bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disentangling the effects of region, forest-management intensity and plant diversity on litterfall quantity, quality and turnover in temperate forests
Authors: Wilcke Wolfgang , Zimmer Vera , Bauhus Jürgen , Schöning Ingo , Schrumpf Marion , Michalzik Beate , Siemens Jan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Simultaneous effects of more than one global change driver on ecosystem functioning have rarely been assessed.

Methods

We disentangled the effects of region encompassing climatic and edaphic conditions, forest-management intensity and community plant diversity on litterfall quantity, quality and turnover in 27 temperate forests across an environmental gradient.

Results

Region significantly influenced litterfall and organic layer mass and chemical quality and litter and element turnover. After accounting for the influence of region, increasing forest-management intensity (ForMI) significantly decreased litterfall mass, N, P and K concentrations and nutrient fluxes and slowed down litter and nutrient turnover. Because increasing ForMI reflected the man-made contributions of coniferous trees, these results can partly be attributed to the lower litterfall at our study sites and slower litter turnover of coniferous than deciduous trees. After accounting for the influences of region and ForMI, increasing diversity of the vascular plant community on the study plots measured as species richness or Shannon index significantly increased C and decreased N, P and S concentrations in litterfall. Together with the significantly decreased N and P concentrations in the organic layer with increasing plant diversity, these results indicated an increased within-stand nutrient-use efficiency and a more complete soil nutrient use with increasing plant diversity.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that increasing ForMI, which is associated with increasing conifer shares, leaves element stocks in the organic layer unchanged but slows down C turnover and thus increases temporary C storage in soil organic layers. Moreover, community vascular plant diversity helps close nutrient cycles.
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in Tunisian hospital wastewater: occurrence and environmental risk
Authors: Nasri Emna , de la Vega Ana Cristina Soler , Martí Carlos Barata , Ben Mansour Hedi , Diaz-Cruz Maria Silvia
Published: December 2023

Despite concerns about the potential risk associated with the environmental occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), few studies address the emissions of hospitals to aquatic compartments. We examined within a 3-month sampling period the occurrence and environmental risk of PPCPs in seven Tunisian hospital wastewaters. From personal care products, UV filters, main metabolites, and benzotriazoles were quantified, with benzophenone 3 (oxybenzone, BP3) and benzotriazole (BZT) the most frequently found (71%) at median concentrations in the range 2.43 ± 0.87 ngL−1–64.05 ± 6.82 ngL−1 for BP3 and 51.67 ± 1.67 ngL−1–254 ± 9.9 ngL−1 for BZT. High concentrations were also found for 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4HB) (221 ± 6.22 ngL−1), one of the main metabolites of BP3. The antibiotics ofloxacin and trimethoprim, the anti-inflammatory acetaminophen, the antiepileptic carbamazepine, and the stimulant caffeine were present in all the wastewaters. The highest median concentration corresponded to acetaminophen, with 1240 ± 94 mgL−1 in Tunis Hospital, followed by ofloxacin with 78850 ± 39 μgL−1 in Sousse Hospital. For ecotoxicity assessment, acute toxicity was observed for Daphnia magna and Vibrio fischeri. The toxicity data were used in a hazard quotient (HQ) approach to evaluate the risk posed by the target PPCPs to aquatic organisms. The calculated HQs revealed that marbofloxacin (234 for V. fischeri), enrofloxacin (121 for D. magna), and BZT (82.2 for D. magna and 83.7 for V. fischeri) posed the highest risk, concluding that potential risk exists toward aquatic microorganisms. This study constitutes the first monitoring of UV filters in Tunisian hospital effluents and provides occurrence and toxicity data of PPCPs for reference in further surveys in the country.

Graphical Abstract
The role of chemical properties of the material deposited in nests of white stork in shaping enzymatic activity and fungal diversity
Authors: Błońska Ewa , Jankowiak Robert , Lasota Jarosław , Krzemińska Natalia , Zbyryt Adam , Ciach Michał
Published: December 2023

Organic debris accumulated in bird nests creates a unique environment for organisms, including microbes. Built from various plant materials that are typically enriched by animal residues, bird nest favours the development of various fungal groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical properties of the material deposited in the white stork Ciconia ciconia nests and the link between extracellular enzyme activity and the diversity and composition of culturable fungi. Our findings revealed low C/P and N/P ratio values in the nest materials, which indicate a high P availability. Nest material C/N/P ratio ranged from 67/8/1 to 438/33/1. Enzymatic activity strongly correlated with the content of carbon, nitrogen, and pH of the material deposited in the nests. A total of 2726 fungal isolates were obtained from the nests, from which 82 taxa were identified based on morphology and DNA sequence data. The study indicates that white stork nests are microhabitat characterised by diverse chemical and biochemical properties. We found relationship between the fungal richness and diversity and the C/P and N/P ratios of materials from the nests. Our study showed that culturable fungi occurred frequently in materials with high levels of C, N, and P, as well as high concentrations of base alkaline elements (Ca, Mg, and K).
Treatment outcomes of radiotherapy with concurrent weekly cisplatin in older patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Uchinami Yusuke , Yasuda Koichi , Kano Satoshi , Otsuka Manami , Hamada Seijiro , Suzuki Takayoshi , Tsushima Nayuta , Takahashi Shuhei , Fujita Yoshihiro , Miyazaki Tomohiko , Higaki Hajime , Taguchi Jun , Shimizu Yasushi , Sakashita Tomohiro , Homma Akihiro , Aoyama Hidefumi
Published: December 2023

Background

Tri-weekly cisplatin and radiotherapy (CDDP + RT) is a standard of care for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) but is sometimes challenging to complete in older patients. Weekly CDDP + RT has shown mild toxicity compared to tri-weekly CDDP + RT for LA-HNSCC and is a promising option for older adults. We aimed to report the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with LA-HNSCC treated with weekly CDDP + RT.

Methods

We analyzed patients aged ≥ 70 years who started weekly CDDP + RT for LA-HNSCC between July 2006 and October 2022. LA-HNSCC includes cancer in the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx with a clinical stage of 3 or 4 without distant metastases based on the Union for International Cancer Control staging system 8th edition. The radiation dose of 70 Gy was delivered in 35 fractions by 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, or proton beam therapy. The primary endpoint was the 3-year overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and 3-year cause-specific survival (CSS). The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate survival rates, and the log-rank test was used to evaluate statistical significance. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for the multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.

Results

The median age of the 49 patients was 72 (range: 70–78) years. The median CDDP dose was 200 (40–280) mg/ m2, and 47 patients completed scheduled radiotherapy. Forty-eight patients (98.0%) had a performance status of ≥ 1 at the initial visit. The 3-year OS, PFS, and CSS were 80.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 64.8–90.7), 58.9% (95%CI: 42.7–73.3), and 85.0% (95%CI: 68.7–93.4), respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the cumulative CDDP dose (< 200 or ≥ 200 mg/m2) was a significant factor for OS (hazard ratio: 0.29 [95% CI 0.08–0.97], p = 0.044). There was one case of early mortality. Grade 3 or higher late adverse events were observed in four patients (8.2%).

Conclusions

Weekly CDDP + RT in older patients led to good survival outcomes with an acceptable rate of adverse events. CDDP should be administered at a dose of at least 200 mg/m2 in older patients.

Trial registration Retrospectively registered
Alcyonidium kuklinskii sp. nov., a new species of Antarctic ctenostome bryozoan with a key to all Antarctic species of the genus
Authors: Schwaha Thomas , Cometti Valentina , Saadi Ahmed J. , Cecchetto Matteo , Schiaparelli Stefano
Published: December 2023

Recent surveys of Antarctic waters in the Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) revealed numerous bryozoan species including ctenostome bryozoans. Whereas cheilostome bryozoans are well-studied in these latitudes, ctenostomes remain highly neglected. Large ctenostomes are easily recognized by their lack of calcified skeletons, but this lack also renders them difficult and tedious to identify. As a result, histology and reconstructions of internal soft tissues are required to classify this group of bryozoans. Thanks to the availability of new specimens from Terra Nova Bay, a detailed analysis of growth form, gut morphology and tentacle number of two colonies, initially ascribed to the ctenostome bryozoan genus Alcyonidum Lamouroux, 1813, turned out to be a new species, Alcyonidium kuklinskii sp. nov., which we described in this study. These specimens were also barcoded (COI) and sequences compared to available ones. Together with the new species described here, a total of ten species of Alcyonidium is now known for the Southern Ocean, accounting for one eighth of the entire genus diversity. All Southern Ocean species appear to be endemic. In order to speed the identification of the Antarctic Alcyonidium species, we provide an identification key and a distribution map of all type species. In brief, colony morphology, zooidal size and, in particular tentacle number represent the most suitable characters for identifying species within this genus.
Population of invasive group A streptococci isolates from a German tertiary care center is dominated by the hypertoxigenic virulent M1UK genotype
Authors: Wolters Manuel , Berinson Benjamin , Degel-Brossmann Nicole , Hoffmann Armin , Bluszis Rico , Aepfelbacher Martin , Rohde Holger , Christner Martin
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Hypertoxigenic Streptococcus pyogenes emm1 lineage M1UK has recently been associated with upsurges of invasive infections and scarlet fever in several countries, but whole-genome sequencing surveillance data of lineages circulating in Germany is lacking. In this study, we investigated recent iGAS isolates from our laboratory at a German tertiary care center for the presence of the M1UK lineage.

Methods

Whole-genome sequencing was employed to characterize a collection of 47 consecutive non-copy isolates recovered from blood cultures (21) and tissue samples (26) in our laboratory between October 2022 and April 2023.

Results

M protein gene (emm) typing distinguished 14 different emm types, with emm1 (17) being the dominant type. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis confirmed the presence of all 27 SNPs characteristic for the M1UK lineage in 14 of 17 emm1 isolates.

Conclusion

This study has shown for the first time that M1UK is present in Germany and might constitute a driving force in the observed surge of GAS infections. This observation mirrors developments in the UK and other countries and underscores the importance of WGS surveillance to understand the epidemiology of GAS.
The Association Between Pregnancy Complications and Subsequent Interpregnancy Interval: a Nationwide Register-Based Quantile Logistic Regression Analysis
Authors: Vaajala Matias , Tarkiainen Jeremias , Mattila Ville M. , Kuitunen Ilari
Published: December 2023

There is a limited number of studies examining the influence of birth complications on the length of the subsequent interpregnancy interval (IPI). This study aimed to study the association between different pregnancy complications at first pregnancy and subsequent IPI. All women with their first and second pregnancies were gathered from the National Medical Birth Register for years 2004–2018. A logistic regression model was used to assess the association between the pregnancy complication (gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes (GDM), preterm birth, perinatal mortality, shoulder dystocia) in the first pregnancy and subsequent length of the IPI. IPIs with a length in the lower quartal were considered short IPIs, and length in the upper quartal as long IPIs. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% CIs were compared between the groups. A total of 52,709 women with short IPI, 105,604 women with normal IPI, and 52,889 women with long IPI were included. Women with gestational hypertension had higher odds for long IPI (aOR 1.12, CI 1.06–1.19), GDM had higher odds for short IPI (aOR 1.09, CI 1.09–1.13), preterm delivery had higher odds for short and long IPI (aOR 1.12, CI 1.07–1.17 for both), and perinatal mortality had higher odds for short IPI (aOR 8.05, CI 6.97–9.32) and lower odds for long IPI (aOR 1.13, CI 0.93–1.38). Women with gestational hypertension and preterm birth had higher odds for long IPI, and women with diagnosed GDM and perinatal mortality had higher odds for short IPI. We found no evidence of a difference in the length of the IPI for women with shoulder dystocia. More research on the reasons behind the subsequent long and short IPI is warranted.
2 The work of the British School at Athens, 2022–2023
Authors: Sweetman Rebecca
Published: December 2023

This article, based on an oral presentation in virtual format by the author at its Annual General Meeting in February 2023, summarizes the activities of the British School at Athens with a focus on the calendar year 2022. It gives us great pleasure to present the innovative and varied work of BSA sponsored field and research projects, the Fitch Laboratory, Knossos Research Centre, archive, and library as well as the inspiring work of the School students, post docs, and fellows.
5 Archaeology in southwest Anatolia: research from Ionia and Caria in the last decade
Authors: Koparal Elif , Eren Kenan
Published: December 2023

This paper presents a review of recent archaeological work in Ionia and Caria, located in southwest Anatolia. In this paper we focus on archaeological research conducted in the past decade and we present a synthesis of recent discoveries and published research. Southwest Anatolia is a region where the earliest archaeological work dates back to the 19th century. However, there are research areas that have been long neglected, and archaeological work has been stifled until recent decades. As a result, the last decade of research has seen significant transformations in approaches and methodologies, with new research agendas to report. Owing to their presentation in historical accounts, Ionia has been perceived as more embedded within the world of Greek archaeology, whereas Caria, viewed from an Atheno-centric perspective, has been regarded as peripheral and provincial. Therefore, it is interesting to present a synthesis of archaeological research for both regions together. It is promising that archaeological practice in both regions has begun to embrace a longue dureé approach and has shifted research focus from major urban centres and monuments to new research foci by making use of interdisciplinary research, including rural landscapes, domestic space, cultural identities, and daily practices.
4 The past 15 years of archaeological work on Roman and Byzantine Crete
Authors: Moles Anna
Published: December 2023

This article aims to overview the last 15 years of archaeological work on Crete (2007–2022) for the Roman and Byzantine periods. It is a resource that can provide the first step in the research process for those looking to investigate these time periods in Crete. It not only communicates recent discoveries and research, but also directs scholars to earlier key publications – which this article follows on from – and to an extensive bibliography of recently published research. After covering the main publications of the last 15 years and the workshops, congresses, and conferences that have taken place, it organizes the recent archaeological discoveries by site type. It begins by covering surveys of both the landscape and those conducted underwater that have been extensive across and around Crete. It then covers public buildings and infrastructure, domestic architecture, production and craft, and cemeteries. While it is not a complete listing of all finds, it summarizes the key discoveries, publications, and events in order to demonstrate the major developments for study of these time periods in Crete.
6 Shipwreck archaeology in the past 10 years
Authors: Briggs Lisa , Campbell Peter B.
Published: December 2023

This paper reviews the trends, topics, and research directions in shipwreck archaeology over the past decade. As archaeology increasingly embraces advances in technological methods that can aid our research, the so-called ‘digital turn’, it behoves maritime archaeologists, and archaeologists more broadly, to consider how collaborative utilization of specialized fields including biomolecular archaeology, geophysics, and contemporary philosophy have spurred on a rapid modernization of our field in recent times. Archaeological research, both terrestrial and underwater, has long been a collaborative discipline. However, we argue here that difficulties in working underwater have encouraged maritime and underwater archaeologists to embrace technological developments at a rapid pace. An explicit theoretical framework and the incorporation of contemporary philosophy in the field of underwater archaeology was, until recently, largely lacking in the discipline’s discourse. The incorporation and advancement of adjacent disciplines within the field of underwater archaeology mark the most relevant changes within the shifting tides of shipwreck research.
Forming the Future of Agrohydrology
Authors: Smidt S. J. , Haacker E. M. K. , Bai X. , Cherkauer K. , Choat B. , Crompton O. , Deines J. M. , Groh J. , Guzmán S. M. , Hartman S. , Kendall A. D. , Safeeq M. , Kustas W. , McGill B. M. , Nocco M. A. , Pensky J. , Rapp J. , Schreiner‐Mcgraw A. , Sprenger M. , Wan L. , Weldegebriel L. , Zipper S. , Zoccatelli D.
Published: December 2023

Agricultural water management is increasingly prioritized throughout the world as producers are tasked with meeting growing crop demand while also managing environmental resources more sustainably. Likewise, agriculture is increasingly modifying the terrestrial water cycle. In response to these dynamics, the informal research discipline of agrohydrology continues to grow, fueled by a new era of rapidly evolving research tools and big data availability. While many researchers are actively invested in agrohydrology as a research topic, there remains a gap in formalizing this valuable discipline. This article aims to: (a) identify key research themes in agrohydrology, (b) conceptualize future research topics within each theme, and (c) estimate a timeframe before topics become pressing (i.e., before a topic becomes a limiting factor in advancing water management in an agricultural context). This commentary is meant to guide the trajectory of an evolving discipline of agrohydrology, the practice of agricultural water management at multiple nested scales, and the conversation of the invested public.
Dust Under the Radar: Rethinking How to Evaluate the Impacts of Dust Events on Air Quality in the United States
Authors: Ardon‐Dryer K. , Clifford K. R. , Hand J. L.
Published: December 2023

Dust is an important and complex constituent of the atmospheric system, having significant impacts on the environment, climate, air quality, and human health. Although dust events are common across many regions of the United States, their impacts are not often prioritized in air quality mitigation strategies. We argue that there are at least three factors that result in underestimation of the social and environmental impact of dust events, making them receive less attention. These include (a) sparse monitoring stations with irregular spatial distribution in dust‐influenced regions, (b) inconsistency with dust sampling methods, and (c) sampling frequency and schedules, which can lead to missed dust events or underestimation of dust particle concentrations. Without addressing these three factors, it is challenging to characterize and understand the full air quality impacts of dust events in the United States. This paper highlights the need for additional monitoring to measure these events so that we can more fully evaluate and understand their impacts, as they are predicted to increase with climate change.
The (In)sensitivity of Granular Creep to Materials and Boundaries
Authors: Deshpande Nakul S. , Arratia Paulo E. , Jerolmack Douglas J.
Published: December 2023

Soils around the planet creep, despite wide variations in particle properties and environments. This sub‐yield “flow” of soil interacts with a variety of boundaries, in terms of geometry and friction. Here we explore the veracity of recent observations of undisturbed, gravity‐driven creep, by testing a suite of materials and boundary configurations in an experimental hillslope. Using an optical interferometry technique, we demonstrate that creep is a generic relaxation process whose qualitative dynamics are insensitive to grain properties. Velocity profiles are exponential, albeit with a defect near the no‐slip boundary. Quantitative patterns such as spatial variability and magnitude of strain rates, however, are exquisitely sensitive to the details of the experiment. The emerging picture is that creep is accomplished by localized plastic failure, which induces an elastic redistribution. Similar patterns have been observed in model glasses and on earthquake faults, indicating that sub‐yield relaxation in disordered materials may share common physics.
Lithospheric Sill Intrusions and Present‐Day Ground Deformation at Rhenish Massif, Central Europe
Authors: Silverii F. , Mantiloni L. , Rivalta E. , Dahm T.
Published: December 2023

The Rhenish Massif in Central Europe, which includes the Eifel Volcanic Fields, has shown ongoing ground deformation and signs of possible unrest. A buoyant plume exerting uplift forces at the bottom of the lithosphere was proposed to explain such deformation; the hypothesis of (possibly concurrent) melt accumulation in the crust/lithospheric mantle has not been explored yet. Here, we test deformation models in an elastic half‐space considering sources of varying aspect ratio, size and depth. We explore the effects of data coverage, noise and uncertainty on the inferred source parameters. We find that the observed deformation would require melt accumulation in sub‐horizontal sill‐like structures expanding at the rate of up to ∼0.045 km3/yr. We discuss feasibility, limitations and possible interpretations of our resulting models and elaborate on further observations which may help constrain the structure of the Rhenish Massif magmatic system.
Recent Multi‐Decadal Southern Ocean Surface Cooling Unlikely Caused by Southern Annular Mode Trends
Authors: Dong Yue , Polvani Lorenzo M. , Bonan David B.
Published: December 2023

Over recent decades, the Southern Ocean (SO) has experienced multi‐decadal surface cooling despite global warming. Earlier studies have proposed that recent SO cooling has been caused by the strengthening of surface westerlies associated with a positive trend of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) forced by ozone depletion. Here we revisit this hypothesis by examining the relationships between the SAM, zonal winds and SO sea‐surface temperature (SST). Applying a low‐frequency component analysis to observations, we show that while positive SAM anomalies can induce SST cooling as previously found, this seasonal‐to‐interannual modulation makes only a small contribution to the observed long‐term SO cooling. Global climate models well capture the observed interannual SAM‐SST relationship, and yet generally fail to simulate the observed multi‐decadal SO cooling. The forced SAM trend in recent decades is thus unlikely the main cause of the observed SO cooling, pointing to a limited role of the Antarctic ozone hole.
Real‐Time Fault Tracking and Ground Motion Prediction for Large Earthquakes With HR‐GNSS and Deep Learning
Authors: Lin Jiun‐Ting , Melgar Diego , Sahakian Valerie J. , Thomas Amanda M. , Searcy Jacob
Published: December 2023

Earthquake early warning (EEW) systems aim to forecast the shaking intensity rapidly after an earthquake occurs and send warnings to affected areas before the onset of strong shaking. The system relies on rapid and accurate estimation of earthquake source parameters. However, it is known that source estimation for large ruptures in real‐time is challenging, and it often leads to magnitude underestimation. In a previous study, we showed that machine learning, HR‐GNSS, and realistic rupture synthetics can be used to reliably predict earthquake magnitude. This model, called Machine‐Learning Assessed Rapid Geodetic Earthquake model (M‐LARGE), can rapidly forecast large earthquake magnitudes with an accuracy of 99%. Here, we expand M‐LARGE to predict centroid location and fault size, enabling the construction of the fault rupture extent for forecasting shaking intensity using existing ground motion models. We test our model in the Chilean Subduction Zone with thousands of simulated and five real large earthquakes. The result achieves an average warning time of 40.5 s for shaking intensity MMI4+, surpassing the 34 s obtained by a similar GNSS EEW model. Our approach addresses a critical gap in existing EEW systems for large earthquakes by demonstrating real‐time fault tracking feasibility without saturation issues. This capability leads to timely and accurate ground motion forecasts and can support other methods, enhancing the overall effectiveness of EEW systems. Additionally, the ability to predict source parameters for real Chilean earthquakes implies that synthetic data, governed by our understanding of earthquake scaling, is consistent with the actual rupture processes.
Impact of Water Mass Mixing on the Composition and Mineralization of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Deep Labrador Sea
Authors: Djenad S.‐A. , Guéguen C.
Published: December 2023

The Labrador Sea is a region of the North Atlantic known for its strong ocean currents and deep water formation, which contribute to the transport and mixing of water masses throughout the region. The absorbing and fluorescing properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were assessed to track the water masses and the in situ production in the Labrador Sea (>200 m). No significant differences in DOM composition were found in the mesopelagic waters (200–1,000 m). In the bathypelagic waters (1,000–4,000 m), the estimated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved lignin concentrations, as well as humic‐like fluorescence intensities, allowed the discrimination of North East Atlantic Deep Water versus Denmark Strait overflow water. The humic‐like intensities were significantly different between upper Labrador Sea water (uLSW) and deep LSW (dLSW) suggesting their applications as tracers of deep winter mixing. The significant correlations with apparent oxygen utilization support the in situ production of humic‐like fluorescence and the net microbial consumption of DOC and lignin in the dark Labrador Sea. We also demonstrated that microbial activities play a role in the production of humic‐like compounds in the dLSW that experiences deep convection mixing.
Merging Process of the Great Whirl and the Socotra Gyre in 2019
Authors: Dai Lingxing , Jiang Xingwei , Xia Yifan , Wang Minyang , Tang Shilin , Du Yan
Published: December 2023

The Great Whirl (GW) and the Socotra Gyre (SoG), two prominent anticyclonic eddies in the western Arabian Sea, exhibit strong dynamic interactions. This study reports a case of the merging of the GW and the SoG recorded by Argo floats in September 2019. Combined with satellite observations and a state‐of‐the‐art ocean reanalysis, we show that the merging process was first detected at the subsurface layer (∼150 m depth) rather than the surface. As the original water inside the GW is cooler than the SoG, the merging created a baroclinic structure between the eddies. The density gradients associated with the baroclinic structure drive strong subsurface geostrophic currents following the thermal wind relationship, leading to the fast merging at 100–200 m depth. Energy analysis shows that the predominant energy source for the merged eddy was the barotropic and baroclinic instability. The dissipative processes caused the rapid decay of the merged eddy. The merging process induced submesoscale activities and promoted ocean vertical exchanges south of Socotra Island.
Methylphosphonate Is Utilized by Commensal Microbiota of Macroalgae in the Oligotrophic Sargasso Sea
Authors: Cox D. D. , Parsons R. J. , Van Mooy B. A. S. , Valentine D. L.
Published: December 2023

The essential nutrient phosphorus is biologically scarce in the Sargasso Sea, yet the pelagic macroalgae Sargassum, for which this area of the North Atlantic Ocean is named, thrives. We tested the hypothesis that Sargassum holobionts utilize methylphosphonate (MPn) as an alternative source of phosphorus, finding lysis liberated phosphonate‐derived methane. The observed activity occurred at concentrations as low as 35 nM MPn and was inhibited by antibiotics, implicating bacterial epibionts of the holobiont capable of MPn lysis at realistic environmental concentrations. Dark incubations resulted in diminished methane production, consistent with commensalism between microbe and host. A survey of macroalgal species inhabiting the Sargasso Sea found ubiquitous capacity for MPn lysis; such capacity was absent in species inhabiting phosphorus‐replete waters of the California Current, pointing to phosphorous limitation as a selective pressure. These results suggest that bacterial epibionts of algal communities acquire phosphorus from phosphonates while simultaneously serving as a source of atmospheric methane.
Estimation of Lightning Flash Rate in Precipitation Features by Applying Shallow AI Neural Network Models to the GMI Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures
Authors: Morvais Florian , Liu Chuntao
Published: December 2023

The satellite‐constellation passive‐microwave Brightness Temperature (TB) observations, with global coverage, and more additions from upcoming CubeSats, have been mainly used in surface precipitation retrievals. However, these observations can also be used to indicate the intensity of convective systems. This study attempts to relate Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) TBs to Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) lightning flashes by using 4 years (02/2018–04/2022) of GPM Precipitation Feature (PF) database. GMI TBs are collocated to the GLM lightning counts, and to the ERA5 reanalysis 2‐m air temperature in PFs. Three Artificial Intelligent Neural Network Models (AI‐NN) are trained to classify PFs producing lightning in a 20‐min window respectively for land, ocean, or coast. The flash rate of the determined Lightning producing PFs (LPFs) is then quantified by three other AI‐NNs, each trained for one of the three regions. Though the models clearly capture the global geographical distribution of LPFs with a Probability Of Detection over 90%, high False Alarm Rates are found, ranging from 49.9% over land to 91.5% over the ocean. The importance of TB at each passive microwave channel varies regionally, corresponding to the different microphysical properties in various types of precipitation systems. The global lightning distribution is derived by applying the AI models to global PFs and is well compared to the lightning climatology from Lightning Imaging Sensor and Optical Transient Detector. This suggests that the use of passive microwave TBs can help to fill the gaps in lightning monitoring thanks to their global coverage.
An Empirical Model of Ionospheric Total Electron Content Based on Tide‐Like Signature Modeling
Authors: Ruan Haibing , Lei Jiuhou , Lu Jianyong , Tang Fen
Published: December 2023

Accurate modeling of the total electron content (TEC) benefits scientific research and practical application. In this study, the global ionospheric maps from the Center for Orbit Determination of Europe (CODE) covering the years 2000–2021 are utilized to develop an empirical model of TEC by superposing the tide‐like components in the ionosphere. The tide‐like components, including the migrating and non‐migrating ones, are first derived from the daily CODE TEC data. Then, the sine and cosine components of a tide‐like signature are separately decomposed into the basic modes as a function of the modified inclination latitude with the principle component analysis, and the temporal evolution is regressed to the solar radiation dependence and interannual variation. As such, the climatological behavior of tidal amplitudes and phases could be well parameterized, and the developed model is capable of reproducing the global TEC patterns. The modeled TEC agrees well with the CODE input data with zero systematic error and a low root mean square error of 3.849 TECu, demonstrating a good model performance. This developed model, associated with the parametric tide‐like signatures, could serve as a background for future investigations of the ionospheric responses to the forcing from below or above.
Prediction of Global Ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) Based on SAM‐ConvLSTM Model
Authors: Luo Hanze , Gong Yingkui , Chen Si , Yu Cheng , Yang Guang , Yu Fengzheng , Hu Ziyue , Tian Xiangwei
Published: December 2023

This paper first applies a prediction model based on self‐attention memory ConvLSTM (SAM‐ConvLSTM) to predict the global ionospheric total electron content (TEC) maps with up to 1 day of lead time. We choose the global ionospheric TEC maps released by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) as the training data set covering the period from 1999 to 2022. Besides that, we put several space environment data as additional multivariate‐features into the framework of the prediction model to enhance its forecasting ability. In order to confirm the efficiency of the proposed model, the other two prediction models based on convolutional long short‐term memory (LSTM) are used for comparison. The three models are trained and evaluated on the same data set. Results show that the proposed SAM‐ConvLSTM prediction model performs more accurately than the other two models, and more stably under space weather events. In order to assess the generalization capabilities of the proposed model amidst severe space weather occurrences, we selected the period of 22–25 April 2023, characterized by a potent geomagnetic storm, for experimental validation. Subsequently, we employed the 1‐day predicted global TEC products from the Center for Operational Products and Services (COPG) and the SAM‐ConvLSTM model to evaluate their respective forecasting prowess. The results show that the SAM‐ConvLSTM prediction model achieves lower prediction error. In one word, the ionospheric TEC prediction model proposed in this paper can establish the ionosphere TEC of spatio‐temporal data association for a long time, and realize high precision of prediction performance.
Excess PrPC inhibits muscle cell differentiation via miRNA-enhanced liquid–liquid phase separation implicated in myopathy
Authors: Tao Jing , Zeng Yanping , Dai Bin , Liu Yin , Pan Xiaohan , Wang Li-Qiang , Chen Jie , Zhou Yu , Lu Zuneng , Xie Liwei , Liang Yi
Published: December 2023

The cellular prion protein (PrPC) is required for skeletal muscle function. Here, we report that a higher level of PrPC accumulates in the cytoplasm of the skeletal muscle of six myopathy patients compared to controls. PrPC inhibits skeletal muscle cell autophagy, and blocks myoblast differentiation. PrPC selectively binds to a subset of miRNAs during myoblast differentiation, and the colocalization of PrPC and miR-214-3p was observed in the skeletal muscle of six myopathy patients with excessive PrPC. We demonstrate that PrPC is overexpressed in skeletal muscle cells under pathological conditions, inhibits muscle cell differentiation by physically interacting with a subset of miRNAs, and selectively recruits these miRNAs into its phase-separated condensate in living myoblasts, which in turn enhances liquid–liquid phase separation of PrPC, promotes pathological aggregation of PrP, and results in the inhibition of autophagy-related protein 5-dependent autophagy and muscle bundle formation in myopathy patients characterized by incomplete muscle regeneration.
Chiral metal-organic frameworks incorporating nanozymes as neuroinflammation inhibitors for managing Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Jiang Wei , Li Qing , Zhang Ruofei , Li Jianru , Lin Qianyu , Li Jingyun , Zhou Xinyao , Yan Xiyun , Fan Kelong
Published: December 2023

Nanomedicine-based anti-neuroinflammation strategy has become a promising dawn of Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment. However, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of antioxidant nanomedicines concerning the pathways traversing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and subsequent inflammation mitigation. Here, we report nanozyme-integrated metal-organic frameworks with excellent antioxidant activity and chiral-dependent BBB transendocytosis as anti-neuroinflammatory agents for the treatment of PD. These chiral nanozymes are synthesized by embedding ultra-small platinum nanozymes (Ptzymes) into L-chiral and D-chiral imidazolate zeolite frameworks (Ptzyme@L-ZIF and Ptzyme@D-ZIF). Compared to Ptzyme@L-ZIF, Ptzyme@D-ZIF shows higher accumulation in the brains of male PD mouse models due to longer plasma residence time and more pathways to traverse BBB, including clathrin-mediated and caveolae-mediated endocytosis. These factors contribute to the superior therapeutic efficacy of Ptzyme@D-ZIF in reducing behavioral disorders and pathological changes. Bioinformatics and biochemical analyses suggest that Ptzyme@D-ZIF inhibits neuroinflammation-induced apoptosis and ferroptosis in damaged neurons. The research uncovers the biodistribution, metabolic variances, and therapeutic outcomes of nanozymes-integrated chiral ZIF platforms, providing possibilities for devising anti-PD drugs.
Inner core static tilt inferred from intradecadal oscillation in the Earth’s rotation
Authors: An Yachong , Ding Hao , Chen Zhifeng , Shen Wenbin , Jiang Weiping
Published: December 2023

The presence of a static tilt between the inner core and mantle is an ongoing discussion encompassing the geodynamic state of the inner core. Here, we confirm an approximate 8.5 yr signal in polar motion is the inner core wobble (ICW), and find that the ICW is also contained in the length-of-day variations of the Earth’s rotation. Based on the determined amplitudes of the ICW and its good phase consistency in both polar motion and the length-of-day variations, we infer that there must be a static tilt angle θ between the inner core and the mantle of about 0.17 ± 0.03°, most likely towards ~90°W relative to the mantle, which is two orders of magnitude lower than the 10° assumed in certain geodynamic research. This tilt is consistent with the assumption that the average density in the northwestern hemisphere of the inner core should be greater than that in the other regions. Further, the observed ICW period (8.5 ± 0.2 yr) suggests a 0.52 ± 0.05 g/cm3 density jump at the inner core boundary.
Catalytic stereodivergent allylic alkylation of 2-acylimidazoles for natural product synthesis
Authors: Lu Ruimin , Zhang Qinglin , Guo Chang
Published: December 2023

The stereocontrolled allylic alkylation of carbonyl compounds with the goal of producing the full range of stereoisomers presents an effective approach for increasing the productivity of collective natural product synthesis and the creation of chiral molecule libraries for drug exploration. The simultaneous control of regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity poses a significant synthetic challenge in contemporary organic synthesis. Herein, we describe a catalytic stereodivergent α-allylation protocol applicable to both aliphatic and aromatic 2-acylimidazoles, thereby providing a practical blueprint for the divergent synthesis of important chiral building blocks. Each of the six isomeric α-allylated compounds can be readily obtained with remarkable yields and exceptional stereoselectivities, by judiciously selecting the appropriate leaving group and permutations of enantiomers adapted from nickel and iridium catalysts. The versatility of this asymmetric allylic alkylation has been successfully utilized in the enantioselective synthesis of (R)-arundic acid and (S,S)-cinamomumolide, as well as in the stereodivergent total synthesis of tapentadol.
Experimental investigation of seismic response of precast concrete panels with castellated keys support pillar connections under in-plane cyclic loading
Authors: Wang Zuowei , Zhao Jianchang , Chen Xiangheng , Liu Shengwei , Ma Buzhen
Published: December 2023

The reliable joint connection between precast members is vital to resisting earthquake loads in precast concrete structures. To further improve the convenience of precast construction, this paper presents a new horizontal joint of precast concrete panels with castellated keys supports pillar connections based on the stable mechanical properties of the wet concrete joint. To examine the seismic response of this connection type, a series of in-plane cyclic loading tests were carried out using six full-size precast specimens and one cast-in-place specimen for comparison. The influences of axial compression ratio, joint width, and joint concrete strength on the seismic indicators of the precast concrete panel were considered in the design of specimens. The test results showed all specimens had the same damage process, and the ultimate failure modes combined compression and bending. The precast specimens exhibited similar seismic performance to the cast-in-place specimen, especially whose joint concrete strength is higher than the precast concrete panel. Based on the load–displacement test curve, a hysteretic curve model that included both the envelope curve and the stiffness degradation law was proposed. The predictions from the model showed good compatibility with the experimental results, and the model can be used as a reference for analyzing the elastic–plastic response of the precast concrete panels with castellated keys supporting pillar connections.
Multiscale simulations reveal the role of PcrA helicase in protecting against spontaneous point mutations in DNA
Authors: Winokan Max , Slocombe Louie , Al-Khalili Jim , Sacchi Marco
Published: December 2023

Proton transfer across hydrogen bonds in DNA can produce non-canonical nucleobase dimers and is a possible source of single-point mutations when these forms mismatch under replication. Previous computational studies have revealed this process to be energetically feasible for the guanine-cytosine (GC) base pair, but the tautomeric product (G$$^*$$

∗

C$$^*$$

∗

) is short-lived. In this work we reveal, for the first time, the direct effect of the replisome enzymes on proton transfer, rectifying the shortcomings of existing models. Multi-scale quantum mechanical/molecular dynamics (QM/MM) simulations reveal the effect of the bacterial PcrA Helicase on the double proton transfer in the GC base pair. It is shown that the local protein environment drastically increases the activation and reaction energies for the double proton transfer, modifying the tautomeric equilibrium. We propose a regime in which the proton transfer is dominated by tunnelling, taking place instantaneously and without atomic rearrangement of the local environment. In this paradigm, we can reconcile the metastable nature of the tautomer and show that ensemble averaging methods obscure detail in the reaction profile. Our results highlight the importance of explicit environmental models and suggest that asparagine N624 serves a secondary function of reducing spontaneous mutations in PcrA Helicase.
Low incidence of microsatellite instability in gastric cancers and its association with the clinicopathological characteristics: a comparative study
Authors: Talari Fateme Fooladi , Bozorg Ali , Zeinali Sirous , Zali Mohammadreza , Mohsenifar Zhale , Asadzadeh Aghdaei Hamid , Baghaei Kaveh
Published: December 2023

Gastric cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease with different molecular subtypes that have clinical implications. It is characterized by high mortality rates and limited effective therapies. Microsatellite instability (MSI) has been recognized as a subgroup with a good prognosis based on TCGA and ACRG categorizations. Besides its prognostic and predictive value, gastric cancers with high MSI exhibit different clinical behaviors. The prevalence of high MSI has been assessed in gastric cancer worldwide, especially in East Asia, but there is a lack of such information in the Middle East. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the incidence and status of MSI in Iranian gastric cancer patients using 53 samples collected from 2015 to 2020 at Taleghani Hospital Medical Center. DNA from tumoral and normal tissues were extracted and assessed through multiplex-PCR based on five mononucleotide repeats panel. Clinicopathological variables, including age, sex, Lauren classification, lymph node involvement, TNM stage, differentiation, localization, and tumor size, were also analyzed. With 2 males and 2 females, high microsatellite instability represented a small subgroup of almost 7.5% of the samples with a median age of 60.5 years. High microsatellite instability phenotypes were significantly associated with patients aged 68 years and older (p‑value of 0.0015) and lower lymph node involvement (p‑value of 0.0004). Microsatellite instability was also more frequent in females, with distal gastric location, bigger tumor size, and in the intestinal type of gastric cancer rather than the diffuse type.
A conformal beam splitter with polarization transformation operation
Authors: Ahmed Fahad , Abutarboush Hattan , Ashraf Naveed , Denidni Tayeb A. , Tahir Farooq A.
Published: December 2023

A multifunctional beam splitting frequency selective surface (FSS) is modeled, analyzed, and tested in transmission and reflection modes. The proposed FSS comprises a C-shaped split-ring resonator designed and fabricated on an ultrathin, flexible polyimide material. When a linearly polarized incident wave interacts with the unit cell of the proposed FSS, half of the wave is reflected, and the other half is transmitted at two frequency bands from 5.8–6.2 GHz and 18.5–22 GHz. Moreover, the proposed FSS is angularly stable upto 40° and also performs simultaneous beam splitting and quarter-wave operation within one of its two bands of operation i.e., from 16.5–18.2 GHz. Such flexible beam splitting FSSs with polarization transformation operation and having angular stability, size miniaturization and multi-band operation is a specialized component having potential to be used for electromagnetic wave manipulation in antenna systems, radar technology, stealth technology, wireless communication, satellite communication, medical imaging, security and surveillance, aerospace and defense, and automotive radar.