bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preferences for Long-Acting and Alternative Modalities for PrEP among Military Men Who Have Sex with Men: Segmentation Results of an Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis Study
Authors: Gutierrez Jose I. , Vlahov David , Dubov Alex , Altice Frederick L.
Published: March 2022

The use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention within the U.S. military is low. Implementing preference-based alternative modalities of PrEP delivery, however, can be an innovative strategy to address the specific barriers to PrEP uptake among military MSM. We sought to identify population-based, segment-specific preferences for longer-acting and alternative PrEP delivery modalities to guide patient-centered strategies to optimize uptake within military-serving healthcare systems. HIV-negative military men who have sex with men (MSM) completed an anonymous, adaptive choice-based conjoint (ACBC) analysis survey consisting of five key attributes of interest (dosing method, provider type, visit location, lab work evaluation location, and dispensing venue). Relative importance and part-worth utility scores were generated using Hierarchical Bayes (HB) estimation, and cluster ensemble analysis grouped participants into “phenotype” segments by preference similarity. The randomized first-choice model was then used to examine changes in program interest rates among segments through market simulation. The 429 participants were segmented into five preference groups. The dosing method attribute was found to be the most important to nearly all segments. Simulations revealed that PrEP program interest among two segments with low interest levels increased when smartphone, civilian-based, and long-acting injectable PrEP options were involved. Findings also suggested a need for clinics to be responsive and sensitive to sexual practices, risk perception, and functional PrEP knowledge. Responsiveness to segment-specific preferences in the design of military PrEP programs and acting on the importance of clinical relationships within the context of PrEP engagement within a military setting may contribute to increasing PrEP uptake.
New insights into Human Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells via Single-Cell Omics
Authors: Zhang Yawen , Huang Yaojin , Hu Linping , Cheng Tao
Published: March 2022

Residing at the apex of the hematopoietic hierarchy, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) give rise to all mature blood cells. In the last decade, significant progress has been made in single-cell RNA sequencing as well as multi-omics technologies that have facilitated elucidation of the heterogeneity of previously defined human HSPCs. From the embryonic stage through the adult stage to aging, single-cell studies have enabled us to trace the origins of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), demonstrating different hematopoietic differentiation during development, as well as identifying novel cell populations. In both hematological benign diseases and malignancies, single-cell omics technologies have begun to reveal tissue heterogeneity and have permitted mapping of microenvironmental ecosystems and tracking of cell subclones, thereby greatly broadening our understanding of disease development. Furthermore, advances have also been made in elucidating the molecular mechanisms for relapse and identifying therapeutic targets of hematological disorders and other non-hematological diseases. Extensive exploration of hematopoiesis at the single-cell level may thus have great potential for broad clinical applications of HSPCs, as well as disease prognosis.

Graphical abstract
Unlocking the secrets behind liquid superlubricity: A state-of-the-art review on phenomena and mechanisms
Authors: Han Tianyi , Zhang Shuowen , Zhang Chenhui
Published: March 2022

Superlubricity, the state of ultralow friction between two sliding surfaces, has become a frontier subject in tribology. Here, a state-of-the-art review of the phenomena and mechanisms of liquid superlubricity are presented based on our ten-year research, to unlock the secrets behind liquid superlubricity, a major approach to achieve superlubricity. An overview of the discovery of liquid superlubricity materials is presented from five different categories, including water and acid-based solutions, hydrated materials, ionic liquids (ILs), two-dimensional (2D) materials as lubricant additives, and oil-based lubricants, to show the hydrodynamic and hydration contributions to liquid superlubricity. The review also discusses four methods to further expand superlubricity by solving the challenge of lubricants that have a high load-carrying capacity with a low shear resistance, including enhancing the hydration contribution by strengthening the hydration strength of lubricants, designing friction surfaces with higher negative surface charge densities, simultaneously combining hydration and hydrodynamic contribution, and using 2D materials (e.g., graphene and black phosphorus) to separate the contact of asperities. Furthermore, uniform mechanisms of liquid superlubricity have been summarized for different liquid lubricants at the boundary, mixed, and hydrodynamic lubrication regimes. To the best of our knowledge, almost all the immense progresses of the exciting topic, superlubricity, since the first theoretical prediction in the early 1990s, focus on uniform superlubricity mechanisms. This review aims to guide the research direction of liquid superlubricity in the future and to further expand liquid superlubricity, whether in a theoretical research or engineering applications, ultimately enabling a sustainable state of ultra-low friction and ultra-low wear as well as transformative improvements in the efficiency of mechanical systems and human bodies.
Occupational Segregation And Hypertension Inequity: The Implication Of The Inverse Hazard Law Among Healthcare Workers
Authors: Chantarat Tongtan , Enns Eva A. , Hardeman Rachel R. , McGovern Patricia M. , Myers Samuel L. , Dill Janette
Published: March 2022

In the United States (US), Black—particularly Black female—healthcare workers are more likely to hold occupations with high job demand, low job control with limited support from supervisors or coworkers and are more vulnerable to job loss than their white counterparts. These work-related factors increase the risk of hypertension. This study examines the extent to which occupational segregation explains the persistent racial inequity in hypertension in the healthcare workforce and the potential health impact of workforce desegregation policies. We simulated a US healthcare workforce with four occupational classes: health diagnosing professionals (i.e., highest status), health treating professionals, healthcare technicians, and healthcare aides (i.e., lowest status). We simulated occupational segregation by allocating 25-year-old workers to occupational classes with the race- and gender-specific probabilities estimated from the American Community Survey data. Our model used occupational class attributes and workers’ health behaviors to predict hypertension over a 40-year career. We tracked the hypertension prevalence and the Black–white prevalence gap among the simulated workers under the staus quo condition (occupational segregation) and the experimental conditions in which occupational segregation was eliminated. We found that the Black–white hypertension prevalence gap became approximately one percentage point smaller in the experimental than in the status quo conditions. These findings suggest that policies designed to desegregate the healthcare workforce may reduce racial health inequities in this population. Our microsimulation may be used in future research to compare various desegregation policies as they may affect workers’ health differently.
Precursor superconducting effects in the optimally doped YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductor: the confrontation between superconducting fluctuations and percolative effects revisited
Authors: Llovo I. F. , Mosqueira J. , Carballeira C. , Vidal F.
Published: March 2022

The confrontation between the superconducting fluctuations and percolation effects as the origin of the in-plane paraconductivity in cuprate superconductors was earlier addressed at a quantitative level in the case of the optimally doped YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) compound. Using in-plane resistivity data from a high-quality YBCO thin film, we will extend these analyses to high reduced temperatures, in the case of the Gaussian-Ginzburg–Landau (GGL) approach for the conventional superconducting fluctuations, by considering the total energy cutoff. These data will also be analysed in terms of the mean field-approach of the effective-medium theory, to probe if emergent percolative effects may account for the resistivity rounding above $$T_{c}$$

T
c

. Our analyses confirm earlier conclusions: the measured paraconductivity cannot be explained in terms of emergent percolation processes, but it may be accounted for in terms of the GGL approach. These results also call into question alternative scenarios, including a recent proposal derived from emergent percolative effects.
Role of gelatin and chitosan cross-linked aqueous template in controlling the size of lithium titanium oxide
Authors: Ahamed Parbhej , Ghann William , Uddin Jamal , Yousuf Mohammad A.
Published: March 2022

Significant safety advantages of lithium titanium oxide (LTO) over currently used graphite for lithium-ion batteries have been attracting scientists to develop novel synthetic methods of this anode material in order to combine with another cathode. This study utilizes self-sacrificing cross-linked aqueous templates of gelatin and chitosan polymer to control lithium titanium oxide (LTO) morphology and microstructure. Gelatin and chitosan self-assembled aqueous template containing LTO precursors has been evaporated at 110 °C and then calcined at 750 °C in a muffle furnace to synthesize white color LTO powder. Various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy and UV–visible spectroscopy were used to characterize the synthesized LTO powders. Both XRD and EDS spectrum confirm the coating of gelatin and chitosan derived carbon species on the surface of LTO materials. The detailed characterization reveals that increasing the amount of gelatin to the mass ratio of gelatin and chitosan reduced LTO particle sizes. Thus, a size controlled carbon coating LTO preparation strategy have been established via gelatin and chitosan cross-linked aqueous template in controlling the morphology and microstructure of LTO material.
Flexural response of FRP-strengthened lightweight RC beams: hybrid bond efficiency of L‐shape ribbed bars and NSM technique
Authors: Tahmouresi Behzad , Momeninejad Kasra , Mohseni Ehsan
Published: March 2022

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on employing near surface mounted (NSM) fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement technique, and L‐shape ribbed bars, for flexural strengthening of lightweight reinforced concrete (RC) beams. 18 RC beams including 14 lightweight RC beams and four normal-weight concrete beams were designed. The beams were strengthened with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminate in bending tests. Test parameters included: (1) different FRP materials (glass bars and carbon sheets), (2) longitudinal steel reinforcement ratio, and (3) type of strengthening technique used (NSM reinforcement or hybrid). The ultimate tensile strength, deflection, compressive and tensile strain of concrete, and failure mode of the beams were examined under four-point flexural test. Results showed that the ultimate strength of all RC beams increased between 33 and 105% compared to the control beam. The ultimate strength of beams reinforced with CFRP in the mid-span region was 10% higher than that of beams strengthened at both ends, although the former exhibited 28% lower ultimate deflection. The ultimate strength and deflection of RC beams strengthened with combined steel reinforcing bars and GFRP bars were 10% and 108% higher, respectively, compared to those of RC beams strengthened with GFRP bars only. Hybrid L‐shape ribbed bars beams showed a considerably higher ductility (up to 170% increase in the ultimate deflection) compared to other beams. The comparison of the experimental results of the ultimate strength of the beams with ACI440-2R guidelines indicated a reasonable and conservative prediction of the code expression.
Violence and the Sikhs
Authors: Mandair Arvind-Pal S.
Published: March 2022

Violence and the Sikhs interrogates conventional typologies of violence and non-violence in Sikhism by rethinking the dominant narrative of Sikhism as a deviation from the ostensibly original pacifist-religious intentions and practices of its founders. This Element highlights competing logics of violence drawn from primary sources of Sikh literature, thereby complicating our understanding of the relationship between spirituality and violence, connecting it to issues of sovereignty and the relationship between Sikhism and the State during the five centuries of its history. By cultivating a non-oppositional understanding of violence and spirituality, this Element provides an innovative method for interpreting events of 'religious violence'. In doing so it provides a novel perspective on familiar themes such as martyrdom, Martial Race theory, warfare and (post)colonial conflicts in the Sikh context.
A hedonic analysis of factors impacting the value of planters on the used machinery market
Authors: Allison John , Mark Tyler B. , Burdine Kenneth H. , Shockley Jordan M.
Published: March 2022

A hedonic model was employed to examine factors that influence the resale price of row crop planters on the used machinery market. Planter sale data from 2016 to 2018 were utilized to conduct the analysis. Results suggested that the primary factors impacting planter resale prices were make, age, condition, planter configuration, row number, and row spacing. As a function of age (depreciation), planter values were generally determined to decrease at a decreasing rate. Finally, it was determined that there was a significant interaction between the variables make and age, suggesting that different planter makes depreciate differently.
Response of maize yield to nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur rates on Andosols and Nitisols in Ethiopia
Authors: Bekele Israel , Lulie Belstie , Habte Mulugeta , Boke Shiferaw , Hailu Gebreslasie , Mariam Estifanos H. , Ahmed Jemal Seid , Abera Wuletawu , Sileshi Gudeta W.
Published: March 2022

The use of fertilizers in balanced and adequate amounts is a prerequisite for increasing crop productivity and production. Unbalanced plant nutrient management continues to be a major factor contributing to low maize (Zea maysL.) yields due to lack of information on the dose–responses to macronutrients on different soil types in Ethiopia. This study was carried out to quantify maize yield response and agronomic efficiency of varying application rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) under balanced application of other nutrients across two soil types in Ethiopia. Field trials were set up on 29 farmers’ fields in four districts of Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) for three consecutive cropping seasons (2014–2017). The treatments consisted of six rates of N, P and S each and eight rates of K combined with balanced application of the remaining macronutrients, zinc (Zn) and boron (B). The treatments were laid out in randomised complete blocks design with three replicates per farm. Using nutrient dose–response modelling, the agronomic optimum rates of N, P, K and S were estimated at 46, 40, 17 and 10 kg ha−1on Nitisols, with balanced application of the other nutrients. On Andosols, the optimum rates of N, P and S were estimated at 184, 20 and 30 kg ha−1, respectively, but the optimum K rate could not be estimated. The predicted maximum yields obtained with balanced nutrient application were lower on Andosols (3397–3640 kg ha−1) than on Nitisols (4630–6094 kg ha−1). Using the Mitscherlich dose–response model, the percentage deficiencies of N, P, K and S were estimated to be 1.3–3.3 times more on Nitisols than Andosols. Consequently, agronomic efficiencies of N, P, K and S were significantly lower on Andosols than on Nitisols. It is concluded that balanced application of 46 kg N ha−1, 40 kg P ha−1, 17 kg K ha−1, 10 kg ha−1S, 2 kg Zn ha−1and 0.5 kg B ha−1could be recommended for maize on Nitisols in the study area. Although this recommendation may also apply to Andosol, further research is needed as the productivity of Andosols appears to be limited by constrains other than N, P, K, S, Zn and B. We also recommend a shift from the blanket fertilizer recommendations to site-specific nutrient management based on good understanding of the variations in crop response with soil type and agroecology and appropriate soil and plant analyses.
Evaluating an integrated nutrition and mathematics curriculum: primary school teachers’ and students’ experiences
Authors: Follong Berit M , Prieto-Rodriguez Elena , Miller Andrew , Collins Clare E , Bucher Tamara
Published: March 2022

Objective:

To present the process evaluation of a curricular Cross-curricular Unit on Portion Size (CUPS) program that integrates nutrition and mathematics, describing teacher and student perspectives on the intervention.

Design:

Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted following the implementation of the CUPS program during a pilot randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate efficacy for improved portion size estimation. Lessons involved experiential learning using food models and mathematics cubes and focussed on portion size, food groups, volume and capacity. Data were collected immediately post-intervention and analysed using an inductive thematic approach.

Setting:

Primary schools in Newcastle, Australia.

Participants:

Year 3 and/or 4 teachers (n 3) and their students (n 15).

Results:

Teachers believed the programme supported the learning of nutrition concepts, with the majority of students enjoying the lessons, cubes and food models. Teachers indicated most students were engaged and became more aware of healthy eating and serve size recommendation. Although teachers enjoyed and valued the lessons, they suggested that the integration of volume and capacity should be further improved in order to address the time barrier for teaching nutrition.

Conclusion:

The process evaluation reports on challenges and successes of implementing an integrative nutrition programme. This teaching approach could be useful and successful when aligned with teacher’ and student’ needs. Based on participant feedback, lessons could be refined to enhance integration of mathematics content and to support student learning.
Focused Ion Beam Preparation of Low Melting Point Metals: Lessons Learned From Indium
Authors: Michael Joseph R. , Perry Daniel L. , Cummings Damion P. , Walraven Jeremy A. , Jordan Matthew B.
Published: March 2022

Indium (In) and other low melting point metals are used as interconnects in a variety of hybridized circuits and a full understanding of the metallurgy of these interconnects is important to the reliability and performance of the devices. This paper shows that room temperature focused ion beam (FIB) preparation of cross-sections, using Ga+ or Xe+ can result in artifacts that obscure the true In microbump structure. The use of modified milling strategies to minimize the increased local sample temperature are shown to produce cross-sections that are representative of the In bump microstructure in some sample configurations. Furthermore, cooling of the sample to cryogenic temperatures is shown to reliably eliminate artifacts in FIB prepared cross-sections of In bumps allowing the true bump microstructure to be observed.
A Brief History of Updates of Answer-Set Programs
Authors: LEITE JOÃO , SLOTA MARTIN
Published: March 2022

Over the last couple of decades, there has been a considerable effort devoted to the problem of updating logic programs under the stable model semantics (a.k.a. answer-set programs) or, in other words, the problem of characterising the result of bringing up-to-date a logic program when the world it describes changes. Whereas the state-of-the-art approaches are guided by the same basic intuitions and aspirations as belief updates in the context of classical logic, they build upon fundamentally different principles and methods, which have prevented a unifying framework that could embrace both belief and rule updates. In this paper, we will overview some of the main approaches and results related to answer-set programming updates, while pointing out some of the main challenges that research in this topic has faced.
The WTO at the Crossroads: How to Avoid the China Syndrome?
Authors: Mavroidis Petros C. , Sapir André
Published: March 2022

The commonplace narrative regarding China's participation in the WTO is that the original expectations have not been matched in subsequent experience. China has not behaved in accordance with the spirit (and sometimes the letter) of its commitments. Reactions by trading partners have been from critical to hostile, and some have even called for a WTO without China, ignoring the boost to international trade that China's accession has provoked. Yet, China's participation in the WTO cannot remain un-addressed. The US almost brought the WTO to its knees largely because of China, and the EU has enacted laws to counteract China's trade expansion. In this short paper, we argue that the solution to the China-issue passes through an addition and re-invigoration of the multilateral trade rules.
From Christian Transcendence to the Maoist Sublime: Liu Xiaofeng, the Chinese Straussians, and the Conservative Revolt against Modernity
Authors: Tu Hang
Published: March 2022

Liu Xiaofeng (1956–) is best known today as the founder of the “Chinese Straussian School,” a conservative intellectual movement that advocated a quasi-theological form of political leadership in contemporary China. Little attention has been paid, however, to the intertwined relationship between Liu's political authoritarianism and his meditation on religion. This article traces Liu's lifelong search for a “religious consciousness” from his youthful yearnings for Christian redemption in the 1980s “New Enlightenment,” to the utter profanation of the sacred in his recent espousal of the Mao cult. I suggest that Liu's conservative turn should not obscure the profound and troubling continuity between his earlier search for an “otherworldly” religious ethics and his later obsession with “this-worldly” political theology. By exploring the entanglement between revolution and religion throughout Liu's zigzagging journey, this article considers Liu's transition as part and parcel of a generational endeavor to come to terms with the “politico-theological” legacies of Mao's revolution.
Considering the Adaptive Cycle and Resilience of the Ecosystem to Define Reference Conditions for Wetland Restoration
Authors: Liu Hanxiang , Gao Chuanyu , Wang Guoping
Published: March 2022

Ecosystem resilience to pressures expanding and contracting within the adaptive cycle as slow variables change. However, little is known about their role in defining reference conditions for wetland restoration. Here, we applied paleoecological data of two wetlands that have been degraded (Honghe, riparian peatland) and disappeared (Shenjiadian, valley peatland) to evaluate ecosystem resilience to anthropogenic pressures as the phases of the adaptive cycle progress. The slow variables of plants and diatoms gradually began to change from moisture to dry loving species under severe disturbances in the late 1970s. Then regime shift took place around 1990 CE (Current Era) based on a sequential T‐test analysis and F statistics on the slow variables. A drop in water level caused by human activities rather than climate moisture led to regime shifts in Honghe and Shenjiadian wetlands. Therefore, the ecosystem were in the conservation phase before the late 1970s, and were in the reorganization phase after 1990 CE. The ecosystems had high resilience and a stable state at the early conservation phase, and its characteristics can be used as reference conditions for wetland restoration. The reference water level was 11–13 cm and the NH4‐N ranged from 0.8 to 1.2 mg/L. The dominant vegetation was Drepanocladus aduncus and the dominant diatom was Pinnularia brevicostata. The referred enrich factors of nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals were under 4.45, 2.12, and 1.11, respectively. Considering both adaptive cycle and resilience to define reference conditions can provide insight into the future restoration and management of wetland ecosystems worldwide.
Wildfire Smoke Effects on Lake‐Habitat Specific Metabolism: Toward a Conceptual Understanding
Authors: Scordo Facundo , Sadro Steven , Culpepper Joshua , Seitz Carina , Chandra Sudeep
Published: March 2022

The impacts of wildfire smoke on lake habitats remains unclear. We determined the metabolic response to smoke in the epi‐pelagic and two littoral habitats in Castle Lake, California. We compared light regime, gross primary production, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem production in years with and without smoke. During the smoke period incident ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B) radiation and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) decreased by 53% and 28%, respectively, while the water column extinction coefficient of UV‐B and PAR increased by 20% and 18% respectively. Epi‐pelagic productivity increased during smoke cover because of decreased solar inputs. PAR values remained sufficient to saturate productivity, suggesting observed differences were primarily the result of changes in UV‐B. Littoral‐benthic productivity did not change, possibly reflecting adaptation to high‐intensity UV‐B light in these habitats. Our results highlight the importance of understanding how prolonged wildfire smoke alters the amount of energy produced from specific habitats in lakes.
The Origin of Midlatitude Plasma Depletions Detected During the 12 February 2000 and 29 October 2003 Geomagnetic Storms
Authors: Kil Hyosub , Chang Hyeyeon , Lee Woo Kyoung , Paxton Larry J. , Sun Andrew K. , Lee Jiyun
Published: March 2022

Large amplitude plasma density irregularities have occasionally been detected at night in the midlatitudeFregion during geomagnetic storms. They are often interpreted in terms of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) because midlatitude irregularities have the morphology of EPBs. This study assesses whether morphology can be a determining factor in ascribing the origin of such midlatitude ionospheric irregularities. We address this question by analyzing the observations of the First Republic of China satellite (ROCSAT‐1) and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)‐F14 and ‐F15 satellites during the geomagnetic storms on 12 February 2000 and 29 October 2003. On both days, ROCSAT‐1 detects plasma depletions at midlatitudes in broad longitude regions and DMSP satellites detect isolated severe plasma depletions whose widths and depths are much wider and deeper than those of typical EPBs. The distinguishing characteristics during the storms are the detection of midlatitude depletions only in the Southern Hemisphere and the occurrence of some of these depletions before 19 hr local time and at the longitudes where EPBs are absent in the equatorial region. These characteristics are not explained satisfactorily by the characteristics of EPBs. Considering the detection of some of the midlatitude depletions at the equatorward edge of ionospheric perturbations in midlatitudes, midlatitude depletions are likely ionospheric perturbations that originated from higher latitudes. Because midlatitude depletions can originate from different sources, the morphology alone is not a determining factor of their origin.
Velocity and Anisotropic Structure of the Uppermost Mantle Beneath Central America and Northwestern South America From Pn Tomography
Authors: Lü Yan , Li Juan , He Yuhui , Zhao Lian‐Feng , Zhang Jinhai
Published: March 2022

We constructed the first Pn velocity and anisotropy model of the uppermost mantle in Central America and northwestern South America using the Pn tomography method and new ISC‐EHB data. Significantly low Pn velocities and arc‐parallel anisotropic structures are observed beneath the volcanic arc in Central America. The separate, low Pn velocity beneath the back‐arc volcano in Nicaragua shows that the hot material upwelling in the uppermost mantle beneath this volcano is likely separated from the main volcanic arc. The stable Caribbean Plate is characterized by high Pn velocities. The southward subduction and dehydration of the Caribbean Plate seem to be potential causes of the low Pn velocities in eastern Panama. Based on our Pn velocity, anisotropy and previous geological observations, we suggest a dynamic model of the Colombia‐Ecuador region including mantle flow and magmatic gap: there is arc‐parallel anisotropy in the uppermost mantle beneath the Colombia‐Ecuador volcanic arc, arc‐perpendicular mantle flow in the deeper mantle beneath the subducted plate, and a magmatic gap near the Caldas Tear.
Unsupervised Clustering of Argo Temperature and Salinity Profiles in the Mid‐Latitude Northwest Pacific Ocean and Revealed Influence of the Kuroshio Extension Variability on the Vertical Structure Distribution
Authors: Sambe Fumika , Suga Toshio
Published: March 2022

In the mid‐latitude northwest Pacific Ocean, subtropical, and subarctic waters meet, intermingle, and mix to form multiple ocean domains characterized by a variety of unique oceanographic structures. The majority of previous studies on the characteristics and distribution of these ocean structures were based on existing definitions of the structure and water mass of interest derived from spatiotemporally limited data. With the massive and spatiotemporal unbiased data accumulated by Argo, data‐driven scientific methods may be able to objectively recapture the ocean structure. In this study, we used unsupervised clustering to analyze the temperature and salinity profiles from Argo float in the mid‐latitude northwest Pacific Ocean, and the results were compared to previous knowledge of ocean structure. The results showed that classes were distributed to form specific regions and each class has different oceanographic features that generally correspond to the previously described regional divisions. A striking advantage of this new method is that it quantifies the relative abundance of each class of profiles on a 1° grid. Furthermore, we discovered that the dynamic state of Kuroshio Extension (KE) affects the distribution of some classes and the percentage of profiles that are robust to clustering. This suggests that the stability of the KE flow path has an effect on the distribution of ocean structure. These findings suggest that unsupervised clustering is useful in the analysis of oceanographic structures, allowing us to investigate oceanographic structures in areas that have not previously been extensively studied.
The Behaviors of Intraseasonal Cloud Organization During DYNAMO/AMIE
Authors: Sakaeda Naoko , Torri Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

This study investigates the organization of tropical convection associated with the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) during the Dynamics of the MJO/Atmospheric Radiation Measurement MJO Investigation Experiment field campaign. While it is known that tropical clouds can organize and impact the large‐scale environment, how this occurs, and its underlying mechanism are not fully understood. Application of several existing cloud organization indices showed inconsistent evolutions in the measured degree of organization with the MJO. The inconsistency arises from the varying definitions and assumptions of cloud organization behaviors that are applied to each index. While these indices often combine different properties of clouds, such as their number density, size, and distance between them, the analysis of these properties separately provided further understanding of how clouds organize with the MJO. Using the rainfall clusters identified from the S‐Polka radar, we find that deep convective rainfall clusters begin to increase their number density before the arrival of MJO enhanced convective center, which is accompanied by increased proximity (shorter distance to each other) and followed by growth in their size. However, the nonrandomness in the spatial distribution of rainfall clusters maximizes as MJO convection decays. Deep convective clusters become the least randomly distributed as the clusters decay because of the suppression and decay of isolated deep convective cells, while clustered deep convective cells exist longer. This evolution of cloud organization is analogous to mesoscale convective systems, indicating that the duration and frequency of their organization stages are altered by the large‐scale environmental perturbations associated with the MJO.
A Design Method of Harmonic Mixers Based on Schottky Diodes Applied for Millimeter Wave Components
Authors: Jiang Yiyi , Gu Xiya , Cui Can
Published: March 2022

On the basic theory of millimeter wave mixing technology, harmonic mixers in multiple different frequency bands are systematically studied. This paper innovatively establishes a 3D model of the diode, gives it material properties, and uses magnetic field circuit software for co‐simulation, and finally develops a beautifully structured W‐band 89 GHz sub‐harmonic mixer. Simulation and test results show that when the local oscillator (LO) is fixed at 45 GHz, the conversion loss of the LO at 84–94 GHz is better than 14 dB, and the minimum conversion loss is 9 dB. The actual test results are relatively consistent with the simulation trend.
Numerical Simulation of Atmospheric Lamb Waves Generated by the 2022 Hunga‐Tonga Volcanic Eruption
Authors: Amores Angel , Monserrat Sebastian , Marcos Marta , Argüeso Daniel , Villalonga Joan , Jordà Gabriel , Gomis Damià
Published: March 2022

On 15 January 2022, around 4:30 UTC the eruption of the Hunga‐Tonga volcano, in the South Pacific Ocean, generated a violent underwater explosion. In addition to tsunami waves that affected the Pacific coasts, the eruption created atmospheric pressure disturbances that spread out in the form of Lamb waves. The associated atmospheric pressure oscillations were detected in high‐frequency in‐situ observations all over the globe. Here we take advantage of the similarities in the propagation and characteristics between atmospheric Lamb waves and long ocean waves and we use a 2DH ocean numerical model to simulate the phenomenon. We compare the outputs of the numerical simulation with in‐situ atmospheric pressure records and with remote satellite observations. The signal in the model matches the observed atmospheric pressure perturbations and reveals an excellent agreement in the wave arrival time between model and observations at hundreds of locations at different distances from the origin.
Differential vulnerability of adult neurogenic niches to dosage of the neurodevelopmental-disorder linked gene Foxg1
Authors: Schäffner Iris , Wittmann Marie-Theres , Vogel Tanja , Lie D. Chichung
Published: March 2022

The transcription factor FOXG1 serves pleiotropic functions in brain development ranging from the regulation of precursor proliferation to the control of cortical circuit formation. Loss-of-function mutations and duplications of FOXG1 are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in humans illustrating the importance of FOXG1 dosage for brain development. Aberrant FOXG1 dosage has been found to disrupt the balanced activity of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We report that FOXG1 is expressed in the main adult neurogenic niches in mice, i.e. the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subependymal zone/olfactory bulb system, where neurogenesis of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons persists into adulthood. These niches displayed differential vulnerability to increased FOXG1 dosage: high FOXG1 levels severely compromised survival and glutamatergic dentate granule neuron fate acquisition in the hippocampal neurogenic niche, but left neurogenesis of GABAergic neurons in the subependymal zone/olfactory bulb system unaffected. Comparative transcriptomic analyses revealed a significantly higher expression of the apoptosis-linked nuclear receptor Nr4a1 in FOXG1-overexpressing hippocampal neural precursors. Strikingly, pharmacological interference with NR4A1 function rescued FOXG1-dependent death of hippocampal progenitors. Our results reveal differential vulnerability of neuronal subtypes to increased FOXG1 dosage and suggest that activity of a FOXG1/NR4A1 axis contributes to such subtype-specific response.
Comparative cost analysis of different prosthetic rehabilitations for the edentulous maxilla: early results from a randomized clinical pilot study
Authors: Ghiasi Peyman , Petrén Sofia , Chrcanovic Bruno , Larsson Christel
Published: March 2022

Objectives/aim

To analyze and compare costs of different prosthetic rehabilitations for the edentulous maxilla.

Materials and methods

Patients with edentulous maxillae were rehabilitated with either of three implant-supported prosthetic protocols; removable overdenture supported by 2 implants (ISOD 2), fixed dental prostheses supported by 4 (ISFAFDP 4) or 6 (ISFAFDP 6) implants. Cost of treatment and costs during follow-up were registered and compared.

Results

Twenty-four patients were included: six patients received ISOD 2 treatment, eight patients received ISFADP 4 treatment and ten patients received ISFADP 6 treatment. Initial costs for ISFAFDP 6 were higher than costs for ISFAFDP 4 and ISOD 2, but there were no differences in cost for maintenance i.e., the ISOD treatment remained the least costly treatment alternative after 1-year follow-up.

Discussion

The lack of difference in cost for maintenance and repair over the first year suggests that implant-supported overdentures will remain the least costly treatment option for the edentulous maxilla, at least in a short-term perspective.

Conclusions

Removable maxillary overdentures supported by 2 implants may be a valid low cost treatment option.
Total circulating microRNA level as an independent prognostic marker for risk stratification in breast cancer
Authors: Gahlawat Aoife Ward , Fahed Lavinia , Witte Tania , Schott Sarah
Published: March 2022

Background

Although breast cancer (BC) has a high survival rate, relapse events may occur which ultimately lead to aggressive disease. Circulating cell-free microRNAs (cf-miRNAs) are a promising minimally invasive biomarker with diagnostic and/or prognostic potential. Unfortunately, there is still no consensus as to a universal cf-miRNA biomarker in BC and there has been no clinical implementation until now. One major limitation is the technical variation with cf-miRNA isolation and specific quantification methods.

Methods

In this study, we assessed the total levels of cf-miRNAs as a potential prognostic marker for BC in 356 plasma samples from 250 BC patients.

Results

High levels of cf-miRNAs significantly correlated with unfavourable clinical features including tumour stage, load and the presence of metastasis at diagnosis. With more than 9 years of follow-up, we could show that global cf-miRNA levels significantly correlated with cancer relapse which was confirmed in multivariate cox regression analysis. Finally, for a subset of patients where the serial plasma was available, levels of cf-miRNAs increased in the plasma prior to clinical detection of progressive disease and were massively elevated in patients who died compared to those still alive at the last timepoint of measurement.

Conclusions

This is the first study to suggest that total cf-miRNA levels in the blood can be used as an independent prognostic marker for BC.
CircRBM33 downregulation inhibits hypoxia-induced glycolysis and promotes apoptosis of breast cancer cells via a microRNA-542-3p/HIF-1α axis
Authors: Jiang Yiming , Zhang Meiqi , Yu Danlu , Hou Guoxin , Wu Jingyi , Li Fuming
Published: March 2022

Many circRNAs are involved in the carcinogenesis of breast cancer (BCa) through the transcription of microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs. This study investigated circRBM33 regulation of the miR-542-3p/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) axis in BCa. BCa clinical tissue samples were collected to test differential expressions of circRBM33, miR-542-3p, and HIF-1α. MCF-7 cells were subjected to normoxia or hypoxia and transfected with plasmids that regulated CircRBM33, miR-542-3p, and HIF-1α expression levels. Glycolysis was evaluated by measuring glucose consumption, lactic acid production, and protein expression of hexokinase 2, glucose transporter type 1 and lactic dehydrogenase A. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were also assessed, and the interactions between genes were explored. CircRBM33 and HIF-1α were upregulated, while miR-542-3p was downregulated in BCa tissue samples and cell lines. Hypoxia induced circRBM33 expression in BCa cells, which negatively regulated miR-542-3p expression. CircRBM33 knockdown or miR-542-3p rescue reduced glycolysis and proliferation and promoted apoptosis of BCa cells. MiR-542-3p inhibition rescued circRBM33 knockdown-mediated glycolysis, proliferation and apoptosis of BCa cells. MiR-542-3p targeted HIF-1α, and the overexpression of HIF-1α reversed the effect of miR-542-3p upregulation on glycolysis, proliferation, and apoptosis of BCa cells. Collectively, downregulating circRBM33 suppresses miR-542-3p-targeted HIF-1α expression, resulting in the inhibition of glycolysis and proliferation and the promotion of BCa cells’ apoptosis.
Integrative transcriptomic, evolutionary, and causal inference framework for region-level analysis: Application to COVID-19
Authors: Zhou Dan , Gamazon Eric R.
Published: March 2022

We developed an integrative transcriptomic, evolutionary, and causal inference framework for a deep region-level analysis, which integrates several published approaches and a new summary-statistics-based methodology. To illustrate the framework, we applied it to understanding the host genetics of COVID-19 severity. We identified putative causal genes, including SLC6A20, CXCR6, CCR9, and CCR5 in the locus on 3p21.31, quantifying their effect on mediating expression and on severe COVID-19. We confirmed that individuals who carry the introgressed archaic segment in the locus have a substantially higher risk of developing the severe disease phenotype, estimating its contribution to expression-mediated heritability using a new summary-statistics-based approach we developed here. Through a large-scale phenome-wide scan for the genes in the locus, several potential complications, including inflammatory, immunity, olfactory, and gustatory traits, were identified. Notably, the introgressed segment showed a much higher concentration of expression-mediated causal effect on severity (0.9–11.5 times) than the entire locus, explaining, on average, 15.7% of the causal effect. The region-level framework (implemented in publicly available software, SEGMENT-SCAN) has important implications for the elucidation of molecular mechanisms of disease and the rational design of potentially novel therapeutics.
Small molecule additives in multilayer polymer-clay thin films for improved heat shielding of steel
Authors: Long Carolyn T. , Grunlan Jaime C.
Published: March 2022

In an effort to improve the heat shielding ability of multilayer polymer-clay films, the influence of various small molecule additives was studied. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (THAM), pentaerythritol (PER), and ammonium pentaborate (PB) are each utilized in flame retardant applications for the benefits they provide in reducing the propagation of fire. In the present study, these additives combined with polyethylenimine (PEI) and vermiculite (VMT) clay and the resulting growth of the coatings and the thermal resistivity were measured. THAM and PB salts contribute most to the overall growth of the layer-by-layer assembled films, generating an increase in film thickness of 50% or more, while PER has a greater impact on heat shielding. A 14-bilayer (THAM + PER + PEI)/VMT coating (~25 µm thick) on steel can achieve a temperature differential of over 125 °C due to a layering effect that occurs within the architecture of the macroscopic insulation bubble and disordered char. This improved thermal resistivity across a relatively thin film generates a heat shield that can be applied in novel applications such as a single-use protective barrier for aerospace components.
Influence of fuel combustion on the corrosion behavior of pipeline steels in fire flooding technology
Authors: Meng Bo , Wang Jinlong , Yang Lanlan , Zhu Lijuan , Chen Minghui , Zhu Shenglong , Wang Fuhui
Published: March 2022

To study the oxidation behavior of a commonly used pipeline materials of 37Mn5 steel in the process of fire flooding technology, a simulation device of organic fuel combustion was designed and used for comparative study between air and kerosene atmosphere. The products generated after kerosene combustion greatly affected the growth of iron oxides at 600 and 700 °C. In air, the oxide scale shows a defective morphology with bulge and spallation. While in the kerosene atmosphere, carbon particles after incomplete combustion can exist on the surface and inside the oxide scale, which would inhibit the reduction of oxides by carbon in substrate and the decarburization of 37Mn5 steel.
The demography of COVID-19 deaths database, a gateway to well-documented international data
Authors: Caporali Arianna , Garcia Jenny , Couppié Étienne , Poniakina Svitlana , Barbieri Magali , Bonnet Florian , Camarda Carlo Giovanni , Cambois Emmanuelle , Hourani Iris , Korotkova Daria , Meslé France , Penina Olga , Robine Jean-Marie , Sauerberg Markus , Torres Catalina
Published: March 2022

National authorities publish COVID-19 death counts, which are extensively re-circulated and compared; but data are generally poorly sourced and documented. Academics and stakeholders need tools to assess data quality and to track data-related discrepancies for comparability over time or across countries. “The Demography of COVID-19 Deaths” database aims at bridging this gap. It provides COVID-19 death counts along with associated documentation, which includes the exact data sources and points out issues of quality and coverage of the data. The database — launched in April 2020 and continuously updated — contains daily cumulative death counts attributable to COVID-19 broken down by sex and age, place and date of occurrence of the death. Data and metadata undergo quality control checks prior to online release. As of mid-December 2021, it covers 21 countries in Europe and beyond. It is open access at a bilingual (English and French) website with content intended for expert users and non-specialists (https://dc-covid.site.ined.fr/en/; figshare: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5807027). Data and metadata are available for each country separately and pooled over all countries.
Finding the closed-form solutions of dissipative oscillatory systems
Authors: Irum Saba , Naeem Imran
Published: March 2022

This paper shows how to use the approximate Hamiltonian approach for the non-conservative system not capable of possessing Hamiltonian. Using the approximate Hamiltonian method for a non-conservative system is not possible in general. We propose a way to obtain the closed-form solutions for such systems. We use the approximate dual Hamiltonian method to construct the first integrals and closed-form solutions of the Van der Pol equation. First the solutions of the initial value VdP equation is obtained using approximate dual Hamiltonian method. Then a good agreement is observed in the comparison between the numerical results and the results through approximate dual Hamiltonian method. Finally, we use the approximate dual Hamiltonian method to find the dual Hamiltonian and first integrals of the forced Van der Pol oscillator and Liénard system. These significant results can be applied to any Van der Pol equation.