bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utilizing genetic diversity to select tomato lines tolerant of tomato yellow leaf curl virus based on genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability, genotypic correlation, and multivariate analyses
Authors: Mahmoud Ahmed M. A. , Osman Neama H.
Published: August 2023

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is one of the most destructive pathogens for tomato crops. The development of TYLCV-tolerant tomato lines (TLs) requires a thorough understanding of their genetic variability and relationships among lines and in traits of interest. Twelve F9 TLs were evaluated for phenotypic TYLCV tolerance, vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality during the 2018 and 2019 fall seasons to identify elite breeding lines. TLs were selected by a bulk selection method from segregating generations of the commercial F1 hybrids TH99802 (TLs 1–6) and TH99806 (TLs 7–12). TLs exhibited either mild or no symptoms. The TYLCV titer varied between 0.8 × 105 and 3.9 × 105 in symptomless TLs plants compared to 56.7 × 105 in severely symptomatic plants of susceptible ‘Castlerock.’ Across both seasons, TL-3, TL-5, and TL-8 exhibited the highest total and marketable plant yields, TYLCV tolerance, and acceptable fruit quality. Most traits had high estimates of genetic variance, genotypic coefficient of variance, and broad sense heritability. Our results indicated that there was sufficient genetic variability for selection of the best lines. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that the TLs were highly diverse of the evaluated traits and could be divided into three clusters. Cluster 1, which included TL-1, TL-3, and TL-8, performed better for TYLCV tolerance and economically important traits. Clusters 1 and 2 showed the greatest degree of dissimilarity. Therefore, crossing parents from Cluster 1 with 2 is predicated to maximum recombination for improve genotypes.
Mitochondrial DNA-Sensing Pathogen Recognition Receptors in Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: a Review
Authors: Ghincea Alexander , Woo Samuel , Yu Sheeline , Pivarnik Taylor , Fiorini Vitoria , Herzog Erica L. , Ryu Changwan
Published: August 2023

Purpose of the Review

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a condition of dermal and visceral scar formation characterized by immune dysregulation and inflammatory fibrosis. Approximately 90% of SSc patients develop interstitial lung disease (ILD), and it is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Further understanding of immune-mediated fibroproliferative mechanisms has the potential to catalyze novel treatment approaches in this difficult-to-treat disease.

Recent Findings

Recent advances have demonstrated the critical role of aberrant innate immune activation mediated by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) through interactions with toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) and cytosolic cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS).

In this review, we will discuss how the nature of the mtDNA, whether oxidized or mutated, and its mechanism of release, either intracellularly or extracellularly, can amplify fibrogenesis by activating TLR9 and cGAS, and the novel insights gained by interrogating these signaling pathways. Because the scope of this review is intended to generate hypotheses for future research, we conclude our discussion with several important unanswered questions.
Entrepreneurship education in the era of generative artificial intelligence
Authors: Bell Robin , Bell Heather
Published: August 2023

Generative artificial intelligence has seen fast paced developments, with it being utilised in numerous contexts, including both entrepreneurship and education. This has led to calls to integrate generative artificial intelligence into entrepreneurship education, to help prepare students to take advantage of future entrepreneurial opportunities. The technology also has the potential to influence pedagogy, teaching practice, and assessment and has raised concerns and questions within education about how educators can train students to use the latest technology to prepare them for the future, whilst managing potential changes to teaching practice. However, given the rapid emergence of the technology, discussion as to the implications for education and particularly entrepreneurship education is limited and there have been calls for further exploration and discussion. This paper addresses these calls by discussing some of the potential implications which generative artificial intelligence brings to entrepreneurship education and the entrepreneurship classroom, at both a macro and curricular level. The advancement of generative artificial intelligence furthers the need for entrepreneurship educators to embrace the technology in a managed way, develop students critical and reflective thinking, and foster the development and assessment of practical and technical entrepreneurial skills, to support student’s effective utilisation of generative artificial intelligence. Educators should also be aware of the potential effects which generative artificial intelligence poses to teaching and assessment.
Leakage of Nutrients Into The Soil Due to Carrion Decomposition Can Enhance Plant Growth
Authors: Wenting Elke , Jansen Patrick A. , Laugeman Mathijs J. B. , van Langevelde Frank
Published: August 2023

Carrion decomposition has potentially far-reaching effects on nutrient cycles. Recent studies have demonstrated changes in soil-nutrient dynamics and enhanced plant growth because of nutrient leakage from decomposing carrion. However, only macronutrients have been evaluated so far, overlooking effects on a wide range of other essential or ecotoxic elements. This study aimed to examine how leakage affects the chemical composition of soil below decomposing carrion for a wide range of chemical elements, and how this in turn affects plant growth. We performed an experiment in which we let carrion fluid leak from dead mice for different periods of time and measured 22 elemental concentrations in the soils underneath. Then, we grew F1 maize plants on these soils and measured plant biomass. We found that leakage elevated concentrations of 13 essential elements (C, Ca, Co, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Se, and Zn) beneath the carrion. None of the potential ecotoxic elements turned out significant. Plant growth was up to nine times higher in soils enriched by carrion fluid. Our results demonstrate that a wide range of chemical elements leak into the soil as result of carrion decomposition, in concentrations that enhanced net plant growth. Our study must be considered as a first step towards a more comprehensive approach for investigating elemental leakage in the soil due to carrion decomposition. Further research may consider larger carcasses, more comprehensively examine the effects of multiple elements on plant growth, and examine how factors like scavenger activity, which may intercept carrion before elemental leakage can happen, affects leakage into the soil.
Revolutionizing Vehicle Cruise Control: An Elite Opposition-Based Pattern Search Mechanism Augmented INFO Algorithm for Enhanced Controller Design
Authors: Ekinci Serdar , Izci Davut , Abualigah Laith , Hussien Abdelazim G. , Thanh Cuong-Le , Khatir Samir
Published: August 2023

This paper presents a groundbreaking approach to enhance the performance of a vehicle cruise control system—a crucial aspect of road safety. The work offers two key contributions. Firstly, a state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithm is proposed by augmenting the performance of the weighted mean of vectors (INFO) algorithm using pattern search and elite opposition-based learning mechanisms. The resulting boosted INFO (b-INFO) algorithm surpasses the original INFO, marine predators, and gravitational search algorithms in terms of performance on benchmark functions, including unimodal, multimodal, and fixed-dimensional multimodal functions. Secondly, a novel proportional, fractional order integral, derivative plus double derivative with filter ($$P{I}^{\lambda }DN{D}^{2}{N}^{2}$$PIλDND2N2) controller is proposed as a more efficient control structure for vehicle cruise control systems. An objective function is utilized to determine the optimal values for the controller parameters, and the proposed method's performance is compared against a range of recent approaches. Results demonstrate that the b-INFO algorithm-based$$P{I}^{\lambda }DN{D}^{2}{N}^{2}$$PIλDND2N2controller is the most efficient and superior method for controlling a vehicle cruise control system. Moreover, this work represents the first report of a$$P{I}^{\lambda }DN{D}^{2}{N}^{2}$$PIλDND2N2controller’s implementation for vehicle cruise control systems, underscoring the novelty and significance of this research. The proposed method's exceptional ability is further confirmed by comparisons with the genetic algorithm, ant lion optimizer, atom search optimizer, arithmetic optimization algorithm, slime mold algorithm, Lévy flight distribution algorithm, manta ray foraging optimization, and hunger games search-based proportional–integral–derivative (PID), along with Harris hawks optimization-based PID and fractional order PID controllers. This work marks a remarkable milestone toward safer and more efficient vehicle cruise control systems.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: A Computational Model for Predicting Customer Behaviors Using Transformer Adapted with Tabular Features
Authors: Nguyen Khang , Mai T. Nga , Nguyen H. An , Nguyen V. Anh
Published: August 2023

The recent decade has seen an explosion in the e-commerce industry with the support of modern technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence) to maximize conversion rates. Many recommendation systems, therefore, have been developed to predict the customer behaviors to take appropriate actions. Customization of promotions or items for distinct groups of online customers considerably contributes to enhancing the sales. The purchasing records are essential information that can be used to investigate the customer behaviors. These kinds of information, however, are mainly expressed in tubular forms. Several computational models were developed using conventional machine learning algorithms to deal with that data type. However, these approaches struggle with large-volume and high-dimensional data, feature engineering, and high computational cost. In our study, we propose a deep learning model based on the Feature Tokenizer Transformer architecture to predict the customer purchasing intention. This novel architecture is a simplified adaptive version of the Transformer tabular data. The results demonstrated that our model showed better performance compared to conventional machine learning models. Furthermore, the model’s stability was also confirmed by the results of multiple repeated experiments.
Haydn and Mozart in the Long Nineteenth Century
Authors: Keefe Simon P.
Published: August 2023

The first extended study of the combined reception of Haydn and Mozart in the long nineteenth century, this book generates new, holistic understandings of their musical, cultural and historical significance in the Germanic, French and Anglophone worlds. It places a wide range of written sources under the microscope, including serious and popular biographies, scholarship, musical and non-musical criticism, and a diverse body of fiction, and evaluates the impact of anniversary commemorations. Haydn and Mozart in the Long Nineteenth Century determines how reputations, images and narratives for the two composers converge, diverge, develop at different speeds, and influence one another. Countering received wisdom about Haydn's reputational decline and reassessing Mozart reception through consideration of a broad spectrum of publications, we hear Haydn and Mozart speaking to the long nineteenth century in more nuanced, powerful, and persuasive voices than previously recognized.
Validation of complementary non-invasive tools for stress assessment in spotted paca (Cuniculus paca)
Authors: Altino Vanessa S , Rezende Darília CB , Nogueira Selene SC , Aldrigui Letícia G , Roldan Mar , Duarte José MB , Fureix Carole , Mendl Michael , Nogueira-Filho Sérgio LG
Published: August 2023

Monitoring the concentration of glucocorticoid metabolites (GCMs) in faecal samples is a non-invasive tool for physiological stress evaluation, particularly useful when studying wild species. However, both negative and positive stimuli (distress and eustress, respectively) can lead to a rise in glucocorticoids. Thus, besides validating whether GCM concentration in faeces reflects endogenous adrenal activity, we also need to identify behavioural indicators of distress to avoid misinterpretation. Therefore, we submitted four adult male spotted pacas (Cuniculus paca) to an exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge-test in a Latin square design (4 × 4) to monitor changes in the GCM concentration in faeces. We also aimed to describe behaviours potentially indicative of distress. We collected excreted faeces and video-recorded the animals’ behaviours for five consecutive days, one day before and four days after application of the following four treatments: 1st control (no-handling); 2nd control (intra-muscular [IM] injection of saline solution); low-dose ACTH (IM injection of 0.18 ml ACTH); and high-dose ACTH (IM injection of 0.37 ml ACTH). There was a peak in the concentration of GCM in faeces collected 24 h after the injection of the high-dose ACTH treatment. Additionally, independent of the treatments, spotted pacas spent less time on exploration and feeding states, while spending more time in the inactive but awake (IBA) state following the treatment application (challenge day). The use of GCM concentration in faecal samples together with the behavioural changes (less exploration and feeding, and more IBA) showed to be efficient as a non-invasive tool for welfare assessment of farmed spotted paca.
The aromatic bicomplex for the description of divergence-free aromatic forms and volume-preserving integrators
Authors: Laurent Adrien , McLachlan Robert I. , Munthe-Kaas Hans Z. , Verdier Olivier
Published: August 2023

Aromatic B-series were introduced as an extension of standard Butcher-series for the study of volume-preserving integrators. It was proven with their help that the only volume-preserving B-series method is the exact flow of the differential equation. The question was raised whether there exists a volume-preserving integrator that can be expanded as an aromatic B-series. In this work, we introduce a new algebraic tool, called the aromatic bicomplex, similar to the variational bicomplex in variational calculus. We prove the exactness of this bicomplex and use it to describe explicitly the key object in the study of volume-preserving integrators: the aromatic forms of vanishing divergence. The analysis provides us with a handful of new tools to study aromatic B-series, gives insights on the process of integration by parts of trees, and allows to describe explicitly the aromatic B-series of a volume-preserving integrator. In particular, we conclude that an aromatic Runge–Kutta method cannot preserve volume.
Front propagation in cellular flows: scale dependence versus scale invariance
Authors: Bodea S. , Beauvier E. , Pocheau A.
Published: August 2023

We experimentally study front propagation in a vortex lattice providing closed steady cellular flows and no mean flow. To this end, we trigger an autocatalytic reaction in a solution stirred by magnetohydrodynamic flows in a Hele-Shaw cell. We evidence a scale-invariant regime below some flow magnitude and a scale-dependent regime above, the scales referring here to the vortex scale and the front thickness. The transition between these regimes corresponds to a unitary Damköhler number$Da$:$Da=1$. The enhancement of the mean front velocity with the flow magnitude nicely agrees with the literature on numerical simulations and theoretical analyses in the scale-invariant regime$Da>1$, but displays noticeable discrepancies in the scale-dependent one$Da<1$. This shows that the transition between regimes is qualitatively sharp but quantitatively smooth.
Gendered familialism in a Mediterranean context: women’s labor market participation and early childhood education and care in Turkey
Authors: Akkan Başak , Buğra Ayşe , Knijn Trudie
Published: August 2023

This article explores the relationship between women’s labor market participation and early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Turkey within a broader Mediterranean context. Since the 1990s, there have been significant changes in the familialist models in the Mediterranean region driven by women’s increased labor market participation and the expansion of ECEC services. The transformations in the region have unveiled a significant link between the expansion of preschool education and an increase in women’s labor market participation. Turkey missed this critical juncture in the 1990s, as indicated by the low employment rates of women and below-the-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-average preschool enrolment. Through a comparative perspective that examines the slow progress in both areas in Turkey as well as the gendered feature of its familialist model, the article emphasizes the need for closer analysis of the link between ECEC and the low labor force participation of women. Given that the expansion of ECEC in the 2000s has taken place through market-driven services, the article concludes that the link between ECEC and women’s labor market participation exhibits a class dimension. Thereby, women from lower socio-economic groups are increasingly experiencing the impact of the gendered characteristics inherent in the familialist regime in Turkey.
The Making of J. S. Mill'sCollected Works, and Its Aftermath
Authors: Kinzer Bruce
Published: August 2023

In 1973, a conference was held in Toronto to mark the bicentenary of James Mill's birth and the centenary of John Stuart Mill's death. By that time, Toronto had emerged as the centre of Mill studies. Between 1963 and 1973, the University of Toronto Press had published, in a scholarly edition, eleven volumes of Mill'sCollected works. A further twenty-two volumes would appear in the eighteen years that followed. Only two of the nine presenters at the 1973 conference were members of a Philosophy Department. Philosophers had a modest part in the production of Mill'sCollected works. Yet, philosophers came to dominate Mill studies in the decades after the Mill edition wrapped up in 1991. Philosophers contributed ten of the fourteen essays featured inThe Cambridge companion to Mill(1998), edited by John Skorupski. Philosophers constituted twenty-six of the thirty-seven contributors toA companion to Mill(2017), published by Wiley Blackwell and edited by Christopher Macleod and Dale E. Miller. This communication explains the relative unimportance of philosophers in the creation of theCollected works, and comments on the forces shaping the subsequent pre-eminence of philosophers in Mill studies.
Capture, classification and incarceration of Communist captives during Vietnam's American War
Authors: Berni Marcel
Published: August 2023

The fate of captives designated as ‘communist’ prisoners during the Vietnam War has largely been overshadowed by that of US POWs detained north of the Seventeenth Parallel. This article, based on newly released archival sources in multiple languages, considers their classification and treatment in captivity. In particular, civilian captives and members of the National Liberation Front were often categorised as ‘civil defendants’ by South Vietnam and thus deprived of their rights as POWs, as codified in the Geneva Conventions. Yet, as representatives of a state dealing with both an insurgency and an invasion at the same time, South Vietnamese officials realised the significance of enemy captives. By illustrating the complex policies and practices of prisoner taking and incarceration, this article interprets and explains the gap between civilian and military law and informal and oftentimes self-serving practices on the ground. Thus, the Second Indochina War foreshadowed a global trend of excluding captured irregular combatants from the laws of war.
Patient and citizen participation at the organizational level in health technology assessment: an exploratory study in five jurisdictions
Authors: Nabarette Hervé , Chastenay Marie-Hélène , Dupont Jean-Claude K. , Ganache Isabelle , Single Ann N.V.
Published: August 2023

Objective

While patient participation in individual health technology assessments (HTAs) has been frequently described in the literature, patient and citizen participation at the organizational level is less described and may be less understood and practiced in HTA bodies. We aimed to better understand its use by describing current practice.

Method

To elicit descriptive case studies and insights we conducted semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires with HTA body staff and patients and citizens participating at the organizational level in Belgium, France, Quebec, Scotland, and Wales.

Results

We identified examples of organizational participation in managerial aspects: governance, defining patient involvement processes, evaluation processes and methods, and capacity building. Mechanisms included consultation, collaboration, and membership of standing (permanent) groups. These were sometimes combined. Participants were usually from umbrella patient organizations and patient associations, as well as individual patients and citizens.

Discussion

Although the concept, participation at the organizational level, is not well-established, we observed a trend toward growth in each jurisdiction. Some goals were shared for this participation, but HTA bodies focused more on instrumental goals, especially improving participation in HTAs, while patients and citizens were more likely to offer democratic and developmental goals beyond improving participation processes.

Conclusion

Our findings provide rationales for organizational-level participation from the perspectives of HTA bodies and patients. The case studies provide insights into how to involve participants and who may be seen as legitimate participants. These findings may be useful to HTA bodies, the patient sector, and communities when devising an organizational-level participation framework.
Friendly Visiting Programs for Older People Experiencing Social Isolation: A Realist Review of what Works, for whom, and under what Conditions
Authors: Weldrick Rachel , Dunn James R. , Andrews Gavin J. , Ploeg Jenny
Published: August 2023

Many social interventions have been developed with the hopes of reducing and preventing social isolation among older people (e.g., recreation, arts-based programs and social prescription). Friendly visiting programs, also known as befriending schemes, have been a mainstay in this area for decades and are largely thought to be effective at reconnecting older people (≥ 60 years of age) experiencing isolation. Research and evaluations have yet to determine, however, how and why these programs may be most successful, and under what conditions. This article presents the findings of a realist synthesis aimed at identifying the critical mechanisms and contextual factors that lead to successful outcomes in friendly visiting programs. Seven studies are synthesized to inform a friendly visiting program theory accounting for key mechanisms (e.g., provision of informal support) and underlying contexts (e.g., training of volunteers) that can be used to inform future programs. Recommendations for future research are also presented.
Alkohol: Kein gewöhnliches Konsumgut
Authors: Babor Thomas F. , Casswell Sally , Graham Kathryn , Huckle Taisia , Livingston Michael , Rehm Jürgen , Room Robin , Rossow Ingeborg , Sornpaisarn Bundit
Published: August 2023

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund und Ziele: Dieser Artikel fasst die Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerungen der dritten Ausgabe des Buches „Alkohol: Kein gewöhnliches Konsumgut“ zusammen. Mit der jüngsten Überarbeitung dieses Buches werden die wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse über gesundheitspolitische Maßnahmen bei Alkoholkonsum aus der Sicht der Bevölkerungsgesundheit (Public Health) kritisch bewertet. Aufbau: Zusammenfassung des Buchinhalts nach fünf Hauptthemen. Ergebnisse: Eine Vielzahl epidemiologischer Studien zeigt, dass Alkoholkonsum in Ländern mit hohem, mittlerem und niedrigem Einkommen einen erheblichen Beitrag zur weltweiten Belastung durch Krankheit, Behinderung und Tod leistet. Aktuelle Trends von Alkoholprodukten und -vermarktung lassen erkennen, dass sich ein großer Teil der globalen Industrie zu einer kleinen Anzahl von transnationalen Konzernen fusioniert hat und diese Konzerne ihre Aktivitäten vor allem nach Asien, Afrika und Lateinamerika ausweiten. Der Hauptteil dieses Buches ist einem Überblick über strukturelle Maßnahmen und zumeist überindividuelle Strategien gewidmet, die alkoholbedingte Schäden verhindern oder minimieren sollen. Die wirksamsten Strategien zum Schutz der Bevölkerungsgesundheit sind – kurz gefasst – eine Besteuerung, die die Finanzierbarkeit des Konsums verringert, und Beschränkungen der physischen Verfügbarkeit von Alkohol. Ein vollständiges Verbot der Vermarktung von Alkohol ist ebenfalls eine wirksame Strategie zur Verringerung des Konsums. Darüber hinaus sind Maßnahmen zur Bekämpfung des Alkoholkonsums im Straßenverkehr, Kurzinterventionen bei Risikokonsument_innen und die Behandlung von Personen mit Alkoholabhängigkeit wirksam, um Schäden in Hochrisikosituationen und in Gruppen mit einem riskanten Trinkverhalten zu verhindern bzw. zu minimieren. Schlussfolgerungen: Alkoholpolitische Maßnahmen sind das Ergebnis konkurrierender Interessen, Werte und Ideologien unterschiedlicher Akteure. Die Zusammenarbeit mit der Alkoholindustrie zeitigt aufgrund des Interessenskonflikts zwischen Profit und Gesundheit meistens ineffektive politische Maßnahmen. Mit dem zunehmenden Wissen darüber, welche Strategien dem Gemeinwohl am besten dienen, sind die vielfältigen Umsetzungsmöglichkeiten einer evidenzbasierten Alkoholpolitik klarer als je zuvor.
Alkoholpolitik der Schweiz: Wein, Wirtschaft und individuelle Freiheit
Authors: Gmel Gerhard , Meury Markus
Published: August 2023

Zusammenfassung: Zielsetzung: Die dritte Ausgabe des Buchs „Alkohol: Kein gewöhnliches Konsumgut“ schlägt kosteneffektive, wirksame Maßnahmen zur Reduktion des Alkoholkonsums und dessen Folgen vor. Die Umsetzung dieser Maßnahmen wird aus Schweizer Sicht eingeschätzt. Methodik: Aktuelle Entwicklungen und Praktiken in der Schweiz werden unter folgenden Aspekten untersucht: a) Monitoring des Alkoholkonsums und dessen Folgen, b) Alkoholmonopol und Alkoholgesetzgebung, c) Steuern und Preise, d) Einschränkung der Verfügbarkeit, e) Marketing und f) Regelungen im Straßenverkehr. Ergebnisse: In der Schweiz gibt es nur ein eingeschränktes Monitoring des Konsums und dessen Folgen. Das Alkoholmonopol und dessen Verwaltung mit vormals gesundheitspolitischer Ausrichtung wurde praktisch abgeschafft. Spezifische gesundheitspolitisch motivierte Steuern existieren nur für Spirituosen und Alcopops, die Steuern auf Bier sind gering. Auf Wein werden außer der Mehrwertsteuer keine Steuern erhoben. Die Einschränkung der Verfügbarkeit ist kantonal geregelt und betrifft nur wenige Kantone. Im digitalen Markt werden Altersbeschränkungen kaum eingehalten. Einzig im Straßenverkehr bestehen Regulierungen, die den Forderungen aus „Alkohol: Kein gewöhnliches Konsumgut“ annähernd entsprechen. Schlussfolgerungen: In der Schweiz werden kosteneffektive und wirksame alkoholpolitische Maßnahmen nicht vorangetrieben, sondern gar eher abgebaut. Insgesamt sind die existierenden Maßnahmen kaum darauf ausgerichtet, die alkoholbedingte Krankheitslast in der Schweiz zu reduzieren.
Constraints on the Cryohydrological Warming of Firn and Ice in Greenland From Rayleigh Wave Ellipticity Data
Authors: Jones G. A. , Ferreira A. M. G. , Kulessa B. , Schimmel M. , Berbellini A. , Morelli A.
Published: August 2023

Rayleigh wave ellipticity measurements from seismic ambient noise recorded on the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) show complex and anomalous behavior at wave periods sensitive to ice (T < 3–4 s). To understand these complex observations, we compare them with synthetic ellipticity measurements obtained from synthetic ambient noise computed for various seismic velocity and attenuation models, including surface wave overtone effects. We find that in dry snow conditions within the interior of the GrIS, to first order the anomalous ellipticity observations can be explained by ice models associated with the accumulation and densification of snow into firn. We also show that the distribution of ellipticity measurements is strongly sensitive to seismic attenuation and the thermal structure of the ice. Our results suggest that Rayleigh wave ellipticity is well suited for monitoring changes in firn properties and thermal composition of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets in a changing climate.
High‐Resolution Interseismic Strain Mapping From InSAR Phase‐Gradient Stacking: Application to the North Anatolian Fault With Implications for the Non‐Uniform Strain Distribution Related to Coseismic Slip Distribution
Authors: Liu Ziming , Wang Teng
Published: August 2023

High‐resolution interseismic strain mapping is important for studying faulting behavior and for assessing seismic hazards. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar has been widely applied to measure interseismic deformation along active strike‐slip faults. However, phase unwrapping errors and over‐smoothing effects limit its ability to map the extremely‐high strain due to shallow creep. Here, without the involvement of ground‐based measurement, we perform phase‐gradient stacking on wrapped Sentinel‐1 interferograms to directly map the shear strain rates along the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) with unprecedented resolution. The derived high‐resolution strain‐rate map reveals five strain‐concentrated segments on the NAF, implying shallow creeps. We find that their spatial distribution coincides with the lower coseismic slip of previous earthquakes that occurred since 1939. The proposed method can be applied to other less‐studied strike‐slip faults to distinguish segments with shallow creep and strong coupling, and thus to better quantify the shallow strain budget and its associated seismic hazards.
Observation of an Electron Microburst With an Inverse Time‐Of‐Flight Energy Dispersion
Authors: Shumko M. , Miyoshi Y. , Blum L. W. , Halford A. J. , Breneman A. W. , Johnson A. T. , Sample J. G. , Klumpar D. M. , Spence H. E.
Published: August 2023

Interactions between whistler mode chorus waves and electrons are a dominant mechanism for particle acceleration and loss in the outer radiation belt. One form of this loss is electron microburst precipitation: a sub‐second intense burst of electrons. Despite previous investigations, details regarding the microburst‐chorus scattering mechanism—such as dominant resonance harmonic—are largely unconstrained. One way to observationally probe this is via the time‐of‐flight energy dispersion. If a single cyclotron resonance is dominant, then higher energy electrons will resonate at higher magnetic latitudes: sometimes resulting in an inverse time‐of‐flight dispersion with lower‐energy electrons leading. Here we present a clear example of this phenomena, observed by a FIREBIRD‐II CubeSat on 27 August 2015, that shows good agreement with the Miyoshi‐Saito time‐of‐flight model. When constrained by this observation, the Miyoshi‐Saito model predicts that a relatively narrowband chorus wave with a ∼0.2 of the equatorial electron gyrofrequency scattered the microburst.
Tunable optical topological transitions of plasmon polaritons in WTe2 van der Waals films
Authors: Xie Yuangang , Wang Chong , Fei Fucong , Li Yuqi , Xing Qiaoxia , Huang Shenyang , Lei Yuchen , Zhang Jiasheng , Mu Lei , Dai Yaomin , Song Fengqi , Yan Hugen
Published: August 2023

Naturally existing in-plane hyperbolic polaritons and the associated optical topological transitions, which avoid the nano-structuring to achieve hyperbolicity, can outperform their counterparts in artificial metasurfaces. Such plasmon polaritons are rare, but experimentally revealed recently in WTe2 van der Waals thin films. Different from phonon polaritons, hyperbolic plasmon polaritons originate from the interplay of free carrier Drude response and interband transitions, which promise good intrinsic tunability. However, tunable in-plane hyperbolic plasmon polariton and its optical topological transition of the isofrequency contours to the elliptic topology in a natural material have not been realized. Here we demonstrate the tuning of the optical topological transition through Mo doping and temperature. The optical topological transition energy is tuned over a wide range, with frequencies ranging from 429 cm−1 (23.3 microns) for pure WTe2 to 270 cm−1 (37.0 microns) at the 50% Mo-doping level at 10 K. Moreover, the temperature-induced blueshift of the optical topological transition energy is also revealed, enabling active and reversible tuning. Surprisingly, the localized surface plasmon resonance in skew ribbons shows unusual polarization dependence, accurately manifesting its topology, which renders a reliable means to track the topology with far-field techniques. Our results open an avenue for reconfigurable photonic devices capable of plasmon polariton steering, such as canaling, focusing, and routing, and pave the way for low-symmetry plasmonic nanophotonics based on anisotropic natural materials.
Immunotherapy responsiveness and risk of relapse in Down syndrome regression disorder
Authors: Santoro Jonathan D. , Spinazzi Noemi A. , Filipink Robyn A. , Hayati-Rezvan Panteha , Kammeyer Ryan , Patel Lina , Sannar Elise A. , Dwyer Luke , Banerjee Abhik K. , Khoshnood Mellad , Jafarpour Saba , Boyd Natalie K. , Partridge Rebecca , Gombolay Grace Y. , Christy Alison L. , Real de Asua Diego , del Carmen Ortega Maria , Manning Melanie A. , Van Mater Heather , Worley Gordan , Franklin Cathy , Stanley Maria A. , Brown Ruth , Capone George T. , Quinn Eileen A. , Rafii Michael S.
Published: August 2023

Down syndrome regression disorder (DSRD) is a clinical symptom cluster consisting of neuropsychiatric regression without an identifiable cause. This study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of IVIg and evaluated clinical characteristics associated with relapse after therapy discontinuation. A prospective, multi-center, non-randomized, observational study was performed. Patients met criteria for DSRD and were treated with IVIg. All patients underwent a standardized wean-off therapy after 9–12 months of treatment. Baseline, on-therapy, and relapse scores of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Total Score (NPITS), Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), and the Bush–Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS) were used to track clinical symptoms. Eighty-two individuals were enrolled in this study. Patients had lower BFCRS (MD: −6.68; 95% CI: −8.23, −5.14), CGI-S (MD: −1.27; 95% CI: −1.73, −0.81), and NPITS scores (MD: −6.50; 95% CI: −7.53, −5.47) while they were on therapy compared to baseline. Approximately 46% of the patients (n = 38) experienced neurologic relapse with wean of IVIg. Patients with neurologic relapse were more likely to have any abnormal neurodiagnostic study (χ2 = 11.82, P = 0.001), abnormal MRI (χ2 = 7.78, P = 0.005), and abnormal LP (χ2 = 5.45, P = 0.02), and a personal history of autoimmunity (OR: 6.11, P < 0.001) compared to patients without relapse. IVIg was highly effective in the treatment of DSRD. Individuals with a history of personal autoimmunity or neurodiagnostic abnormalities were more likely to relapse following weaning of immunotherapy, indicating the potential for, a chronic autoimmune etiology in some cases of DSRD.
Lymph node targeted multi-epitope subunit vaccine promotes effective immunity to EBV in HLA-expressing mice
Authors: Dasari Vijayendra , McNeil Lisa K. , Beckett Kirrilee , Solomon Matthew , Ambalathingal George , Thuy T. Le , Panikkar Archana , Smith Caitlyn , Steinbuck Martin P. , Jakubowski Aniela , Seenappa Lochana M. , Palmer Erica , Zhang Jeff , Haqq Christopher M. , DeMuth Peter C. , Khanna Rajiv
Published: August 2023

The recent emergence of a causal link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis has generated considerable interest in the development of an effective vaccine against EBV. Here we describe a vaccine formulation based on a lymph node targeting Amphiphile vaccine adjuvant, Amphiphile-CpG, admixed with EBV gp350 glycoprotein and an engineered EBV polyepitope protein that includes 20 CD8+ T cell epitopes from EBV latent and lytic antigens. Potent gp350-specific IgG responses are induced in mice with titers >100,000 in Amphiphile-CpG vaccinated mice. Immunization including Amphiphile-CpG also induces high frequencies of polyfunctional gp350-specific CD4+ T cells and EBV-specific CD8+ T cells that are 2-fold greater than soluble CpG and are maintained for >7 months post immunization. This combination of broad humoral and cellular immunity against multiple viral determinants is likely to provide better protection against primary infection and control of latently infected B cells leading to protection against the development of EBV-associated diseases.
Cryo-EM structures of Uba7 reveal the molecular basis for ISG15 activation and E1-E2 thioester transfer
Authors: Afsar Mohammad , Liu GuanQun , Jia Lijia , Ruben Eliza A. , Nayak Digant , Sayyad Zuberwasim , Bury Priscila dos Santos , Cano Kristin E. , Nayak Anindita , Zhao Xiang Ru , Shukla Ankita , Sung Patrick , Wasmuth Elizabeth V. , Gack Michaela U. , Olsen Shaun K.
Published: August 2023

ISG15 plays a crucial role in the innate immune response and has been well-studied due to its antiviral activity and regulation of signal transduction, apoptosis, and autophagy. ISG15 is a ubiquitin-like protein that is activated by an E1 enzyme (Uba7) and transferred to a cognate E2 enzyme (UBE2L6) to form a UBE2L6-ISG15 intermediate that functions with E3 ligases that catalyze conjugation of ISG15 to target proteins. Despite its biological importance, the molecular basis by which Uba7 catalyzes ISG15 activation and transfer to UBE2L6 is unknown as there is no available structure of Uba7. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of human Uba7 in complex with UBE2L6, ISG15 adenylate, and ISG15 thioester intermediate that are poised for catalysis of Uba7-UBE2L6-ISG15 thioester transfer. Our structures reveal a unique overall architecture of the complex compared to structures from the ubiquitin conjugation pathway, particularly with respect to the location of ISG15 thioester intermediate. Our structures also illuminate the molecular basis for Uba7 activities and for its exquisite specificity for ISG15 and UBE2L6. Altogether, our structural, biochemical, and human cell-based data provide significant insights into the functions of Uba7, UBE2L6, and ISG15 in cells.
Multi-proxy evidence for sea level fall at the onset of the Eocene-Oligocene transition
Authors: De Lira Mota Marcelo A. , Dunkley Jones Tom , Sulaiman Nursufiah , Edgar Kirsty M. , Yamaguchi Tatsuhiko , Leng Melanie J. , Adloff Markus , Greene Sarah E. , Norris Richard , Warren Bridget , Duffy Grace , Farrant Jennifer , Murayama Masafumi , Hall Jonathan , Bendle James
Published: August 2023

Continental-scale expansion of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Eocene-Oligocene Transition (EOT) is one of the largest non-linear events in Earth’s climate history. Declining atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and orbital variability triggered glacial expansion and strong feedbacks in the climate system. Prominent among these feedbacks was the repartitioning of biogeochemical cycles between the continental shelves and the deep ocean with falling sea level. Here we present multiple proxies from a shallow shelf location that identify a marked regression and an elevated flux of continental-derived organic matter at the earliest stage of the EOT, a time of deep ocean carbonate dissolution and the extinction of oligotrophic phytoplankton groups. We link these observations using an Earth System model, whereby this first regression delivers a pulse of organic carbon to the oceans that could drive the observed patterns of deep ocean dissolution and acts as a transient negative feedback to climate cooling.
Genomic dissection of endemic carbapenem resistance reveals metallo-beta-lactamase dissemination through clonal, plasmid and integron transfer
Authors: Macesic Nenad , Hawkey Jane , Vezina Ben , Wisniewski Jessica A. , Cottingham Hugh , Blakeway Luke V. , Harshegyi Taylor , Pragastis Katherine , Badoordeen Gnei Zweena , Dennison Amanda , Spelman Denis W. , Jenney Adam W. J. , Peleg Anton Y.
Published: August 2023

Infections caused by metallo-beta-lactamase-producing organisms (MBLs) are a global health threat. Our understanding of transmission dynamics and how MBLs establish endemicity remains limited. We analysed two decades of blaIMP-4 evolution in a hospital using sequence data from 270 clinical and environmental isolates (including 169 completed genomes) and identified the blaIMP-4 gene across 7 Gram-negative genera, 68 bacterial strains and 7 distinct plasmid types. We showed how an initial multi-species outbreak of conserved IncC plasmids (95 genomes across 37 strains) allowed endemicity to be established through the ability of blaIMP-4 to disseminate in successful strain-genetic setting pairs we termed propagators, in particular Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter hormaechei. From this reservoir, blaIMP-4 persisted through diversification of genetic settings that resulted from transfer of blaIMP-4 plasmids between bacterial hosts and of the integron carrying blaIMP-4 between plasmids. Our findings provide a framework for understanding endemicity and spread of MBLs and may have broader applicability to other carbapenemase-producing organisms.
TEQUILA-seq: a versatile and low-cost method for targeted long-read RNA sequencing
Authors: Wang Feng , Xu Yang , Wang Robert , Zhang Beatrice , Smith Noah , Notaro Amber , Gaerlan Samantha , Kutschera Eric , Kadash-Edmondson Kathryn E. , Xing Yi , Lin Lan
Published: August 2023

Long-read RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a powerful technology for transcriptome analysis, but the relatively low throughput of current long-read sequencing platforms limits transcript coverage. One strategy for overcoming this bottleneck is targeted long-read RNA-seq for preselected gene panels. We present TEQUILA-seq, a versatile, easy-to-implement, and low-cost method for targeted long-read RNA-seq utilizing isothermally linear-amplified capture probes. When performed on the Oxford nanopore platform with multiple gene panels of varying sizes, TEQUILA-seq consistently and substantially enriches transcript coverage while preserving transcript quantification. We profile full-length transcript isoforms of 468 actionable cancer genes across 40 representative breast cancer cell lines. We identify transcript isoforms enriched in specific subtypes and discover novel transcript isoforms in extensively studied cancer genes such as TP53. Among cancer genes, tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) are significantly enriched for aberrant transcript isoforms targeted for degradation via mRNA nonsense-mediated decay, revealing a common RNA-associated mechanism for TSG inactivation. TEQUILA-seq reduces the per-reaction cost of targeted capture by 2-3 orders of magnitude, as compared to a standard commercial solution. TEQUILA-seq can be broadly used for targeted sequencing of full-length transcripts in diverse biomedical research settings.
Structure of lasso peptide epimerase MslH reveals metal-dependent acid/base catalytic mechanism
Authors: Nakashima Yu , Kawakami Atsushi , Ogasawara Yasushi , Maeki Masatoshi , Tokeshi Manabu , Dairi Tohru , Morita Hiroyuki
Published: August 2023

The lasso peptide MS-271 is a ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) consisting of 21 amino acids with D-tryptophan at the C-terminus, and is derived from the precursor peptide MslA. MslH, encoded in the MS-271 biosynthetic gene cluster (msl), catalyzes the epimerization at the Cα center of the MslA C-terminal Trp21, leading to epi-MslA. The detailed catalytic process, including the catalytic site and cofactors, has remained enigmatic. Herein, based on X-ray crystallographic studies in association with MslA core peptide analogues, we show that MslH is a metallo-dependent peptide epimerase with a calcineurin-like fold. The crystal structure analysis, followed by site-directed mutagenesis, docking simulation, and ICP-MS studies demonstrate that MslH employs acid/base chemistry to facilitate the reversible epimerization of the C-terminal Trp21 of MslA, by utilizing two pairs of His/Asp catalytic residues that are electrostatically tethered to a six-coordination motif with a Ca(II) ion via water molecules.
Nutritional and host environments determine community ecology and keystone species in a synthetic gut bacterial community
Authors: Weiss Anna S. , Niedermeier Lisa S. , von Strempel Alexandra , Burrichter Anna G. , Ring Diana , Meng Chen , Kleigrewe Karin , Lincetto Chiara , Hübner Johannes , Stecher Bärbel
Published: August 2023

A challenging task to understand health and disease-related microbiome signatures is to move beyond descriptive community-level profiling towards disentangling microbial interaction networks. Using a synthetic gut bacterial community, we aimed to study the role of individual members in community assembly, identify putative keystone species and test their influence across different environments. Single-species dropout experiments reveal that bacterial strain relationships strongly vary not only in different regions of the murine gut, but also across several standard culture media. Mechanisms involved in environment-dependent keystone functions in vitro include exclusive access to polysaccharides as well as bacteriocin production. Further,Bacteroides caecimurisandBlautia coccoidesare found to play keystone roles in gnotobiotic mice by impacting community composition, the metabolic landscape and inflammatory responses. In summary, the presented study highlights the strong interdependency between bacterial community ecology and the biotic and abiotic environment. These results question the concept of universally valid keystone species in the gastrointestinal ecosystem and underline the context-dependency of both, keystone functions and bacterial interaction networks.
Development of high-voltage and high-energy membrane-free nonaqueous lithium-based organic redox flow batteries
Authors: Gautam Rajeev K. , Wang Xiao , Lashgari Amir , Sinha Soumalya , McGrath Jack , Siwakoti Rabin , Jiang Jianbing “Jimmy”
Published: August 2023

Lithium-based nonaqueous redox flow batteries (LRFBs) are alternative systems to conventional aqueous redox flow batteries because of their higher operating voltage and theoretical energy density. However, the use of ion-selective membranes limits the large-scale applicability of LRFBs. Here, we report high-voltage membrane-free LRFBs based on an all-organic biphasic system that uses Li metal anode and 2,4,6-tri-(1-cyclohexyloxy-4-imino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine)-1,3,5-triazine (Tri-TEMPO), N-propyl phenothiazine (C3-PTZ), and tris(dialkylamino)cyclopropenium (CP) cathodes. Under static conditions, the Li||Tri-TEMPO, Li||C3-PTZ, and Li||CP batteries with 0.5 M redox-active material deliver capacity retentions of 98%, 98%, and 92%, respectively, for 100 cycles over ~55 days at the current density of 1 mA/cm2 and a temperature of 27 °C. Moreover, the Li||Tri-TEMPO (0.5 M) flow battery delivers an initial average cell discharge voltage of 3.45 V and an energy density of ~33 Wh/L. This flow battery also demonstrates 81% of capacity for 100 cycles over ~45 days with average Coulombic efficiency of 96% and energy efficiency of 82% at the current density of 1.5 mA/cm2 and at a temperature of 27 °C.