bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of High-Intensity Static Magnetic Field on Chemical Properties and Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge
Authors: Di Costanzo Nicola , Di Capua Francesco , Cesaro Alessandra , Mascolo Maria Cristina , Pirozzi Francesco , Esposito Giovanni
Published: August 2022

The increasing production of sewage sludge at global level has addressed the search for technical solutions to take advantage from it, reducing the environmental burden originating from its disposal. Anaerobic digestion is a suitable option to handle sewage sludge in accordance with circular economy principles, as it generates a methane-rich biogas and a digestate with potential fertilizing properties. Several techniques have been proposed to enhance anaerobic digestion performances and, among these, the application of static magnetic field (SMF) has recently gained attention. Nonetheless, the effects of high-intensity SMF on the sewage sludge destined to anaerobic digestion and its impact on the anaerobic digestion process have not been evaluated yet. This study aims to determine the effects of a 1.5 T SMF on the chemical composition of sewage sludge as well as on methane generation during anaerobic digestion. The main parameters influencing the SMF (i.e., flow rate, mixing ratio of magnetized to non-magnetized sludge, number of pumping cycles, and total solid content) were varied to evaluate the impact of different exposure conditions on the chemical characteristics and methane potential of sewage sludge. An extensive exposure to the high-intensity SMF applied resulted in a 24% decrease of methane production, reduced the concentration of the monitored ionic species (i.e., NH4+, NO3−, PO43−, SO42− and Mg2+) in the liquid phase of sewage sludge, and promoted the precipitation of compounds with valuable fertilizing properties, e.g., struvite. These outcomes suggest that high-intensity SMF, although negatively influencing methane generation, can promote the precipitation, and possibly the recovery/recycle of valuable compounds from sewage sludge, enhancing its proper management in a circular economy perspective.

Graphical abstract
Dietary nitrate and brain health. Too much ado about nothing or a solution for dementia prevention?
Authors: Siervo Mario , Babateen Abrar , Alharbi Mushari , Stephan Blossom , Shannon Oliver
Published: August 2022

Dementia is a significant public health priority with approximately 55 million cases worldwide, and this number is predicted to quadruple by 2050. Adherence to a healthy diet and achieving optimal nutritional status are vital strategies to improve brain health. The importance of this area of research has been consolidated into the new term ‘nutritional psychiatry’. Dietary nitrate, closely associated with the intake of fruits and vegetables, is a compound that is increased in dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean and MIND diets and has protective effects on cognition and brain health. Nitrate is characterised by a complex metabolism and is the precursor of the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway contributing to systemic NO generation. A higher intake of dietary nitrate has been linked to protective effects on vascular outcomes including blood pressure and endothelial function. However, the current evidence supporting the protective effects of dietary nitrate on brain health is less convincing. This article aims to provide a critical appraisal of the current evidence for dietary nitrate supplementation for improving brain health and provide suggestions for future research.
American Trade Policy and Western Europe
Authors: Diebold William
Published: August 2022

The eve of a major multilateral trade negotiation is a time to meditate. This is not because the atmosphere is beauteous, calm and free. Nor is it about to become so because major governments, after years of haggling, are ready — more or less — to enter the round. Indeed, the Conventions of trade negotiation are antithetical to a calm and clear understanding of what combination of aspiration and realism will do most to improve the conditions of international trade. In such negotiations, the general objective — the reduction of trade barriers — is referred to as a concession to others. ‘Standing firm’ and other forms of negativism are praised. Brinkmanship is encouraged— at least among those strong enough to do damage.
Revised workflow practices in the management of acute invasive fungal sinusitis during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic
Authors: Kurien R , Varghese L , Cherian L M , Sundaresan R , John M , Mammen M D , Inja R R , Manesh A , Paul H , Gurijala P R , Michael J S , Thomas M , Abhilash K P P , Varghese A M , Rupa V
Published: August 2022

Objective

To document changes in evaluation protocols for acute invasive fungal sinusitis during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and to analyse concordance between clinical and histopathological diagnoses based on new practice guidelines.

Methods

Protocols for the evaluation of patients with suspected acute invasive fungal sinusitis both prior and during the coronavirus disease 2019 period are described. A retrospective analysis of patients presenting with suspected acute invasive fungal sinusitis from 1 May to 30 June 2021 was conducted, with assessment of the concordance between clinical and final diagnoses.

Results

Among 171 patients with high clinical suspicion, 160 (93.6 per cent) had a final histopathological diagnosis of invasive fungal sinusitis, concordant with the clinical diagnosis, with sensitivity of 100 per cent, positive predictive value of 93.6 per cent and negative predictive value of 100 per cent.

Conclusion

The study highlights a valuable screening tool with good accuracy, involving emphasis on ‘red flag’ signs in high-risk populations. This could be valuable in situations demanding the avoidance of aerosol-generating procedures and in resource-limited settings facilitating early referral to higher level care centres.
Northern Tosk Albanian
Authors: Coretta Stefano , Riverin-Coutlée Josiane , Kapia Enkeleida , Nichols Stephen
Published: August 2022

Albanian (endonym: Shqip; Glotto: alba1268) is an Indo-European language which has been suggested to form an independent branch of the Indo-European family since the middle of the nineteenth century (Bopp 1855, Pedersen 1897, Çabej 1976). Though the origin of the language has been debated, the prevailing opinion in the literature is that it is a descendant of Illyrian (Hetzer 1995). Albanian is currently spoken by around 6–7 million people (Rusakov 2017: 552; Curtis 2018: 1800), the majority of whom live in Albania and Kosovo, with others in Italy, Greece, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Figure 1 shows a map of the main Albanian-speaking areas of Europe, with major linguistic subdivisions according to Gjinari (1988) and Elsie & Gross (2009) marked by different colours and shades.
The Gendered Sound of South Africa: Karen Zoid and the Performance of Nationalism in the New South Africa
Authors: Hammond Nicol
Published: August 2022

In 2002, less than a year after releasing her first album, Afrikaans rocker Karen Zoid gained a level of notoriety then unheard of among Afrikaans female musicians. She achieved this when she enacted the overtly masculine rock ritual that Aerosmith's Joe Perry has labelled “the ultimate statement of anarchy” (Perry, quoted in Christensen 2004): she smashed her guitar. While frequently interpreted as an attention-getting strategy (which it undeniably was), Karen Zoid's performance was also an act of political positioning, locating her within the already passé tropes of international rock, but also on the margins of the Afrikaans music industry. It also, ironically, allowed her to appropriate some of the rock “authenticity” connected with this display of overt masculinity, despite the fact that her performance can be read as a deliberate (perhaps even camp) parody of this masculinity. This is because, as I will argue in this article, Zoid's legitimacy as the “voice of her generation” and a vocalizing representative of New South African identity has hung precariously off her performed masculinity, despite her destabilization of this image through a variety of queer performances. In this article, I will examine the interlinked history of South African music (with a focus on Afrikaans rock) and national identification that has created a normative masculinity in post-apartheid South Africa (1994-present). I will present Karen Zoid's performance style as an example of resistance to this norm, paying particular attention to the vocal characteristics of gendered South African sound as a site of normativity and resistance. Finally, I will consider the extent to which, in order to enact this resistance, Zoid has been obliged to perform the gendered national norm or has been interpreted in normative terms in order that audiences are able to comprehend her national identifications. By these means I aim to make visible the normally hidden gender bias that undermines South Africa's apparently representative post-apartheid nationalism.
Performing in the Shadows: Learning and Making Music as Ethnomusicological Practice and Theory
Authors: Witzleben J. Lawrence
Published: August 2022

In this article, I am concerned with the ways in which engagement with performance has shaped—and continues to shape—the ideas and theoretical perspectives of ethnomusicologists. In many ethnomusicology programmes (including several I have been in as a student or teacher), graduate students are required to participate in performing ensembles, take lessons both at home and in the field, and participate in performance as part of their thesis or dissertation research, yet the rationale for these widespread practices is not easy to decipher from contemporary definitions or overviews of the field. While my formal studies of ethnomusicology took place in the United States, and much of the literature discussed here is an outgrowth of North American practices, my perspectives are also shaped by more than two decades of teaching, research, and interaction with scholars and performers in East Asia. Although I will make reference to researchers and developments in Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan, and Korea, the stories of ethnomusicology and performance in those locales deserve articles of their own, and I do not even pretend to speak for practices and issues elsewhere in Asia or in Europe, Latin American, Africa, or Oceania. Nevertheless, I believe that the issues raised here are of at least potential interest to all those involved in the intersection of music and ethnography, and I hope that these preliminary ideas will inspire comparative perspectives from scholars elsewhere.
Yuebu of the Tang Dynasty: Musical Transmission from the Han to the Early Tang Dynasty
Authors: Xiaodun Wang , Xiaohui Sun
Published: August 2022

This paper studies the system and development of the yuebu, an official court music system during the Tang dynasty. Research on the music of the Tang dynasty has been quite abundant, mostly on the yanyue (court banquet music that was administered by the yuebu), with notable studies by scholars such as Ren Bantang (1982), Kishibe Shigeo (1973), Wang Xiaodun (1995), and Shen Dong (2000). However, previous research on music of the Tang dynasty emphasised acculturation and assimilation between China and cultures from bordering western countries; they did not look at music of the Tang court from the perspective of the yuebu as a complex bureaucratic system. Our interest focuses on yuebu as a functioning system that reflected a historically important route of transmission of traditional Chinese music. Through examining the cultural integration of several dynasties encompassing a period lasting more than three hundred years from the Han to the early Tang dynasties, as well as migration and training of the musicians of the yuebu and their method of musical transmission (particularly transmission within the family unit), this paper aims to gain an insight into the historical basis and cultural meaning of the yuebu. The discussion consists of two parts. Part one introduces the classification and the nature of the yuebu. On the one hand, as an official musical organisation in the court, the music repertory of the yuebu was the result of combinations of a variety of musical cultures from the Han to the Tang dynasties. On the other hand, as a bureaucratic organisation, yuebu represented a system consisting of “yue (music), qi (instruments), gong (musicians), and yi (uniform)”, legally sanctioned under the “yuelin (law on music)”. Part two concerns itself with the development of the yuebu in the Tang dynasty through scrutinizing the impact of migration and the training of musicians, and musical transmission during the pre-Tang era (namely, the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern, and Sui dynasties). From this, the paper ventures to explore, with a musicological approach, the typical means of propagating music traditions in China via training and transmission within a relatively closed system that was self-protecting and maintained within the family unit.
Avoidant Personality Disorder Symptoms and Cardiovascular Reactivity	to Psychological Stress Tasks With Increasing Cognitive Demands
Authors: Hu Yaqi , Ni Qing , Lü Wei
Published: August 2022

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate whether and how avoidant personality disorder symptoms are related to cardiovascular reactivity to stress tasks with different levels of cognitive demands. The revised Chinese edition of the avoidant personality disorder subscale of Personality Diagnosed Questionnaire-4+ (PDQ-4+) was administered to 222 undergraduate students randomly assigned to psychological stress tasks (i.e., mental arithmetic tasks) with low, moderate, or high cognitive demands (manipulated by task difficulty), during which their physiological data were continuously collected. Results showed that avoidant personality disorder symptoms and cognitive demands of tasks interactively predicted systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity. In specific, avoidant personality disorder symptoms were not associated with SBP reactivity under the low- and moderate-demand conditions and DBP reactivity under the low-demand condition but were associated with blunted SBP reactivity under the high-demand condition and blunted DBP reactivity under the moderate- and high-demand conditions. These findings indicate that the association between avoidant personality disorder symptoms and cardiovascular reactivity to psychological stress is contingent on the cognitive demands of tasks, which have potential implications for physical health.
What Controls the Large‐Scale Efficiency of Carbon Transfer Through the Ocean's Mesopelagic Zone? Insights From a New, Mechanistic Model (MSPACMAM)
Authors: Dinauer Ashley , Laufkötter Charlotte , Doney Scott C. , Joos Fortunat
Published: August 2022

A key challenge for current‐generation Earth system models (ESMs) is the simulation of the penetration of sinking particulate organic carbon (POC) into the ocean interior, which has implications for projections of future oceanic carbon sequestration in a warming climate. This paper presents a new, cost‐efficient, mechanistic 1D model that prognostically calculates POC fluxes by carrying four component particles in two different size classes. Gravitational settling and removal/transformation processes are represented explicitly through parameterizations that incorporate the effects of particle size and density, dissolved oxygen, calcite and aragonite saturation states, and seawater temperature, density, and viscosity. The model reproduces the observed POC flux attenuation at 22 locations in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. The model is applied over a global ocean domain with seawater properties prescribed from observation‐based climatologies in order to address an important scientific question: What controls the spatial pattern of mesopelagic POC transfer efficiency? The simulated vertical POC transfer is more efficient at high latitudes than at low latitudes with the exception of oxygen minimum zones, which is consistent with recent inverse modeling and neutrally buoyant sediment trap studies. Here, model experiments show that the relative abundance of large‐sized, rapidly sinking particles and the slower rate of remineralization at high latitudes compensate for the region's lack of calcium carbonate ballast and the cold‐water viscous resistance, leading to higher transfer efficiencies compared to low‐latitude regions. The model could be deployed in ESMs in order to diagnose the impacts of climate change on oceanic carbon sequestration and vice versa.
Dynamics of the Atlantic Marine Intertropical Convergence Zone
Authors: Giordani Hervé , Peyrillé Philippe
Published: August 2022

A generalized ω‐equation is used to identify the contributions from different processes that force upward motions in the Atlantic Marine ITCZ (AMI) from a numerical mesoscale simulation of June 2010. This ω‐equation separates the diabatic heating contributions, which lie at the core of the Weak Temperature Gradient (WTG) framework, from the dynamical terms. Three layers of atmosphere are found with different balance. In the Marine Atmospheric Boundary‐Layer (MABL), the upward motions in the AMI are induced by the frontogenesis and buoyancy components, which are regulated by the ageostrophic adjustment due to the presence of thermal‐wind imbalance. The balance of these three processes well captures the variability of the vertical velocity and the associated precipitation, meaning that boundary‐layer processes play a central role in the AMI dynamics. In the layer [600–2,000 m], a zone of strong vertical wind‐shear just above the MABL, the upward motions are induced by the ageostrophic adjustment and radiative components, which are counteracted by evaporation of convective precipitation. Above 2,000 m the ascending motions are driven by the deep convection heating, as expected by the WTG framework, and more surprisingly by the ageostrophic adjustment term within the Tropical Easterly Jet. Thanks to the use of the ω‐equation, these results extend the current WTG framework to the boundary layer, where it is not expected to hold. In the free troposphere, the WTG framework only accounts for half of the AMI ascent, the other half being forced by the dynamical terms.
Size and Composition of the MORB+OIB Mantle Reservoir
Authors: Hofmann A. W. , Class C. , Goldstein S. L.
Published: August 2022

Most efforts to characterize the size and composition of the mantle that complements the continental crust have assumed that the mid‐ocean ridge basalt (MORB) source is the incompatible‐element depleted residue of continental crust extraction. The use of Nd isotopes to model this process led to the conclusion that the “depleted MORB reservoir” is confined to the upper ∼30% of the mantle, leaving the lower mantle in a more “primitive” state. Here, we use Nb/U and Ta/U to evaluate mass and composition of the mantle reservoir residual to continent extraction and find that it exceeds 60% of the total mantle. Thus, the (Nb, Ta)/U‐based mass balance conflicts with the ε(Nd)‐based mass balance, and this invalidates the classical 3‐reservoir silicate Earth model (continental crust, depleted mantle, and primitive mantle). Including the combined MORB + ocean island basalt (OIB) sources in the ε(Nd)‐based mass balance does not reconcile the conflict as it would require their average ε(Nd) to be ≤3.0, much lower than observed MORB + OIB ε(Nd) averages. We resolve this conflict by invoking an additional, “early enriched reservoir” (EER), formed prior to extraction of significant continental crust, but now hidden or lost. This EER differs from EERs previously invoked by having no Nb‐Ta anomaly. We suggest that it originated as an early mafic crust, which had unfractionated (Nb, Ta)/U but fractionated Sm/Nd ratios. The corresponding “early depleted” reservoir generated the present‐day continental crust and the “residual mantle” MORB‐OIB reservoir, which occupies at least 63% of the present‐day mantle and is only moderately depleted in incompatible trace elements.
Ocean‐Forced Instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Since the Mid‐Pleistocene
Authors: Wang Jiakai , Tang Zheng , Wilson David J. , Chang Fengming , Xiong Zhifang , Li Dongyong , Li Tiegang
Published: August 2022

Evidence on West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) instability through Pleistocene glacial/interglacial cycles can provide fundamental constraints on interactions between the climate system and cryosphere. To explore such ice sheet‐ocean‐climate processes on orbital timescales over the last ∼770 ka, we provide continuous records of iceberg‐rafted debris (IRD) content and clay mineralogy, supported by detrital Sr‐Nd isotopes from the pronounced IRD peaks, in gravity core ANT34/A2‐10 from the Amundsen abyssal plain. The IRD record reveals interglacial WAIS instability since ∼770 ka, while comparison to the clay mineralogy record and published records of regional oceanic and atmospheric forcing suggests a temporal link with a strengthened Antarctic Circumpolar Current, enhanced deepwater ventilation, and poleward‐shifted southern westerly winds. In addition, the Sr‐Nd isotope signature of the detrital sediments indicates a shift in provenance around Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 16, potentially linked to regional oceanic circulation changes. We suggest that an expanded Ross Gyre was important for controlling iceberg trajectories and sediment transport to the site before MIS 16, whereas modern‐like iceberg trajectories were established after MIS 16, probably related to a poleward shift of the Amundsen Sea Low after the end of the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition. This reorganization of the ocean and atmospheric circulation was followed by an interval of enhanced WAIS variability during MIS 15 to 13, which was linked to strong orbital and ocean forcing. These insights into the role of ocean‐atmosphere forcing on the past behavior of the WAIS may improve our framework for understanding future changes in this region.
Early anti-VEGF treatment for radiation maculopathy and optic neuropathy: lessons learned
Authors: Powell Brittany E. , Chin Kimberly J. , Finger Paul T.
Published: August 2022

Radiation therapy has saved both sight and life for eye cancer patients. The most common methods include ophthalmic plaque brachytherapy and external beam techniques. However, subsequent dose-dependent radiation vasculopathy invariably occurs within and around the targeted zone. In 2006, Finger discovered that periodic intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) bevacizumab could reverse and suppress intraocular radiation vasculopathy. At first, it was administered at the onset of radiation-related vision loss. Though bevacizumab induced regression of macular oedema, retinal haemorrhages and cotton-wool infarcts, most patients were left with residual retinal damage, manifest as metamorphopsia and loss of vision. These results led to earlier and earlier anti-VEGF interventions: first after signs of progressive radiation retinopathy, and then for signs of radiation maculopathy, and finally for high-risk eyes with no clinical signs of retinopathy. Earlier initiation of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy typically resulted in greater restoration and preservation of macular anatomy, reductions of retinal haemorrhages, resolution of cotton-wool spots and vision preservation. Recent research on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) has revealed that radiation vasculopathy occurs prior to clinical ophthalmic signs or symptoms. Therefore, it seemed reasonable to consider treating high-risk patients (considered certain to eventually develop radiation maculopathy) to prevent or delay vision loss. Herein, we describe the evolution of treatment for radiation maculopathy as well as recent research supporting anti-VEGF treatment of high-risk patients immediately following radiation to maximize vision outcomes.
Understanding the lithium–sulfur battery redox reactions via operando confocal Raman microscopy
Authors: Lang Shuangyan , Yu Seung-Ho , Feng Xinran , Krumov Mihail R. , Abruña Héctor D.
Published: August 2022

The complex interplay and only partial understanding of the multi-step phase transitions and reaction kinetics of redox processes in lithium–sulfur batteries are the main stumbling blocks that hinder the advancement and broad deployment of this electrochemical energy storage system. To better understand these aspects, here we report operando confocal Raman microscopy measurements to investigate the reaction kinetics of Li–S redox processes and provide mechanistic insights into polysulfide generation/evolution and sulfur deposition. Operando visualization and quantification of the reactants and intermediates enabled the characterization of potential-dependent rates during Li–S redox and the linking of the electronic conductivity of the sulfur-based electrode and concentrations of polysulfides to the cell performance. We also report the visualization of the interfacial evolution and diffusion processes of different polysulfides that demonstrate stepwise discharge and parallel recharge mechanisms during cell operation. These results provide fundamental insights into the mechanisms and kinetics of Li–S redox reactions.
Single cell spatial analysis reveals the topology of immunomodulatory purinergic signaling in glioblastoma
Authors: Coy Shannon , Wang Shu , Stopka Sylwia A. , Lin Jia-Ren , Yapp Clarence , Ritch Cecily C. , Salhi Lisa , Baker Gregory J. , Rashid Rumana , Baquer Gerard , Regan Michael , Khadka Prasidda , Cole Kristina A. , Hwang Jaeho , Wen Patrick Y. , Bandopadhayay Pratiti , Santi Mariarita , De Raedt Thomas , Ligon Keith L. , Agar Nathalie Y. R. , Sorger Peter K. , Touat Mehdi , Santagata Sandro
Published: August 2022

How the glioma immune microenvironment fosters tumorigenesis remains incompletely defined. Here, we use single-cell RNA-sequencing and multiplexed tissue-imaging to characterize the composition, spatial organization, and clinical significance of extracellular purinergic signaling in glioma. We show that microglia are the predominant source of CD39, while tumor cells principally express CD73. In glioblastoma, CD73 is associated with EGFR amplification, astrocyte-like differentiation, and increased adenosine, and is linked to hypoxia. Glioblastomas enriched for CD73 exhibit inflammatory microenvironments, suggesting that purinergic signaling regulates immune adaptation. Spatially-resolved single-cell analyses demonstrate a strong spatial correlation between tumor-CD73 and microglial-CD39, with proximity associated with poor outcomes. Similar spatial organization is present in pediatric high-grade gliomas including H3K27M-mutant diffuse midline glioma. These data reveal that purinergic signaling in gliomas is shaped by genotype, lineage, and functional state, and that core enzymes expressed by tumor and myeloid cells are organized to promote adenosine-rich microenvironments potentially amenable to therapeutic targeting.
Catalytic oxidation of polystyrene to aromatic oxygenates over a graphitic carbon nitride catalyst
Authors: Cao Ruochen , Zhang Mei-Qi , Hu Chaoquan , Xiao Dequan , Wang Meng , Ma Ding
Published: August 2022

The continuous increase in manufacturing coupled with the difficulty of recycling of plastic products has generated huge amounts of waste plastics. Most of the existing chemical recycling and upcycling methods suffer from harsh conditions and poor product selectivity. Here we demonstrate a photocatalytic method to oxidize polystyrene to aromatic oxygenates under visible light irradiation using heterogeneous graphitic carbon nitride catalysts. Benzoic acid, acetophenone, and benzaldehyde are the dominant products in the liquid phase when the conversion of polystyrene reaches >90% at 150 °C. For the transformation of 0.5 g polystyrene plastic waste, 0.36 g of the aromatic oxygenates is obtained. The reaction mechanism is also investigated with various characterization methods and procedes via polystyrene activation to form hydroxyl and carbonyl groups over its backbone via C–H bond oxidation which is followed by oxidative bond breakage via C–C activation and further oxidation processes to aromatic oxygenates.
The combination of genomic offset and niche modelling provides insights into climate change-driven vulnerability
Authors: Chen Yilin , Jiang Zhiyong , Fan Ping , Ericson Per G. P. , Song Gang , Luo Xu , Lei Fumin , Qu Yanhua
Published: August 2022

Global warming is increasingly exacerbating biodiversity loss. Populations locally adapted to spatially heterogeneous environments may respond differentially to climate change, but this intraspecific variation has only recently been considered when modelling vulnerability under climate change. Here, we incorporate intraspecific variation in genomic offset and ecological niche modelling to estimate climate change-driven vulnerability in two bird species in the Sino-Himalayan Mountains. We found that the cold-tolerant populations show higher genomic offset but risk less challenge for niche suitability decline under future climate than the warm-tolerant populations. Based on a genome-niche index estimated by combining genomic offset and niche suitability change, we identified the populations with the least genome-niche interruption as potential donors for evolutionary rescue, i.e., the populations tolerant to climate change. We evaluated potential rescue routes via a landscape genetic analysis. Overall, we demonstrate that the integration of genomic offset, niche suitability modelling, and landscape connectivity can improve climate change-driven vulnerability assessments and facilitate effective conservation management.
Three-dimensional nanoframes with dual rims as nanoprobes for biosensing
Authors: Hilal Hajir , Zhao Qiang , Kim Jeongwon , Lee Sungwoo , Haddadnezhad MohammadNavid , Yoo Sungjae , Lee Soohyun , Park Woongkyu , Park Woocheol , Lee Jaewon , Lee Joong Wook , Jung Insub , Park Sungho
Published: August 2022

Three-dimensional (3D) nanoframe structures are very appealing because their inner voids and ridges interact efficiently with light and analytes, allowing for effective optical-based sensing. However, the realization of complex nanoframe architecture with high yield is challenging because the systematic design of such a complicated nanostructure lacks an appropriate synthesis protocol. Here, we show the synthesis method for complex 3D nanoframes wherein two-dimensional (2D) dual-rim nanostructures are engraved on each facet of octahedral nanoframes. The synthetic scheme proceeds through multiple executable on-demand steps. With Au octahedral nanoparticles as a sacrificial template, sequential processes of edge-selective Pt deposition and inner Au etching lead to Pt octahedral mono-rim nanoframes. Then, adlayers of Au are grown on Pt skeletons via the Frank-van der Merwe mode, forming sharp and well-developed edges. Next, Pt selective deposition on both the inner and outer boundaries leads to tunable geometric patterning on Au. Finally, after the selective etching of Au, Pt octahedral dual-rim nanoframes with highly homogeneous size and shape are achieved. In order to endow plasmonic features, Au is coated around Pt frames while retaining their geometric shape. The resultant plasmonic dual-rim engraved nanoframes possess strong light entrapping capability verified by single-particle surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and show the potential of nanoprobes for biosensing through SERS-based immunoassay.
Sex differences in machine learning computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve
Authors: Al Rifai Mahmoud , Ahmed Ahmed Ibrahim , Han Yushui , Saad Jean Michel , Alnabelsi Talal , Nabi Faisal , Chang Su Min , Cocker Myra , Schwemmer Chris , Ramirez-Giraldo Juan C. , Zoghbi William A. , Mahmarian John J. , Al-Mallah Mouaz H.
Published: August 2022

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) derived machine learning fractional flow reserve (ML-FFRCT) can assess the hemodynamic significance of coronary artery stenoses. We aimed to assess sex differences in the association of ML-FFRCT and incident cardiovascular outcomes. We studied a retrospective cohort of consecutive patients who underwent clinically indicated CCTA and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Obstructive stenosis was defined as ≥ 70% stenosis severity in non-left main vessels or ≥ 50% in the left main coronary. ML-FFRCT was computed using a machine learning algorithm with significant stenosis defined as ML-FFRCT < 0.8. The primary outcome was a composite of death or non-fatal myocardial infarction (D/MI). Our study population consisted of 471 patients with mean (SD) age 65 (13) years, 53% men, and multiple comorbidities (78% hypertension, 66% diabetes, 81% dyslipidemia). Compared to men, women were less likely to have obstructive stenosis by CCTA (9% vs. 18%; p = 0.006), less multivessel CAD (4% vs. 6%; p = 0.25), lower prevalence of ML-FFRCT < 0.8 (39% vs. 44%; p = 0.23) and higher median (IQR) ML-FFRCT (0.76 (0.53–0.86) vs. 0.71 (0.47–0.84); p = 0.047). In multivariable adjusted models, there was no significant association between ML-FFRCT < 0.8 and D/MI [Hazard Ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval (0.30, 2.20); p = 0.25 for interaction with sex.]. In a high-risk cohort of symptomatic patients who underwent CCTA and SPECT testing, ML-FFRCT was higher in women than men. There was no significant association between ML-FFRCT and incident mortality or MI and no evidence that the prognostic value of ML-FFRCT differs by sex.
The association of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to salt with 24-h urinary sodium, potassium excretion and hypertensive status
Authors: Du Xiaofu , Fang Le , Xu Jianwei , Chen Xiangyu , Bai Yamin , Wu Jing , Wu Lin , Zhong Jieming
Published: August 2022

To understand the association between sodium and potassium consumption levels, hypertension and knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAB) toward salt and the commitment to effective sodium reduction and potassium supplementation to achieve the purpose of suppressing hypertension. A stratified multistage random sampling method was used to obtain a representative provincial sample of 7512 residents aged 18–69 years through a cross-sectional survey by the Salt Reduction and Hypertension Prevention Project (SRHPP) in Zhejiang Province of China in 2017–2018. A screening including demographic, anthropometric, salt-related KAB and physical measurements was implemented, and 24-h urine of approximately 1/5 of the participants was collected and tested. The mean age was 44.8 years, 50.1% were women, 44.0% lived in urban areas, and hypertension or prehypertension accounted for approximately 35.0%. The mean 24-h urinary sodium and potassium excretion were 3848.5 (1661.1) mg/d and 1491.1 (710.9) mg/d, respectively. KAB in urban areas was generally more favorable than in rural areas, women were better than men, and the optimal blood pressure group was better than the other two groups (P < 0.05). However, the awareness and correct use rate of salt-restricted spoons, low-sodium salt and nutrition labeling were lower. A multivariable linear regression model indicated that KAB had a smaller effect on sodium (two indicators effective for promoting sodium reduction) and a greater effect on potassium (six indicators effective for promoting potassium supplementation) and mainly focused on knowledge and behavior indicators. A multivariable logistic regression model indicated that mastering more knowledge and taking active measures could effectively reduce the transition to hypertension, even if the individual was already in prehypertension. There is much room for improvement of salt-related KAB in the Chinese population. A clear association indicates that KAB can help to reduce sodium and supplement potassium, especially potassium, and help to suppress the development of hypertension. The role of beliefs in KAB should be fully valued and improved, similar to knowledge and behaviors. This study provides important evidence and insight into China’s efforts to meet the targets of salt reduction and hypertension prevention.
Predictors of weaning failure in case of VA ECMO implantation
Authors: Cusanno Axelle , Aissaoui Nadia , Minville Vincent , Porterie Jean , Biendel Caroline , Volle Kim , Crognier Laure , Conil Jean-Marie , Delmas Clément
Published: August 2022

The use of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) for the treatment of refractory cardiogenic shock has increased significantly. Nevertheless, early weaning may be advisable to reduce the potential for severe complications. Only a few studies focusing on ECMO weaning predictors are currently available. Our objective was to evaluate factors that may help predict failure during VA ECMO weaning. We included 57 patients on VA ECMO support previously considered suitable for weaning based on specific criteria. Clinical, haemato-chemical and echocardiographic assessment was considered before and after a “weaning test” (ECMO flow < 2 L/min for at least 60 min). ECMO removal was left to the discretion of the medical team blinded to the results. Weaning failure was defined as a patient who died or required a new VA ECMO, heart transplant or LVAD 30 days after ECMO removal. Thirty-six patients (63.2%) were successfully weaned off VA ECMO, of whom 31 (54.4%) after the first weaning test. In case of first test failure, 3 out of 7 patients could be weaned after a 2nd test and 3 out of 4 patients after a 3rd test. Pre-existing ischemic heart disease (OR 9.6 [1.1–83]), pre-test left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 25% and/or post-test LVEF ≤ 40% (OR 11 [0.98–115]), post-test systolic blood pressure ≤ 120 mmHg (OR 33 [3–385]), or length of ECMO support > 7 days (OR 24 [2–269]) were predictors of weaning failure. The VA ECMO weaning test failed in less than 40% of patients considered suitable for weaning. Clinical and echocardiographic criteria, which are easily accessible by a non-expert intensivist, may help increase the probability of successful weaning.
Direct observation of peptide hydrogel self-assembly
Authors: Adams Zoë C. , Olson Erika J. , Lopez-Silva Tania L. , Lian Zhengwen , Kim Audrey Y. , Holcomb Matthew , Zimmermann Jörg , Adhikary Ramkrishna , Dawson Philip E.
Published: August 2022

To facilitate the characterization of phase-transitioning molecules, site-specific non-perturbative infrared probes are leveraged for continuous observation of the self-assembly of fibrils in a peptide hydrogel following stopped-flow initiation.
Improving the yield of graphene oxide-catalysed N-heterocyclization of amines through fed batch mode
Authors: Gonsalves Olviya S. , Ambre Jyoti P. , Nemade Parag R.
Published: August 2022

The use of graphene oxide, a metal-free, heterogeneous carbocatalyst for a facile, efficient, and simple protocol for N-heterocyclization of aromatic amines with dihaloalkane to give azacycloalkanes and isolindolines in fed batch strategy was studied.
Titanium hydride nanoparticles and nanoinks for aerosol jet printed electronics
Authors: Secor Ethan B. , Bell Nelson S. , Romero Monica Presiliana , Tafoya Rebecca R. , Nguyen Thao H. , Boyle Timothy J.
Published: August 2022

Titanium hydride nanoinks are made by ball milling activated powders and tuned for aerosol jet printing. Photonic curing sinters nanoparticles to improve electrical conductivity, providing a viable route to diverse functionality in printed devices.
Mechanochromic polymers with a multimodal chromic transition: mechanophore design and transduction mechanism
Authors: Kim Daewhan , Kwon Min Sang , Lee Chung Whan
Published: August 2022

This review presents the recent progress in multi-chromic polymers embedded with mechanophores concentrating on transduction mechanisms and design concepts.
Design and optimization of a novel multi-functional sling for super-heavy castings and forgings
Authors: Liu Jialiang , Wang Zhaohua , Wu Fenghe , Kou Baofu
Published: August 2022

A sling is a kind of auxiliary equipment in the manufacturing process of castings and forgings. There are some problems, such as a single function, complex operation, and lack of a safety evaluation index, in the design and application of slings. In this paper, a novel multi-functional sling is designed, and it can carry out the transportation, turning over, erection, and lifting of 550 tons of castings and forgings. A clamping coefficient index is defined, and the mechanical model of the sling is established to evaluate whether it can safely hold castings and forgings. Then, an optimization model with a clamping coefficient is established to reduce the weight and maintain the load-bearing performance. The genetic algorithm is adopted, and the total weight is reduced by 3.4%. Finally, the mechanical performances are verified by finite element analysis and experiment, and the results indicate that the sling can meet the design requirements.
Swoop
Authors: Godwin Nicole , Crispe Susannah
Published: August 2022

Magpie has one job, one desire, one purpose: KEEP THE EGGS SAFE.

Always on alert for danger, will Magpie's determination be enough when rock-carrying intruders arrive?

Why do magpies swoop and why do we have such a fascination with them? Discover more about these clever, cheeky and charming songbirds through this delightful book.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 5 to 9.
Reduction of phosphine sulfides and selenides by samarium(
Authors: Savkov Boris Yu. , Sukhikh Taisiya S. , Konchenko Sergey N. , Pushkarevsky Nikolay A.
Published: August 2022

The reductive action of the bulky SmII formamidinate complex [Sm(dippForm)2(thf)2] (dippForm− = HC(Ndipp)2 −, dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl; thf = tetrahydrofuran) (1) on a series of phosphine chalcogenides (R3PE = Ph3PO, Ph3PS, Ph3PSe, n Bu3PS, n Bu3PSe) as well as Ph3AsS, has been investigated. The reactions are fast for the phosphine derivatives with E = Se and for Ph3AsS, and slow for the phosphine sulfides. They lead to mixtures of binuclear mono- and dichalcogenide complexes [(Sm(dippForm)2)2(µ-En )] (E = S (2), Se (3); n = 1, 2). The ratio of species with (µ-E) or (µ-η2:η2-E2) bridges depends on the nature of the chalcogenide reactant and its concentration, but even under its local excess the formation of the monochalcogenide is preferential. Both types of species form isostructural solid solutions. The dense outer packing of dippForm ligands in the complexes 2 and 3, leaving enough free space in the centre of the molecule, is thought to be the main reason for the geometrical similarity of mono- and dichalcogenides and for their ready co-crystallization. A reaction scheme is proposed, involving the coordination of the starting chalcogenide to the SmII centre with successive formation of E-centered transient radical species [Sm(dippForm)2(E˙)]. Contrary to the phosphine/arsine sulfides and selenides, the product of phosphine oxide coordination, [Sm(dippForm)2(OPPh3)] (4), was shown to be stable, while a similar complex with two phosphine oxide ligands, [Sm(dippForm)2(OPPh3)2] (5), was fortuitously crystallized at lower temperatures.
Preparation and oil absorption performance of ATP/P(MMA-BMA-St)/Fe
Authors: Tong Yongchun , Feng Min , Liu Yun , Li Hao , Wang Qingyun
Published: August 2022

In this paper, oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) double Pickering emulsions were prepared by purified and modified attapulgite (ATP), and modified nano-Fe3O4 as stable particles. By using the Pickering emulsion as a template and using methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl methacrylate ester (BMA) and styrene (St) as monomers, ATP/P(MMA-BMA-St)/Fe3O4 composite porous resins were then prepared. The oil absorption performance of the composites was investigated. The results showed that the composite materials prepared by the double Pickering emulsion template method exhibited a three-dimensional (3D) porous structure. When using the optimal conditions (mMMA:mBMA = 3:2, m(MMA+BMA):mSt = 1:2, initiator = 5.33%, crosslinking agent = 20%, modified attapulgite = 0.33% and oil phase/water phase = 1:4), the prepared porous material had the best oil absorption performance, resulting in a diesel oil absorption rate and oil retention rate of 897.29 and 84.76% respectively. This study provides a simple, economic and environmentally friendly method for the preparation of inorganic–organic composite porous materials, which has great application potential in the field of oil treatment.
Carbon-negative cement manufacturing from seawater-derived magnesium feedstocks
Authors: Badjatya Palash , Akca Abdullah H. , Fraga Alvarez Daniela V. , Chang Baoqi , Ma Siwei , Pang Xueqi , Wang Emily , van Hinsberg Quinten , Esposito Daniel V. , Kawashima Shiho
Published: August 2022

This study describes and demonstrates key steps in a carbon-negative process for manufacturing cement from widely abundant seawater-derived magnesium (Mg) feedstocks. In contrast to conventional Portland cement, which starts with carbon-containing limestone as the source material, the proposed process uses membrane-free electrolyzers to facilitate the conversion of carbon-free magnesium ions (Mg
2+
) in seawater into magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH)
2
] precursors for the production of Mg-based cement. After a low-temperature carbonation curing step converts Mg(OH)
2
into magnesium carbonates through reaction with carbon dioxide (CO
2
), the resulting Mg-based binders can exhibit compressive strength comparable to that achieved by Portland cement after curing for only 2 days. Although the proposed “cement-from-seawater” process requires similar energy use per ton of cement as existing processes and is not currently suitable for use in conventional reinforced concrete, its potential to achieve a carbon-negative footprint makes it highly attractive to help decarbonize one of the most carbon-intensive industries.
A set of principles and practical suggestions for equitable fieldwork in biology
Authors: Ramírez-Castañeda Valeria , Westeen Erin P. , Frederick Jeffrey , Amini Sina , Wait Daniel R. , Achmadi Anang S. , Andayani Noviar , Arida Evy , Arifin Umilaela , Bernal Moisés A. , Bonaccorso Elisa , Bonachita Sanguila Marites , Brown Rafe M. , Che Jing , Condori F. Peter , Hartiningtias Diny , Hiller Anna E. , Iskandar Djoko T. , Jiménez Rosa Alicia , Khelifa Rassim , Márquez Roberto , Martínez-Fonseca José G. , Parra Juan L. , Peñalba Joshua V. , Pinto-García Lina , Razafindratsima Onja H. , Ron Santiago R. , Souza Sara , Supriatna Jatna , Bowie Rauri C. K. , Cicero Carla , McGuire Jimmy A. , Tarvin Rebecca D.
Published: August 2022

Field biology is an area of research that involves working directly with living organisms in situ through a practice known as “fieldwork.” Conducting fieldwork often requires complex logistical planning within multiregional or multinational teams, interacting with local communities at field sites, and collaborative research led by one or a few of the core team members. However, existing power imbalances stemming from geopolitical history, discrimination, and professional position, among other factors, perpetuate inequities when conducting these research endeavors. After reflecting on our own research programs, we propose four general principles to guide equitable, inclusive, ethical, and safe practices in field biology: be collaborative, be respectful, be legal, and be safe. Although many biologists already structure their field programs around these principles or similar values, executing equitable research practices can prove challenging and requires careful consideration, especially by those in positions with relatively greater privilege. Based on experiences and input from a diverse group of global collaborators, we provide suggestions for action-oriented approaches to make field biology more equitable, with particular attention to how those with greater privilege can contribute. While we acknowledge that not all suggestions will be applicable to every institution or program, we hope that they will generate discussions and provide a baseline for training in proactive, equitable fieldwork practices.