolina D , Papale Ligia A , Madrid Andy , Alisch Reid S
Published: September 2023

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are polygenic multifactorial disorders influenced by environmental factors. ASD-related differential DNA methylation has been found in human peripheral tissues, such as placenta, paternal sperm, buccal epithelium, and blood. However, these data lack direct comparison of DNA methylation levels with brain tissue from the same individual to determine the extent that peripheral tissues are surrogates for behavior-related disorders. Here, whole genome methylation profiling at all the possible sites throughout the mouse genome (>25 million) from both brain and blood tissues revealed novel insights into the systemic contributions of DNA methylation to ASD. Sixty-six differentially methylated regions (DMRs) share the same genomic coordinates in these two tissues, many of which are linked to risk genes for neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities (e.g. Prkch, Ptn, Hcfc1, Mid1, and Nfia). Gene ontological pathways revealed a significant number of common terms between brain and blood (N = 65 terms), and nearly half (30/65) were associated with brain/neuronal development. Furthermore, seven DMR-associated genes among these terms contain methyl-sensitive transcription factor sequence motifs within the DMRs of both tissues; four of them (Cux2, Kcnip2, Fgf13, and Mrtfa) contain the same methyl-sensitive transcription factor binding sequence motifs (HES1/2/5, TBX2 and TFAP2C), suggesting DNA methylation influences the binding of common transcription factors required for gene expression. Together, these findings suggest that peripheral blood is a good surrogate tissue for brain and support that DNA methylation contributes to altered gene regulation in the pathogenesis of ASD.
Association of childhood adversities with psychosocial difficulties among Chinese children and adolescents
Authors: Li Yuchen , Shang Yanan , Yang Yao , Hou Can , Yang Huazhen , Hu Yao , Zhang Jian , Song Huan , Zhang Wei
Published: September 2023

Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been well recognized as risk factors for various adverse outcomes. However, the impacts of ACEs on psychological wellbeing among Chinese children and adolescents are unknown.

Methods

In total, 27 414 participants (6592 Grade 4–6 and 20 822 Grade 7–12 students) were included and information on ACEs and various psychosocial outcomes was collected. We identified subgroups with distinct psychosocial statuses using cluster analysis and logistic regression was applied to measure the associations of ACEs [individual, cumulative numbers by categories or co-occurring patterns identified by using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA)] with item- and cluster-specific psychosocial difficulties.

Results

Three and four cluster-based psychosocial statuses were identified for Grade 4–6 and Grade 7–12 students, respectively, indicating that psychosocial difficulties among younger students were mainly presented as changes in relationships/behaviours, whereas older students were more likely featured by deviations in multiple domains including psychiatric symptoms and suicidality. Strongest associations were found for threat-related ACEs (e.g. bullying experiences) with item- or cluster-based psychosocial difficulties (e.g. for cluster-based difficulties, the highest odds ratios = 1.72–2.08 for verbal bullying in Grade 4–6 students and 6.30–12.81 for cyberbullying in Grade 7–12 students). Analyses on cumulative numbers of ACEs and MCA-based ACE patterns revealed similar risk patterns. Additionally, exposure patterns predominated by poor external environment showed significant associations with psychosocial difficulties among Grade 7–12 students but not Grade 4–6 students.

Conclusions

Chinese adolescents faced different psychosocial difficulties that varied by age, all of which were associated with ACEs, particularly threat-related ACEs. Such findings prompt the development of early interventions for those key ACEs to prevent psychosocial adversities among children and adolescents.
Carbon assessment and cost accounting of a shared building based on the life cycle assessment
Authors: Lei Yi , Dong Lili
Published: September 2023

The transformation toward carbon neutrality is crucial, especially within the building industry, which is a significant carbon source. Building carbon accounting is fundamental to enable designers to undertake decarbonisation efforts, yet it remains a less mature field. This paper aims to assess carbon emissions and conduct cost accounting for a shared building using life cycle assessment (LCA) method. Beyond this, this paper also focuses on cost accounting associated with decarbonising efforts. The primary objective is to uncover the sustainability characteristics of shared buildings and establish a foundation for future decarbonisation decision-making. To achieve these goals, this paper first analyses various LCA techniques. Second, the carbon cost accounting model and method are discussed in aspects of five stages across the building life cycle. Third, the carbon emissions and cost accounting of an actual project involving an intelligently designed shared building are examined. The results reveal important insights. The intelligent design stage exhibits the lowest carbon emission, constituting a mere 0.002% of the total, whereas the use and maintenance stage shows the highest carbon emission, representing approximately 65.45% in proportion. In addition, the demolition and disposal stage demonstrates negative emissions (~7.1% of the total), indicating its contribution to decarbonisation. On the decarbonisation costs, material production and transportation contribute the largest proportion, ~67.38%, with the greatest potential for decarbonisation optimization. Overall, this paper provides essential insights into building carbon emission assessment in different stages, offering valuable guidance for architects, designers and engineering to optimise decarbonisation strategies.
Uniqueness of refractive indices and transmission coefficients by an inhomogeneous medium in acoustic scattering
Authors: Xiang Jianli , Yan Guozheng
Published: September 2023

We are concerned with the inverse scattering problem of recovering the refractive indices and transmission coefficients by the corresponding acoustic far-field measurement encoded into the scattering amplitude. Our first uniqueness result is to determine a constant refractive index by the fixed incident direction scattering amplitude, the proof of which is mainly based on the discreteness of the corresponding interior transmission eigenvalues. Then motivated by the previous work (Xiang & Yan 2021), the second uniqueness result is established to recover a piecewise constant refractive index from the far-field pattern at a fixed frequency.
Identifying factors associated with user retention and outcomes of a digital intervention for substance use disorder: a retrospective analysis of real-world data
Authors: Günther Franziska , Wong David , Elison-Davies Sarah , Yau Christopher
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Successful delivery of digital health interventions is affected by multiple real-world factors. These factors may be identified in routinely collected, ecologically valid data from these interventions. We propose ideas for exploring these data, focusing on interventions targeting complex, comorbid conditions.

Materials and Methods

This study retrospectively explores pre-post data collected between 2016 and 2019 from users of digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—containing psychoeducation and practical exercises—for substance use disorder (SUD) at UK addiction services. To identify factors associated with heterogenous user responses to the technology, we employed multivariable and multivariate regressions and random forest models of user-reported questionnaire data.

Results

The dataset contained information from 14 078 individuals of which 12 529 reported complete data at baseline and 2925 did so again after engagement with the CBT. Ninety-three percent screened positive for dependence on 1 of 43 substances at baseline, and 73% screened positive for anxiety or depression. Despite pre-post improvements independent of user sociodemographics, women reported more frequent and persistent symptoms of SUD, anxiety, and depression. Retention—minimum 2 use events recorded—was associated more with deployment environment than user characteristics. Prediction accuracy of post-engagement outcomes was acceptable (Area Under Curve [AUC]: 0.74–0.79), depending non-trivially on user characteristics.

Discussion

Traditionally, performance of digital health interventions is determined in controlled trials. Our analysis showcases multivariate models with which real-world data from these interventions can be explored and sources of user heterogeneity in retention and symptom reduction uncovered.

Conclusion

Real-world data from digital health interventions contain information on natural user-technology interactions which could enrich results from controlled trials.
Biomarkers That Predict Crohn’s Disease Outcomes
Authors: Olivera Pablo A , Silverberg Mark S
Published: September 2023

Crohn’s disease (CD), a chronic inflammatory condition of the digestive tract, poses significant challenges in terms of disease prognosis and treatment selection. Biomarkers have the potential to predict CD outcomes and guide clinical decision-making. This review aims to summarize the current literature on promising biomarkers associated with CD outcomes and their potential clinical implications. The identification of reliable biomarkers for CD outcomes is of paramount importance in tailoring treatment strategies, monitoring disease activity, and predicting the risk of complications. Clinical prognostic factors traditionally used to assess disease severity, and the likelihood of complications have limitations in accuracy and predictive value. Thus, there is a need for more precise biomarkers, particularly in newly diagnosed and treatment-naive patients. Pharmacogenomic markers, such as TPMT and NUDT15 polymorphisms, have been utilized to identify patients at risk of adverse events with thiopurine therapy. Several biomarkers, including HLA haplotypes, oncostatin M expression, and transcriptomic profiles, have shown associations with response to anti-TNF therapy. Confocal laser endomicroscopy and single-cell analyses hold promise in predicting treatment response to specific therapies. The identification of biomarkers associated with post-operative recurrence in CD is crucial, as it could lead to changes in management algorithms. Several promising microbiome signatures and proteomic profiles have been identified. In conclusion, biomarkers have the potential to revolutionize the management of CD by providing valuable prognostic information and guiding treatment decisions. However, further research and validation are necessary to establish their clinical utility and integration into routine practice.
Uncertainty, Investment and Productivity with Relational Contracts
Authors: Malcomson James M
Published: September 2023

With relational contracts, increased uncertainty with no change in factor prices is shown to reduce investment in the long run even if the parties are risk-neutral. This contrasts with models based on the impact of financial risk on the cost of capital and on the option value arising from irreversible investment. For the latter, Bloom et al. (Econometrica, 2018) find that a negative first-moment shock, in addition to increased uncertainty, best matches the data. This paper develops a relational contract model to demonstrate the impact of uncertainty on investment, depending on whether investment is general or specific. It then uses a specification calibrated with parameters from Bloom et al. (Econometrica, 2018) to show that this model can generate effects on productivity and investment of the magnitude of the negative aggregate shock in that paper purely with an increase in uncertainty.
Transgenic approaches in medical entomology: 2022 highlights
Authors: Simões Maria L
Published: September 2023

Transgenesis has emerged as a powerful tool to control arthropod vectors and the diseases they transmit. Here, we highlight the latest developments on transgenic approaches in ticks, Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, based on recent findings and significant papers from 2022. We survey topics ranging from population replacement, population suppression, gene drive, sex ratio distortion, public engagement and capacity building, and gene editing in ticks. While presenting these advancements, we discuss the current challenges surrounding the application of arthropod transgenesis for the development of novel vector control strategies.
The female and pupa of Uranotaenia (Pseudoficalbia) bhutanensis (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Somboon Pradya , Namgay Rinzin , Harbach Ralph E
Published: September 2023

Uranotaenia bhutanensis Somboon, Namgay & Harbach was recently described as a new species of the Bimaculata Series of the subgenus Pseudoficalbia Theobald based on larvae collected from a log hole at high altitude in Bhutan. The adult female and pupa are described in this article based on the subsequent discovery of 2 paratype females with associated pupal exuviae.
Invasive Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) investigation in South Carolina: new records of establishment, pathogen prevalence, and blood meal analyses
Authors: Dye-Braumuller Kyndall C , Gual-Gonzalez Lídia , Abiodun Titi , Rustin Lauren P , Evans Chris L , Meyer Madeleine M , Zellars Kia , Neault Mike J , Nolan Melissa S
Published: September 2023

The first established population of the Asian longhorned tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann, Acari: Ixodidae) was discovered in a northern South Carolina county in June 2022. A coordinated investigation was launched to investigate the invasive tick’s pathogen infection prevalence and blood meal preferences. Almost 2,000 Ha. longicornis ticks were collected from one cattle field. A majority of collected ticks had evidence of cattle and dog blood meals, and multiple samples were tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Theileria orientalis—first reports for these pathogens in this tick species in South Carolina. This investigation was the direct result of a collaborative education campaign and tick surveillance program launched earlier in the year with multiple state partners.
Genetic and physiological responses to light quality in a deep ocean ecotype of Ostreococcus, an ecologically important photosynthetic picoeukaryote
Authors: Sands Elizabeth , Davies Sian , Puxty Richard John , Vergé Valerie , Bouget François-Yves , Scanlan David John , Carré Isabelle Alice
Published: September 2023

Phytoplankton are exposed to dramatic variations in light quality when cells are carried by upwelling or downwelling currents or encounter sediment. We investigated the potential impact of light quality changes in Ostreococcus, a key marine photosynthetic picoeukaryote, by analysing changes in its transcriptome, pigment content, and photophysiology after acclimation to monochromatic red, green, or blue light. The clade B species RCC809, isolated from the deep euphotic zone of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, responded to blue light by accelerating cell division at the expense of storage reserves and by increasing the relative level of blue-light-absorbing pigments. It responded to red and green light by increasing its potential for photoprotection. In contrast, the clade A species OTTH0595, which originated from a shallow water environment, showed no difference in photosynthetic properties and minor differences in carotenoid contents between light qualities. This was associated with the loss of candidate light-quality responsive promoter motifs identified in RCC809 genes. These results demonstrate that light quality can have a major influence on the physiology of eukaryotic phytoplankton and suggest that different light quality environments can drive selection for diverse patterns of responsiveness and environmental niche partitioning.
A comparative study on outcomes of fasting vs postprandial thyroid function tests among pregnant mothers in a tertiary care setting in Sri Lanka
Authors: Mohideen Shifaniya Banu , Herath Thamara , Manathunga Supun
Published: September 2023

Objective

Accurate estimation of serum thyrotropin (TSH) is crucial in the diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in pregnancy. We aimed to investigate whether there are significant differences between fasting and nonfasting thyroid function tests (TFTs) among pregnant mothers.

Methods

We studied 100 pregnant mothers with previously unknown thyroid dysfunction. An equal number of participants were included in each trimester. All pregnant mothers underwent fasting and 2-hour postprandial TFTs (TSH, free T4).

Results

Postprandial TSH (mean 1.01 mIU/L, SD 0.80) was significantly lower than the fasting TSH (mean 1.47 mIU/L, SD 1.18) in pregnancy (P < .01). Postprandial free T4 (mean 10.30 pmol/L, SD 2.01) was also lowered compared with fasting free T4 (mean 10.70 pmol/L, SD 1.99) in pregnancy (P < .01). The prevalence of SCH in pregnancy estimated using fasting TSH was 9.4% (SD 3%). In contrast, the prevalence was only 3.5% (SD 2%) when postprandial TSH was used.

Conclusion

Compared with the fasting state, postprandial TSH demonstrates a statistically significant reduction that greatly influences the diagnosis of SCH in pregnant mothers. Therefore, we conclude that the timing of sampling for TFTs should be standardized, especially in the pregnant population.
Survivals in Cheap Print, 1750–1800: Some Preliminary Estimates
Authors: Atkinson David
Published: September 2023

This paper seeks to establish some preliminary numbers for the survival rates of some different kinds of cheap print, especially ballads and chapbooks, from the second half of the eighteenth century. The basic method is to compare contemporary booksellers’ lists with modern records of surviving copies, especially ESTC. An important question is whether survival rates can be correlated with price and/or type of content, and whether the publications of certain booksellers have survived better than others. Methodological problems of such a study include variation in sample size, and especially the unreliability of results based on very small samples, and the critical role of collectors in ensuring that publications of this kind survived at all.
Compositors’ Spelling Preferences and the Integrity of 2 Henry VI
Authors: Vickers Brian
Published: September 2023

The recent New Oxford Shakespeare Authorship Companion states that 2 Henry VI was co-authored by Shakespeare and Marlowe, citing an essay by Paul Vincent arguing that a change in the spelling of the interjection O/Oh showed a change in authorship. Vincent affirmed that ‘playwrights usually favoured one alternative far more than the other, and that the compositors of the First Folio regularly followed their copy text.’ He compiled a list of the variant spellings, arranged by Act and scene, identifying which compositors had set each section. Vincent argued that a passage corresponding to Act 3 in modern editions (the Folio is undivided) containing few instances of either O or Oh signalled an authorial change. When the evidence is arranged according to the sequence in which the two compositors set the pages, no consistent preference can be seen, thus disproving the case for Marlowe’s co-authorship.
Multiclustering needlet ILC for CMB B-mode component separation
Authors: Carones Alessandro , Migliaccio Marina , Puglisi Giuseppe , Baccigalupi Carlo , Marinucci Domenico , Vittorio Nicola , Poletti Davide ,   for the LiteBIRD collaboration
Published: September 2023

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) primordial B-mode signal is predicted to be much lower than the polarized Galactic emission (foregrounds) in any region of the sky pointing to the need for sophisticated component separation methods. Among them, the blind Needlet Internal Linear Combination (NILC) has great relevance given our current poor knowledge of the B-mode foregrounds. However, the expected level of spatial variability of the foreground spectral properties complicates the NILC subtraction of the Galactic contamination. We therefore propose a novel extension of the NILC approach, the Multiclustering NILC (MC-NILC), which performs NILC variance minimization on separate regions of the sky (clusters) properly chosen to have similar spectral properties of the B-mode Galactic emission within them. Clusters are identified thresholding either the ratio of simulated foregrounds-only B modes (ideal case) or the one of cleaned templates of Galactic emission obtained from realistic simulations. In this work we present an application of MC-NILC to the future LiteBIRD satellite, which targets the observation of both reionization and recombination peaks of the primordial B-mode angular power spectrum with a total error on the tensor-to-scalar ratio δr < 0.001. We show that MC-NILC provides a CMB solution with residual foreground and noise contamination that is significantly lower than the NILC one and the primordial signal targeted by LiteBIRD at all angular scales for the ideal case and at the reionization peak for a realistic ratio. Thus, MC-NILC will represent a powerful method to mitigate B-mode foregrounds for future CMB polarization experiments.
The signature of refreshed shocks in the afterglow of GRB 030329
Authors: Moss Michael J , Mochkovitch Robert , Daigne Frédéric , Beniamini Paz , Guiriec Sylvain
Published: September 2023

GRB 030329 displays one clear and, possibly, multiple less intense fast-rising (Δt/t ∼ 0.3) jumps in its optical afterglow light curve. The decay rate of the optical light curve remains the same before and after the flux jumps. This may be the signature of energy injection into the shocked material at the front of the jet. In this study, we model the Gamma-ray Burst (GRB) ejecta as a series of shells. We follow the dynamical evolution of the ejecta as it interacts with itself (i.e. internal shocks) and with the circumburst medium (i.e. external forward and reverse shocks), and calculate the emission from each shock event assuming synchrotron emission. We confirm the viability of the proposed model in which the jumps in the optical afterglow light curve of GRB 030329 are produced via refreshed shocks. The refreshed shocks may be the signatures of collisions between earlier ejected material with an average Lorentz factor $\bar{\Gamma }\gtrsim 100$ and later ejected material with $\bar{\Gamma } \sim 10$ once the early material has decelerated due to interaction with the circumburst medium. We show that even if the late material is ejected with a spread of Lorentz factors, internal shocks naturally produce a narrow distribution of Lorentz factors (ΔΓ/Γ ≲ 0.1), which is a necessary condition to produce the observed quick rise times of the jumps. These results imply a phase of internal shocks at some point in the dynamical evolution of the ejecta, which requires a low magnetization in the outflow.
Determining the dark matter distribution in simulated galaxies with deep learning
Authors: de los Rios Martín , Petač Mihael , Zaldivar Bryan , Bonaventura Nina R , Calore Francesca , Iocco Fabio
Published: September 2023

We present a novel method of inferring the dark matter (DM) content and spatial distribution within galaxies, using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) trained within state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulations (Illustris–TNG100). Within the controlled environment of the simulation, the framework we have developed is capable of inferring the DM mass distribution within galaxies of mass ∼1011–$10^{13} \, M_\odot$ from the gravitationally baryon-dominated internal regions to the DM-rich, baryon-depleted outskirts of the galaxies, with a mean absolute error always below ≈0.25 when using photometrical and spectroscopic information. With respect to traditional methods, the one presented here also possesses the advantages of not relying on a pre-assigned shape for the DM distribution, to be applicable to galaxies not necessarily in isolation, and to perform very well even in the absence of spectroscopic observations.
Evolution of fallback discs around millisecond magnetars: effect of supercritical accretion on GRB afterglows
Authors: Çıkıntoğlu Sercan , Şaşmaz Sinem , Erkut M Hakan , Ekşi K Yavuz
Published: September 2023

Some models of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) invoke nascent millisecond magnetars as the central engine and address the X-ray afterglows with the interaction of magnetar magnetospheres with fallback discs. We study the evolution of fallback discs interacting with the millisecond magnetars. Initially, the accretion rate in the fallback disc is very high, well above the rate required for the Eddington limit. The inner parts of such a disc, even if it is cooling by the neutrino emission, get spherical due to the radiation pressure, which regulates the mass-accretion rate within the spherization radius. Such a disc can not penetrate the light cylinder radius for the typical magnetic fields, and the initial spin frequencies invoked for the magnetars. As a result of the autoregulation of the accretion flow, the fallback disc can not interact directly with the magnetar’s magnetosphere within the first few days. This has implications for the fallback disc models of GRB afterglows since the accretion and propeller luminosities, in the presence of radiation pressure, are too low to address the typical luminosities of X-ray afterglows.
Magnetic fields catalyse massive black hole formation and growth
Authors: Begelman Mitchell C , Silk Joseph
Published: September 2023

Large-scale magnetic fields in the nuclear regions of protogalaxies can promote the formation and early growth of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) by direct collapse and magnetically boosted accretion. Turbulence associated with gravitational infall and star formation can drive the rms field strength toward equipartition with the mean gas kinetic energy; this field has a generic tendency to self-organize into large coherent structures. If the poloidal component of the field (relative to the rotational axis of a star-forming disc) becomes organized on scales ≲r and attains an energy of order a few per cent of the turbulent energy in the disc, then dynamo effects are expected to generate magnetic torques capable of increasing the inflow speed and thickening the disc. The accretion flow can transport matter towards the centre of mass at a rate adequate to create and grow a massive direct-collapse black hole seed and fuel the subsequent AGN at a high rate, without becoming gravitationally unstable. Fragmentation and star formation are thus suppressed and do not necessarily deplete the mass supply for the accretion flow, in contrast to prevailing models for growing and fuelling SMBHs through disc accretion.
Stromule Geometry Allows Optimal Spatial Regulation of Organelle Interactions in the Quasi-2D Cytoplasm
Authors: Erickson Jessica Lee , Prautsch Jennifer , Reynvoet Frisine , Niemeyer Frederik , Hause Gerd , Johnston Iain G , Schattat Martin Harmut
Published: September 2023

In plant cells, plastids form elongated extensions called stromules, the regulation and purposes of which remain unclear. Here, we quantitatively explore how different stromule structures serve to enhance the ability of a plastid to interact with other organelles: increasing the effective space for interaction and biomolecular exchange between organelles. Interestingly, electron microscopy and confocal imaging showed that the cytoplasm in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells is extremely thin (around 100 nm in regions without organelles), meaning that inter-organelle interactions effectively take place in 2D. We combine these imaging modalities with mathematical modeling and new in planta experiments to demonstrate how different stromule varieties (single or multiple, linear or branching) could be employed to optimize different aspects of inter-organelle interaction capacity in this 2D space. We found that stromule formation and branching provide a proportionally higher benefit to interaction capacity in 2D than in 3D. Additionally, this benefit depends on optimal plastid spacing. We hypothesize that cells can promote the formation of different stromule architectures in the quasi-2D cytoplasm to optimize their interaction interface to meet specific requirements. These results provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying the transition from low to high stromule numbers, the consequences for interaction with smaller organelles, how plastid access and plastid to nucleus signaling are balanced and the impact of plastid density on organelle interaction.
It’s a female’s world: sex ratio of polar pelagic ostracods tested across multiple spatiotemporal scales
Authors: Chen Emily Y-S , Trudnowska Emilia , Błachowiak-Samołyk Katarzyna
Published: September 2023

Biased sex ratios are commonly found in nature and were also observed in this study on pelagic ostracods in both the Arctic and Southern Oceans. Because changes in sex ratio may occur in response to environmental perturbations, studying this aspect in polar regions as they continue to warm is of ecological importance. Here, a robust spatiotemporal dataset of historical and contemporary sex data was compiled to explore variation in ostracod sex ratio with respect to species, depth, region, season and ontogeny. Global ostracod populations in both the Arctic and Antarctic demonstrated a stable female bias of ~ 60–70% over all tested factors. This female bias was even higher when only the premature A-1 stage was considered, regardless of the factor. The widespread stability in stage-specific sex ratio and its subtle changes, especially in the interannual context, show that marine Ostracoda has the potential to be a model organism for more comprehensive sex ratio research, but deeper investigation into their ecology and reproduction is necessary.
Extensive rewiring of the gene regulatory interactions between in vitro–produced conceptuses and endometrium during attachment
Authors: Biase Fernando H , Moorey Sarah E , Schnuelle Julie G , Rodning Soren , Ortega Marta Sofia , Spencer Thomas E
Published: September 2023

Pregnancy loss is a significant problem when embryos produced in vitro are transferred to a synchronized uterus. Currently, mechanisms that underlie losses of in vitro–produced embryos during implantation are largely unknown. We investigated this problem using cattle as a model of conceptus attachment by analyzing transcriptome data of paired extraembryonic membrane and endometrial samples collected on gestation days 18 and 25, which spans the attachment window in cattle. We identified that the transfer of an in vitro–produced embryo caused a significant alteration in transcript abundance of hundreds of genes in extraembryonic and endometrial tissues on gestation days 18 and 25, when compared to pregnancies initiated by artificial insemination. Many of the genes with altered transcript abundance are associated with biological processes that are relevant to the establishment of pregnancy. An integrative analysis of transcriptome data from the conceptus and endometrium identified hundreds of putative ligand–receptor pairs. There was a limited variation of ligand–receptor pairs in pregnancies initiated by in vitro–produced embryos on gestation day 18, and no alteration was observed on gestation day 25. In parallel, we identified that in vitro production of embryos caused an extensive alteration in the coexpression of genes expressed in the extraembryonic membranes and the corresponding endometrium on both gestation days. Both the transcriptional dysregulation that exists in the conceptus or endometrium independently and the rewiring of gene transcription between the conceptus and endometrium are a potential component of the mechanisms that contribute to pregnancy losses caused by in vitro production of embryos.
High level of correspondence across different news domain quality rating sets
Authors: Lin Hause , Lasser Jana , Lewandowsky Stephan , Cole Rocky , Gully Andrew , Rand David G , Pennycook Gordon
Published: September 2023

One widely used approach for quantifying misinformation consumption and sharing is to evaluate the quality of the news domains that a user interacts with. However, different media organizations and fact-checkers have produced different sets of news domain quality ratings, raising questions about the reliability of these ratings. In this study, we compared six sets of expert ratings and found that they generally correlated highly with one another. We then created a comprehensive set of domain ratings for use by the research community (github.com/hauselin/domain-quality-ratings), leveraging an ensemble “wisdom of experts” approach. To do so, we performed imputation together with principal component analysis to generate a set of aggregate ratings. The resulting rating set comprises 11,520 domains—the most extensive coverage to date—and correlates well with other rating sets that have more limited coverage. Together, these results suggest that experts generally agree on the relative quality of news domains, and the aggregate ratings that we generate offer a powerful research tool for evaluating the quality of news consumed or shared and the efficacy of misinformation interventions.
Evaporation of a nonsingular Reissner–Nordström black hole and the information loss problem
Authors: Sueto Kensuke , Yoshino Hirotaka
Published: September 2023

One of the attractive solutions to the information loss problem is that the event horizon does not appear in the process of gravitational collapse and subsequent evaporation once the spacetime singularity is regularized by some mechanism, as pointed out by Hayward and Frolov. In this paper, we examine whether this Hayward–Frolov scenario holds for the evaporation of a charged black hole. The process of collapse and evaporation is modeled with the charged Vaidya spacetime and two kinds of regularization of the central singularity are considered. Analyzing the spacetime structure of the evaporating black hole, we find that the appropriately regularized evaporating Reissner–Nordström “black hole” has no event and Cauchy horizons, indicating the possibility that the Hayward–Frolov scenario may have sufficient generality as the solution to the information loss problem. In addition, the properties of the nonsingular evaporating Reissner–Nordström black hole are examined in detail.
Gas clumping in the outskirts of galaxy clusters, an assessment of the sensitivity ofSTAR-X
Authors: Norseth Christian T , Wik Daniel R , ZuHone John A , Miller Eric D , Bautz Marshall W , McDonald Michael
Published: September 2023

In the outskirts of galaxy clusters, entropy profiles measured from X-ray observations of the hot intracluster medium (ICM) drops off unexpectedly. One possible explanation for this effect is gas clumping, where pockets of cooler and denser structures within the ICM are present. Current observatories are unable to directly detect these hypothetical gas clumps. One of the science drivers of the proposed STAR-X observatory is to resolve these or similar structures. Its high spatial resolution, large effective area, and low instrumental background make STAR-X ideal for directly detecting and characterizing clumps and diffuse emission in cluster outskirts. The aim of this work is to simulate observations of clumping in clusters to determine how well STAR-X will be able to detect clumps, as well as what clumping properties reproduce observed entropy profiles. This is achieved by using yt, pyXSIM, SOXS, and other tools to inject ideally modelled clumps into 3D models derived from actual clusters using their observed profiles from other X-ray missions. Radial temperature and surface brightness profiles are then extracted from mock observations using concentric annuli. We find that in simulated observations for STAR-X, a parameter space of clump properties exists where gas clumps can be successfully identified using wavdetect and masked, and are able to recover the true cluster profiles. This demonstrates that STAR-X could be capable of detecting substructure in the outskirts of nearby clusters and that the properties of both the outskirts and the clumps will be revealed.
Optimal lameness induction model development using amphotericin B in meat goats
Authors: Weeder Mikaela M , Kleinhenz Michael D , Reppert Emily J , Fritz Bailey R , Viscardi Abbie V , Montgomery Shawnee R , Martin Miriam S , Curtis Andrew K , Leslie Alyssa A , Lou Maria E , Hall Madeline G , Coetzee Johann F
Published: September 2023

Lameness continues to be a critical health and welfare concern associated with goat production. Amphotericin B (amp B) is an antimicrobial successful in inducing transient lameness for research purposes previously in livestock animals. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify which of three varying doses of amp B would be most effective in inducing lameness in meat type goats and (2) develop a facial grimace scale for goats. Lameness was produced by an intra-articular injection of amphotericin B into the left hind lateral claw distal interphalangeal joint with either a 5 mg/0.25 mL (high–low, 5 mg of amphotericin B in a volume of 0.25 mL), 5 mg/0.5 mL (high–high, 5 mg of amphotericin B in a volume of 0.5 mL), or a 2.5 mg/0.25 mL (low–low, 2.5 mg of amphotericin B in a volume of 0.25 mL). A saline treatment of 0.5 mL was used as control (0.9% sterile saline solution). Lameness response was analyzed by infrared thermography (IRT) at the induced joint, mechanical-nociception threshold (MNT), visual lameness scoring (VLS), a visual analogue scale (VAS), kinetic gait analysis (KGA), plasma cortisol (CORT), substance P (Sub P), and behavior scoring. The IRT and MNT values differed by timepoint (P ≤ 0.0001). Results from VLS showed the HL treatment was the most effective at inducing lameness (6/6 goats became lame compared to HH 4/6 and LL 2/6). At 24, 48, and 72 h, VAS scores were significantly higher when comparing HL to all other treatment groups (P = 0.0003). Both behavior observers (1 and 2) reported a significant time effect (P = 0.05), with goats exhibiting more facial grimacing at 24 h post-lameness induction. From these data, an optimal dose for a repeatable lameness induction model in goats was aquired. An effective Goat Grimace Scale (GGS) was also developed to evaluate pain responses in goats.