bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analogue Mean Systemic Filling Pressure: a New Volume Management Approach During Percutaneous Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy
Authors: Yastrebov Konstantin , Brunel Laurencie , Paterson Hugh S. , Williams Zoe A. , Burrows Chris S. , Wise Innes K. , Robinson Benjamin M. , Bannon Paul G.
Published: May 2022

The absence of an accepted gold standard to estimate volume status is an obstacle for optimal management of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). The applicability of the analogue mean systemic filling pressure (Pmsa) as a surrogate of the mean circulatory pressure to estimate volume status for patients with LVADs has not been investigated. Variability of flows generated by the Impella CP, a temporary LVAD, should have no physiological impact on fluid status. This translational interventional ovine study demonstrated that Pmsa did not change with variable circulatory flows induced by a continuous flow LVAD (the average dynamic increase in Pmsa of 0.20 ± 0.95 mmHg from zero to maximal Impella flow was not significant (p = 0.68)), confirming applicability of the human Pmsa equation for an ovine LVAD model. The study opens new directions for future translational and human investigations of fluid management using Pmsa for patients with temporary LVADs.
Single-wavelength-excited fluorogenic nanoprobe for accurate realtime ratiometric analysis of broad pH fluctuations in mitophagy
Authors: Zhang Xin , Chen Juan , Hu Jiwen , du Rietz Anna , Wu Xiongyu , Zhang Ruilong , Zhang Zhongping , Uvdal Kajsa , Hu Zhangjun
Published: May 2022

Mitophagy has a critical role in maintaining cellular homeostasis through acidic lysosomes engulfing excess or impaired mitochondria, thereby pH fluctuation is one of the most significant indicators for tracking mitophagy. Then such precise pH tracking demands the fluorogenic probe that has tailored contemporaneous features, including mitochondrial-specificity, excellent biocompatibility, wide pH-sensitive range of 8.0–4.0, and especially quantitative ability. However, available molecular probes cannot simultaneously meet all the requirements since it is extremely difficult to integrate multiple functionalities into a single molecule. To fully address this issue, we herein integrate two fluorogenic pH sensitive units, a mitochondria-specific block, cell-penetrating facilitator, and biocompatible segments into an elegant silica nano scaffold, which greatly ensures the applicability for real-time tracking of pH fluctuations in mitophagy. Most significantly, at a single wavelength excitation, the integrated pH-sensitive units have spectra-distinguishable fluorescence towards alkaline and acidic pH in a broad range that covers mitochondrial and lysosomal pH, thus enabling a ratiometric analysis of pH variations during the whole mitophagy. This work also provides constructive insights into the fabrication of advanced fluorescent nanoprobes for diverse biomedical applications.
Development and Test of a Rotating Drum Reactor for the Simultaneous Hydration and Carbonation of Dry Biomass Bottom Ash
Authors: Schnabel Kevin , Brück Felix , Pohl Sven , Weigand Harald
Published: May 2022

Carbonation of biomass ash allows for the final storage of CO2 as solid carbonates and may therewith contribute to supply energy with net negative greenhouse gas emissions. Accelerating the reaction under ambient temperature and pressure requires presence of water as reaction space. Therefore, dry-discharged ashes need to be humidified. Here we developed and tested a rotating drum reactor integrating hydration and carbonation of biomass bottom ash (BBA). The bed motion was evaluated with moist quartz sand (QS) as a model material. In the BBA carbonation experiments, liquid-to-solid ratios (L/S) between 0.1 and 0.3 were adjusted with two-fluid nozzles. The reactant gas (10 vol% CO2) was fed either simultaneously with or subsequently to humidification. The CO2 uptake was determined gravimetrically as well as using a gas balance and was compared to results obtained under fixed-bed conditions. In the rotating drum, a favorable slumping motion of the QS was identified at a rotation rate of 7 rpm and a fill level of 20 vol%. Thus, BBA carbonation tests were carried out under these conditions yielding a CO2 uptake between 22 and 31 g/kg within 2 h. Uptake was highest at L/S 0.1 and lowest at L/S 0.3. These results indicate that the rotating drum reactor reduces the required moisture content compared to fixed-bed carbonation. The CO2 feeding mode (simultaneous or subsequent) had only a minor effect on the cumulative CO2 uptake but provided valuable insight into the heat production by hydration and carbonation of BBA in the rotating drum system.

Graphical Abstract
Regional shifts in production and trade in the metal markets: a comparison of China, the EU, and the US
Authors: Perger Johannes
Published: May 2022

Metal raw materials are essential for industrial production. Global metal markets have changed considerably since the start of the twenty-first century, China being the most influential driver of this change. With China’s economic rise, metal demand has skyrocketed, and global production shares in metal raw materials and trade volumes have shifted towards the People’s Republic. While China has become the dominant location for global metal production and consumption, older industrial economies like the European countries or the US have lost global share. This paper aims to compare the different developments in China, the European Union and the US regarding markets for the base metals aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin and zinc as well as iron and steel. The analysis covers movements in industrial production, metal production locations (mining – refined production – refined consumption) and metal trade volumes (ores and concentrates – waste and scrap – refined products and articles thereof).
4D printing technology in medical engineering: a narrative review
Authors: Sahafnejad-Mohammadi Iman , Karamimoghadam Mojtaba , Zolfagharian Ali , Akrami Mohammad , Bodaghi Mahdi
Published: May 2022

The addition of the time dimension to three-dimensional (3D) printing has introduced four-dimensional (4D) printing technology, which has gained considerable attention in different fields such as medical, art, and engineering. Nowadays, bioscience has introduced some ideas which can be fulfilled by 4D printing. Blending time with variations caused by the situation has many beneficial aspects such as perceptibility and adaptability. Since 4D printing can create a dynamic structure with stimuli-responsive materials, the applications of smart materials, stimulus, and 3D printing are the effective criteria in 4D printing technology. Smart materials with their flexible properties can reshape, recolor, or change function under the effect of the internal or exterior stimuli. Thus, an attractive prospect in the medical field is the integration of the 4D printing approach along with smart materials. This research aims to show the most recent applications of 4D printing technology and smart materials in medical engineering which can show better prospective of 4D printing applications in the future. Also, it describes smart medical implants, tissue engineering, and bioprinting and how they are being used for the 4D printing approach in medical engineering applications. In this regard, a particular emphasis is dedicated to the latest progress in the innovation and development of stimuli-responsive materials that are activated and respond over time to physical, chemical, and biological stimuli and their exploitation through 3D printing methods to fabrication 4D printing smart parts such as intelligent tissue-engineered scaffolds, smart orthopedic implants, and targeted drug delivery systems. On the other hand, major challenges in this technology are explained along with some suggestions for future works to address existing limitations. It is worth noting that despite significant research that has been carried out into 4D printing, it might be more valuable if some investigation is done into 4D bio-printing applications and how this approach will be developed.
Estimated Mask Use and Temporal Relationship to COVID-19 Epidemiology of Black Lives Matter Protests in 12 Cities
Authors: Quigley Ashley , Nguyen Phi Yen , Stone Haley , Heslop David J. , Chughtai Abrar Ahmad , MacIntyre C. Raina
Published: May 2022

Background

There is an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during mass gatherings and a risk of asymptomatic infection. We aimed to estimate the use of masks during Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests and whether these protests increased the risk of COVID-19. Two reviewers screened 496 protest images for mask use, with high inter-rater reliability. Protest intensity, use of tear gas, government control measures, and testing rates were estimated in 12 cities. A correlation analysis was conducted to assess the potential effect of mask use and other measures, adjusting for testing rates, on COVID-19 epidemiology 4 weeks (two incubation periods) post-protests. Mask use ranged from 69 to 96% across protests. There was no increase in the incidence of COVID-19 post-protest in 11 cities. After adjusting for testing rates, only Miami, which involved use of tear gas and had high protest intensity, showed a clear increase in COVID-19 after one incubation period post-protest. No significant correlation was found between incidence and protest factors. Our study showed that protests in most cities studied did not increase COVID-19 incidence in 2020, and a high level of mask use was seen. The absence of an epidemic surge within two incubation periods of a protest is indicative that the protests did not have a major influence on epidemic activity, except in Miami. With the globally circulating highly transmissible Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants, layered interventions such as mandated mask use, physical distancing, testing, and vaccination should be applied for mass gatherings in the future.
Anti-Overturning Fully Symmetrical Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based on an Elliptic Cylindrical Structure for All-Weather Blue Energy Harvesting
Authors: Tan Dujuan , Zeng Qixuan , Wang Xue , Yuan Songlei , Luo Yanlin , Zhang Xiaofang , Tan Liming , Hu Chenguo , Liu Guanlin
Published: May 2022

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have shown promising potential for large-scale blue energy harvesting. However, the lack of reasonable designs has largely hindered TENG from harvesting energy from both rough and tranquil seas. Herein, a fully symmetrical triboelectric nanogenerator based on an elliptical cylindrical structure (EC-TENG) is proposed for all-weather blue energy harvesting. The novel elliptical cylindrical shell provides a unique self-stability, high sensitivity to wave triggering, and most importantly, an anti-overturning capability for the EC-TENG. Moreover, benefiting from its internal symmetrical design, the EC-TENG can produce energy normally, even if it was overturned under a rude oscillation in the rough seas, which distinguishes this work from previous reported TENGs. The working mechanism and output performance are systematically studied. The as-fabricated EC-TENG is capable of lighting 400 light-emitting diodes and driving small electronics. More than that, an automatic monitoring system powered by the EC-TENG can also monitor the water level in real-time and provide an alarm if necessary. This work presents an innovative and reliable approach toward all-weather wave energy harvesting in actual marine environments.
Inequality, social protection policy, and inclusion: pertinent theories and empirical evidence
Authors: Mulugeta Woldegiorgis Mesfin
Published: May 2022

The available literature shows that there is a questionable direction of correlation between income inequality, redistribution policies, and economic prosperity. Meanwhile, there is also a striking claim that rising economic inequality is an immense concern. This paper, therefore, aims to summarize the antagonistic thoughts. Moreover, it presents a conceptual model and empirically measures the nexus of income inequality and social protection policy with inclusive development. The fixed effects regression of the panel dataset from 34 African countries reveals that income inequality is a negative driver but social redistribution policies are positive drivers of inclusive development in the long run. The control variables such as inflation, population growth rate, and carbon dioxide emissions stand against inclusion. However, the labour force participation rate, freedom score, life expectancy at birth, enrolment rate in secondary school and share of employment in industry show a positive correlation with inclusion.
Testing the Two-Factor Model of Musical Obsessions: Can They Be Predicted by the Interaction Between Frequency and Dysfunctional Interpretations of Common Earworms?
Authors: Wahl Karina , Meyer Andrea H. , Heinzel Carlotta V. , Lieb Roselind
Published: May 2022

Musical obsessions can be conceptualized as a severe form of intrusive musical imagery (IMI). The two-factor model of musical obsessions proposes that musical obsessions result from the interaction of the frequency of IMI and dysfunctional interpretations of IMI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictions of the two-factor model. A total of 372 participants (291 without a known diagnosis of obsessive–compulsive disorder [OCD] and 81 with a lifetime diagnosis of OCD) completed online questionnaires about the frequency of IMI, their dysfunctional interpretations, and their severity. We specified a model with severity of IMI as outcome and interpretations and frequency as predictors and controlled for the type of sample. The interaction between frequency and dysfunctional interpretations predicted severity of IMI, however in another direction than suggested. Future studies should include experimental and longitudinal designs and pay particular attention to low-frequency IMI and their role in musical obsessions.
Can Rights of Nature Save Us from the Anthropocene Catastrophe? Some Critical Reflections from the Field
Authors: Viaene Lieselotte
Published: May 2022

The world can no longer deny that the planet is on the verge of an Anthropocene catastrophe. As scientists from different fields and from around the globe are discussing the causes, impacts, challenges, and solutions to the arrival of this human-induced new geological time, the field of law cannot remain behind. Rights of Nature (RoN), granting legal personhood to nature and its elements such as rivers, is an emerging transnational legal framework fast gaining international traction among Euro-American legal scholars as a new tool to combat environmental destruction. Grounded in reflections derived from long-term collaborative ethnographic work among indigenous communities, this article aims to critically and empirically unpack several interrelated concerns and blind spots at this moment of the RoN snowballing effect around the globe related to claims that this new legal proposal is rooted in indigenous lifestyles and views about nature/the environment.
The Spread of Legal Tech Solutionism and the Need for Legal Design
Authors: de Souza Siddharth Peter
Published: May 2022

This paper introduces the notion of legal tech solutionism and argues for how in an age where the development of legal tech is seen as a panacea for all ills it is important to evaluate the use and lifecycle of the technology before introducing it as a solution to the complex and structural problems that plague legal systems. It explores the framework of legal design and argues that legal design provides for a grounded and contextual approach to the development of legal products, content and services. To do this, the paper develops an approach that operates at three levels, including the value of building for usability, the importance of collaboration and community and the value of designing for many worlds to ensure an engagement with a plurality of contexts in the development of legal tech through evolving a grounded approach.
Case of Guzmán Albarracín v. Ecuador (Inter-Am. Ct. H.R.)
Authors: Cerna Christina M.
Published: May 2022

Only parties to the ACHR may elect judges to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (the Court) and participate in the development of the jurisprudence of the Court, which to date comprises approximately 450 judgments. An unintended consequence of the lack of English-speaking judges on the Court, given the Court's limited resources, is a time lag in the translation of the Court's judgments into English. The Court's press release of October 6, 2021 indicated that, thanks to the assistance of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Court was able to have seven of its judgments translated into English. The judgment in the case of Paola Guzmán Albarracín et al. v. Ecuador, issued on June 24, 2020, the subject matter of this introductory note, is one of the seven cases recently translated.
Neuropsychiatric symptoms in post-COVID-19 long haulers
Authors: Alghamdi Hussam Y. , Alrashed Abdulaziz M. , Jawhari Amjad M. , Abdel-Moneim Ahmed S.
Published: May 2022

Background:

Long haulers have been recently reported after contracting coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In the present study, we aimed to screen for the neuropsychiatric signs detected <1 to >6 months after infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to determine whether vaccination has an effect on them.

Methods:

An online survey was conducted among participants who had been diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical signs and durations of neuropsychiatric complaints and their correlations to sex, age, severity of COVID-19 signs, and vaccination status were screened.

Results:

A total of 2218 individuals, including 1358 females and 860 males, with an age range of 12–70 years, submitted their responses. The respondents experienced cognitive dysfunction, mood alteration, depression, tinnitus, sleep disorders, and loss of taste and smell, with prevalence rates ranging from 18.9% (tinnitus) to 63.9% (loss of taste and smell). Of the respondents, 2.2–7.7% confirmed the persistence of symptoms for >6 months. Tinnitus was the least common complaint, and only 2.2% of the study participants had tinnitus for >6 months. Meanwhile, mood alteration persisted for >6 months in 7.6% of the study participants. More respondents who received two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine showed persistent symptoms than those in the other groups. Disease severity and female sex were identified as potential determinants of the development and persistency of such symptoms.

Conclusion:

Post-COVID neuropsychiatric symptoms were present in considerable percentages of the study participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection, persisting for >6 months in up to 7.6% of the participants.
Compact and weakly compact Lipschitz operators
Authors: Abbar Arafat , Coine Clément , Petitjean Colin
Published: May 2022

Any Lipschitz map $f : M \to N$ between two pointed metric spaces may be extended in a unique way to a bounded linear operator $\widehat {f} : \mathcal {F}(M) \to \mathcal {F}(N)$ between their corresponding Lipschitz-free spaces. In this paper, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for $\widehat {f}$ to be compact in terms of metric conditions on $f$. This extends a result by A. Jiménez-Vargas and M. Villegas-Vallecillos in the case of non-separable and unbounded metric spaces. After studying the behaviour of weakly convergent sequences made of finitely supported elements in Lipschitz-free spaces, we also deduce that $\widehat {f}$ is compact if and only if it is weakly compact.
Petrogenesis of Eocene Wangdui adakitic pluton in the western Gangdese belt, southern Tibet: implications for crustal thickening
Authors: Wu Chang-da , Zheng Yuan-chuan , Hou Zeng-qian , Xu Pei-yan , Zhang Lin-yuan , Shen Yang , Wang Lu , Li Xin
Published: May 2022

Lower-crust-derived adakitic rocks in the Gangdese belt provide important constraints on the timing of Tibetan crustal thickening and on the relative contributions of magmatic and tectonic processes. Here we present geochronological and geochemical data for the Wangdui porphyritic monzogranites in the western Gangdese belt. Zircon U–Pb dating yields emplacement ages of 46–44 Ma. All samples have high Sr (321–599 ppm), low Yb (0.76–1.33 ppm) and Y (10.6–18.3 ppm) contents, with high La/Yb (51.1–72.3) and Sr/Y (21.0–51.4) ratios, indicating adakitic affinities. The low MgO (0.97–1.76 wt %), Cr (7.49–53.6 ppm) and Ni (4.75–29.1 ppm) contents, as well as high 87Sr/86Sr(i) (0.7143–0.7145), low ϵNd(t) (−10.4 to −9.8) and zircon ϵHf(t) (−17.7 to 0.4) values, suggest that the Wangdui pluton most likely originated from partial melting of the thickened ancient lower crust. In combination with previously published data, despite the east–west-trending heterogeneity of crustal composition in the Gangdese belt, the La/Yb ratios of magmatic rocks reveal that both western and eastern segments experienced remarkable crustal thickening in the Eocene. However, in contrast to the thickened juvenile lower crust in the eastern segment formed by the underplating of mantle-derived magmas, tectonic shortening plays a more crucial role in thickening of the ancient basement in western Gangdese. In fact, such Eocene-thickened ancient lower-crust-derived adakitic rocks are widely distributed in the central Himalayan–Tibetan orogen. This, together with the extensive development of fold–thrust belts, suggests that tectonic shortening might be the main mechanism accounting for the crustal thickening associated with the India–Asia collision.
Aerosol generation during coughing: an observational study
Authors: Sanmark E , Oksanen L A H , Rantanen N , Lahelma M , Anttila V-J , Lehtonen L , Hyvärinen A , Geneid A
Published: May 2022

Objective

Coronavirus disease 2019 has highlighted the lack of knowledge on aerosol exposure during respiratory activity and aerosol-generating procedures. This study sought to determine the aerosol concentrations generated by coughing to better understand, and to set a standard for studying, aerosols generated in medical procedures.

Methods

Aerosol exposure during coughing was measured in 37 healthy volunteers in the operating theatre with an optical particle sizer, from 40 cm, 70 cm and 100 cm distances.

Results

Altogether, 306 volitional and 15 involuntary coughs were measured. No differences between groups were observed.

Conclusion

Many medical procedures are expected to generate aerosols; it is unclear whether they are higher risk than normal respiratory activity. The measured aerosol exposure can be used to determine the risk for significant aerosol generation during medical procedures. Considerable variation of aerosol generation during cough was observed between individuals, but whether cough was volitional or involuntary made no difference to aerosol production.
English as a Southern language
Authors: Hamid M. Obaidul
Published: May 2022

Drawing on the epistemologies of the Global South and the sociolinguistic reality of English in postcolonial Bangladesh, this article conceptualises English as a Southern language. This conception recognises the imperative of English for postcolonial societies in an English-dominant world while also emphasising the necessity of breaking away from its hegemony as represented by so-called native speaker or Standard English norms. It is argued that since English works as the principal epistemic tool for knowledge construction and theorising in most disciplines, decolonising knowledge and epistemology in favour of Southern perspectives may not be achieved without decolonising the language in the first place. While English as a Southern language builds on the paradigms of world Englishes, English as a lingua franca, and translanguaging, the proposed conception also seeks a notable departure from them. Calls for the co-existence of epistemologies of the North and South need to recognise English along the same lines. (English as a Southern language, epistemologies of the South, English in Bangladesh, English and representation of the world)*
Generalization in transfer learning: robust control of robot locomotion
Authors: Ada Suzan Ece , Ugur Emre , Akin H. Levent
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we propose a set of robust training methods for deep reinforcement learning to transfer learning acquired in one control task to a set of previously unseen control tasks. We improve generalization in commonly used transfer learning benchmarks by a novel sample elimination technique, early stopping, and maximum entropy adversarial reinforcement learning. To generate robust policies, we use sample elimination during training via a method we call strict clipping. We apply early stopping, a method previously used in supervised learning, to deep reinforcement learning. Subsequently, we introduce maximum entropy adversarial reinforcement learning to increase the domain randomization during training for a better target task performance. Finally, we evaluate the robustness of these methods compared to previous work on simulated robots in target environments where the gravity, the morphology of the robot, and the tangential friction coefficient of the environment are altered.
Comorbid conditions as risk factors for West Nile neuroinvasive disease in Ontario, Canada: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Sutinen Jessica , Fell Deshayne B. , Sander Beate , Kulkarni Manisha A.
Published: May 2022

West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) is a severe neurological illness that can result from West Nile virus (WNV) infection, with long-term disability and death being common outcomes. Although WNV arrived in North America over two decades ago, risk factors for WNND are still being explored. The objective of this study was to identify WNND comorbid risk factors in the Ontario population using a retrospective, population-based cohort design. Incident WNV infections from laboratory records between 1 January 2002 – 31 December 2012 were individually-linked to health administrative databases to ascertain WNND outcomes and comorbid risk factors. WNND incidence was compared among individuals with and without comorbidities using risk ratios (RR) calculated with log binomial regression.

Three hundred and forty-five individuals developed WNND (18.3%) out of 1884 WNV infections. West Nile encephalitis was driving most associations with comorbidities. Immunocompromised (aRR 2.61 [95% CI 1.23–4.53]) and male sex (aRR 1.32 [95% CI 1.00–1.76]) were risk factors for encephalitis, in addition to age, for which each 1-year increase was associated with a 2% (aRR 1.02 [95% CI 1.02–1.03]) relative increase in risk. Our results suggest that individuals living with comorbidities are at higher risk for WNND, in particular encephalitis, following WNV infection.
Constrained Gravity Inversion With Adaptive Inversion Grid Refinement in Spherical Coordinates and Its Application to Mantle Structure Beneath Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhong Yiyuan , Ren Zhengyong , Tang Jingtian , Lin Yufeng , Chen Bo , Deng Yangfan , Jiang Yingde
Published: May 2022

We develop a novel gravity inversion algorithm in spherical coordinates based on adaptive inversion mesh refinement and multiphysical parameter constraints. The inversion mesh is discretized into tesseroids (spherical prisms) to take the curvature of the Earth into account. To reduce the number of unknowns and computational cost, the inversion mesh is adaptively refined according to the spatial variation of parameters at each iteration. Wavelet compression is used to further reduce the computational requirement. Besides, to alleviate the nonuniqueness of inversion, the algorithm is capable of incorporating a priori models from other geophysical methods via cross‐gradient coupling and/or direct parameter coupling. For cross‐gradient coupling, the vector product of spatial gradients of two model parameters is included in the objective function. For direct parameter coupling, an a priori model is converted to a density model using the relation between two physical properties, which is then used as the initial and reference model in the inversion. A synthetic example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of our inversion method. Finally, we invert the gravity data over the Tibetan Plateau to obtain the density variations in the upper mantle, with a global S wave tomographic model used as a constraint. The inversion model shows that the mantle lithosphere beneath the Himalayan collision zone varies from west to east. Low‐density anomalies are observed beneath the southern and the northern Tibetan Plateau, which are consistent with published low‐velocity anomalies and magmatism distributions, possibly indicating two asthenospheric upwellings.
3D GNSS Velocity Field Sheds Light on the Deformation Mechanisms in Europe: Effects of the Vertical Crustal Motion on the Distribution of Seismicity
Authors: Piña‐Valdés Jesús , Socquet Anne , Beauval Céline , Doin Marie‐Pierre , D’Agostino Nicola , Shen Zheng‐Kang
Published: May 2022

Crustal deformation and seismicity in Europe are still poorly understood. Seismic activity is classically ascribed to crustal strain rates generated by edge‐driven tectonic forces. However, crustal deformation is not only due to tectonic loading, but can also be related to isostatic and mantellic processes that induce additional stress and strain on the crust by flexure. The influence that those processes have on seismic activity, as well their interaction, is still controversial. The main limitation to study it is because the deformation and its causal mechanisms are usually analyzed separately in small regions. We present here a 3D secular velocity field that covers Eurasia and its plate boundaries including 4,863 Global Navigation Satellite System stations obtained by combining 10 different datasets. We have developed a method based on spatial filtering to identify outliers and smooth the velocity field, and have computed both strain and uplift rate maps that are interpreted in the light of the different driving processes that contribute to the 3D deformation in Europe. The vertical and horizontal deformation features are compared with seismic rates obtained from the spatial and temporal distribution of the seismicity in Europe. Our results suggest that is not possible to explain the seismicity in Europe with edge‐driven horizontal tectonic forces only. In some areas markers of the crustal flexure such as the vertical velocity field and its derivative, resulting from buoyancy‐driven processes, may help to interpret earthquake distribution.
The Dynamics of Forearc – Back‐Arc Basin Subsidence: Numerical Models and Observations From Mediterranean Subduction Zones
Authors: Balázs A. , Faccenna C. , Gerya T. , Ueda K. , Funiciello F.
Published: May 2022

The subsidence history of forearc and back‐arc basins reflects the relationship between subduction kinematics, mantle dynamics, magmatism, crustal tectonics, and surface processes. The distinct contributions of these processes to the topography variations of active margins during subduction initiation, oceanic subduction, and collision are less understood. We ran 2D elasto‐visco‐plastic numerical models including surface and hydration processes. The models show the evolution of wedge‐top and retro‐forearc basins on the continental overriding plate, separated by a forearc high. They are affected by repeated compression and extension phases. Compression‐induced subsidence is recorded in the syncline structure of the retro‐forearc basin from the onset of subduction. The 2–4 km upper plate negative residual topography is produced by the gradually steepening slab, which drags down the upper plate. Trench retreat leads to slab unbending and decreasing slab dip angle that leads to upper plate trench‐ward tilting. Back‐arc basins are either formed along inherited weak zones at a large distance from the arc or are created above the hydrated mantle wedge originating from arc rifting. Back‐arc subsidence is primarily governed by crustal thinning that is controlled by slab roll‐back and supported by the underlying mantle convection. High subduction and mantle convection velocities result in large wavelength negative dynamic topography. Collision and continental subduction are linked to the uplift of the forearc basins; however, the back‐arc records ongoing extension during a soft collision. During the hard collision, both the forearc and back‐arc basins are ultimately affected by the compression. Our modeling results provide insights into the evolution of Mediterranean subduction zones.
The Emerging Arctic Shipping Corridors
Authors: Min Chao , Yang Qinghua , Chen Dake , Yang Yijun , Zhou Xiangying , Shu Qi , Liu Jiping
Published: May 2022

The dramatic sea ice loss makes trans‐Arctic navigation possible. However, navigability assessments at high temporal resolution are still very limited. To bridge this gap, daily sea ice concentration and thickness from CMIP6 projections are applied to evaluate the future potential of Arctic shipping under multiple climate scenarios. The September navigable area will continue to increase through the 2050s for open‐water (OW) ships and the 2040s for Polar Class 6 (PC6) vessels across all scenarios. Quasi‐equilibrium states will then ensue for both OW and PC6 ships under SSP245 and SSP585. The sailing time will be shortened, especially for OW ships, while the navigable days for both types of vessels will increase dramatically. PC6 ships will be able to sail the Arctic shipping routes year‐round starting in the 2070s when the decadal‐averaged global mean surface temperature anomaly hits approximately +3.6°C (under SSP585) compared to pre‐industrial times (1850–1900).
Compositional Measurements of Saturn's Upper Atmosphere and Rings From Cassini INMS: An Extended Analysis of Measurements From Cassini's Grand Finale Orbits
Authors: Serigano J. , Hörst S. M. , He C. , Gautier T. , Yelle R. V. , Koskinen T. T. , Trainer M. G. , Radke M. J.
Published: May 2022

The Cassini spacecraft's final orbits sampled Saturn's atmosphere and returned surprisingly complex mass spectra from the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer. Signal returned from the instrument included native Saturn species, as expected, as well as a significant amount of signal attributed to vaporized ices and higher mass organics believed to be flowing into Saturn's atmosphere from the rings. In this paper, we present an in‐depth compositional analysis of the mass spectra returned from Cassini's last few orbits. We use a mass spectral deconvolution algorithm designed specifically to handle the complexities involved with unit resolution spaceflight mass spectrometry data to determine the relative abundance of species detected in the observations. We calculate the downward external flux and mass deposition rates of ring volatile species into Saturn's atmosphere and conclude that during these observations ring material was being deposited into Saturn's equatorial region at a rate on the order of 104 kg/s.
The relationship between glutamate, dopamine, and cortical gray matter: A simultaneous PET-MR study
Authors: Rogeau Antoine , Nordio Giovanna , Veronese Mattia , Brown Kirsten , Nour Matthew M. , Osugo Martin , Jauhar Sameer , Howes Oliver D. , McCutcheon Robert A.
Published: May 2022

Prefrontal cortex has been shown to regulate striatal dopaminergic function via glutamatergic mechanisms in preclinical studies. Concurrent disruption of these systems is also often seen in neuropsychiatric disease. The simultaneous measurement of striatal dopamine signaling, cortical gray matter, and glutamate levels is therefore of major interest, but has not been previously reported. In the current study, twenty-eight healthy subjects underwent 2 simultaneous [11C]-( + )-PHNO PET-MRI scans, once after placebo and once after amphetamine in a double-blind randomized cross-over design, to measure striatal dopamine release, striatal dopamine receptor (D2/3R) availability, anterior cingulate glutamate+glutamine (Glx) levels, and cortical gray matter volumes at the same time. Voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate associations between neurochemical measures and gray matter volumes. Whole striatum D2/3R availability was positively associated with prefrontal cortex gray matter volume (pFWE corrected = 0.048). This relationship was mainly driven by associative receptor availability (pFWE corrected = 0.023). In addition, an interaction effect was observed between sensorimotor striatum D2/3R availability and anterior cingulate Glx, such that in individuals with greater anterior cingulate Glx concentrations, D2/3R availability was negatively associated with right frontal cortex gray matter volumes, while a positive D2/3R-gray matter association was observed in individuals with lower anterior cingulate Glx levels (pFWE corrected = 0.047). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the prefrontal cortex is involved in regulation of striatal dopamine function. Furthermore, the observed associations raise the possibility that this regulation may be modulated by anterior cingulate glutamate concentrations.
Energy restriction induced SIRT6 inhibits microglia activation and promotes angiogenesis in cerebral ischemia via transcriptional inhibition of TXNIP
Authors: Song Ming-Yu , Yi Fang , Xiao Hui , Yin Jun , Huang Qing , Xia Jian , Yin Xiao-Meng , Wen Yan-Bin , Zhang Le , Liu Yun-Hai , Xiao Bo , Gu Wen-Ping
Published: May 2022

Energy restriction (ER) protects against cerebral ischemic injury, but the underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. Here, rats were fed ad libitum (AL) or on an alternate-day food deprivation intermittent fasting (IF) diet for 3 months, followed by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery. The body weight, infarct volume, and neurological deficit score were accessed at the designated time points. ELISA, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting were used to determine cytokine secretion and the expression of SIRT6, TXNIP, and signaling molecules, respectively. Immunofluorescence evaluated microglial activation and angiogenesis in vivo. For in vitro study, oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-treated cell model was generated. MTT and tube formation assays were employed to determine cell viability and tube formation capability. ChIP assay detected chromatin occupancy of SIRT6 and SIRT6-mediated H3 deacetylation. We found that IF or ER mimetics ameliorated cerebral ischemic brain damage and microglial activation, and potentiated angiogenesis in vivo. ER mimetics or SIRT6 overexpression alleviated cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury in vitro. SIRT6 suppressed TXNIP via deacetylation of H3K9ac and H3K56ac in HAPI cells and BMVECs. Downregulation of SIRT6 reversed ER mimetics-mediated protection during cerebral I/R in vitro. Our study demonstrated that ER-mediated upregulation of SIRT6 inhibited microglia activation and potentiated angiogenesis in cerebral ischemia via suppressing TXNIP.
TOPK/PBK is phosphorylated by ERK2 at serine 32, promotes tumorigenesis and is involved in sorafenib resistance in RCC
Authors: Sun Huimin , Zheng Jianzhong , Xiao Juanjuan , Yue Juntao , Shi Zhiyuan , Xuan Zuodong , Chen Chen , Zhao Yue , Tang Wenbin , Ye Shaopei , Li Jinxin , Deng Qiumin , Zhang Lei , Zhu Feng , Shao Chen
Published: May 2022

TOPK/PBK (T-LAK Cell-Originated Protein Kinase) is a serine/threonine kinase that is highly expressed in a variety of human tumors and is associated with poor prognosis in many types of human malignancies. Its activation mechanism is not yet fully understood. A bidirectional signal transduced between TOPK and ERK2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2) has been reported, with ERK2 able to phosphorylate TOPK at the Thr9 residue. However, mutated TOPK at Thr9 cannot repress cellular transformation. In the present study, Ser32 was revealed to be a novel phosphorylated site on TOPK that could be activated by ERK2. Phospho-TOPK (S32) was found to be involved in the resistance of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to sorafenib. Herein, combined a TOPK inhibitor with sorafenib could promoted the apoptosis of sorafenib-resistant RCC. High expression of HGF/c-met contributes to activation of p-TOPK (S32) during the development of sorafenib resistance in RCC. The current research presents a possible mechanism of sorafenib resistance in RCC and identifies a potential diagnostic marker for predicting sorafenib resistance in RCC, providing a valuable supplement for the clinically targeted treatment of advanced RCC.
High-resolution crystal structure of a 20 kDa superfluorinated gold nanocluster
Authors: Pigliacelli Claudia , Acocella Angela , Díez Isabel , Moretti Luca , Dichiarante Valentina , Demitri Nicola , Jiang Hua , Maiuri Margherita , Ras Robin H. A. , Bombelli Francesca Baldelli , Cerullo Giulio , Zerbetto Francesco , Metrangolo Pierangelo , Terraneo Giancarlo
Published: May 2022

Crystallization of atomically precise nanoclusters is gaining increasing attention, due to the opportunity of elucidating both intracluster and intercluster packing modes, and exploiting the functionality of the resulting highly pure crystallized materials. Herein, we report the design and single-crystal X-ray structure of a superfluorinated 20 kDa gold nanocluster, with an Au25 core coated by a shell of multi-branched highly fluorinated thiols (SF27) resulting in almost 500 fluorine atoms, i.e., ([Au25(SF27)18]0). The cluster shows a switchable solubility in the fluorous phase. X-ray analysis and computational studies reveal the key role of both intracluster and intercluster F···F contacts in driving [Au25(SF27)18]0 crystal packing and stabilization, highlighting the ability of multi-branched fluorinated thiols to endow atomically precise nanoclusters with remarkable crystallogenic behavior.
Deep learning of a bacterial and archaeal universal language of life enables transfer learning and illuminates microbial dark matter
Authors: Hoarfrost A. , Aptekmann A. , Farfañuk G. , Bromberg Y.
Published: May 2022

The majority of microbial genomes have yet to be cultured, and most proteins identified in microbial genomes or environmental sequences cannot be functionally annotated. As a result, current computational approaches to describe microbial systems rely on incomplete reference databases that cannot adequately capture the functional diversity of the microbial tree of life, limiting our ability to model high-level features of biological sequences. Here we present LookingGlass, a deep learning model encoding contextually-aware, functionally and evolutionarily relevant representations of short DNA reads, that distinguishes reads of disparate function, homology, and environmental origin. We demonstrate the ability of LookingGlass to be fine-tuned via transfer learning to perform a range of diverse tasks: to identify novel oxidoreductases, to predict enzyme optimal temperature, and to recognize the reading frames of DNA sequence fragments. LookingGlass enables functionally relevant representations of otherwise unknown and unannotated sequences, shedding light on the microbial dark matter that dominates life on Earth.
Dual-comb thin-disk oscillator
Authors: Fritsch Kilian , Hofer Tobias , Brons Jonathan , Iandulskii Maksim , Mak Ka Fai , Chen Zaijun , Picqué Nathalie , Pronin Oleg
Published: May 2022

Dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) normally operates with two independent, relatively low power and actively synchronized laser sources. This hinders the wide adoption for practical implementations and frequency conversion into deep UV and VUV spectral ranges. Here, we report a fully passive, high power dual-comb laser based on thin-disk technology and its application to direct frequency comb spectroscopy. The peak power (1.2 MW) and the average power (15 W) of our Yb:YAG thin-disk dual-comb system are more than one-order-of-magnitude higher than in any previous systems. The scheme allows easy adjustment of the repetition frequency difference during operation. Both combs share all cavity components which leads to an excellent mutual stability. A time-domain signal recorded over 10 ms without any active stabilization was sufficient to resolve individual comb lines after Fourier transformation.
Activity-induced polar patterns of filaments gliding on a sphere
Authors: Hsu Chiao-Peng , Sciortino Alfredo , de la Trobe Yu Alice , Bausch Andreas R.
Published: May 2022

Active matter systems feature the ability to form collective patterns as observed in a plethora of living systems, from schools of fish to swimming bacteria. While many of these systems move in a wide, three-dimensional environment, several biological systems are confined by a curved topology. The role played by a non-Euclidean geometry on the self-organization of active systems is not yet fully understood, and few experimental systems are available to study it. Here, we introduce an experimental setup in which actin filaments glide on the inner surface of a spherical lipid vesicle, thus embedding them in a curved geometry. We show that filaments self-assemble into polar, elongated structures and that, when these match the size of the spherical geometry, both confinement and topological constraints become relevant for the emergent patterns, leading to the formation of polar vortices and jammed states. These results experimentally demonstrate that activity-induced complex patterns can be shaped by spherical confinement and topology.
Possible stochastic sex determination in Bursaphelenchus nematodes
Authors: Shinya Ryoji , Sun Simo , Dayi Mehmet , Tsai Isheng Jason , Miyama Atsushi , Chen Anthony Fu , Hasegawa Koichi , Antoshechkin Igor , Kikuchi Taisei , Sternberg Paul W.
Published: May 2022

Sex determination mechanisms evolve surprisingly rapidly, yet little is known in the large nematode phylum other than for Caenorhabditis elegans, which relies on chromosomal XX-XO sex determination and a dosage compensation mechanism. Here we analyze by sex-specific genome sequencing and genetic analysis sex determination in two fungal feeding/plant-parasitic Bursaphelenchus nematodes and find that their sex differentiation is more likely triggered by random, epigenetic regulation than by more well-known mechanisms of chromosomal or environmental sex determination. There is no detectable difference in male and female chromosomes, nor any linkage to sexual phenotype. Moreover, the protein sets of these nematodes lack genes involved in X chromosome dosage counting or compensation. By contrast, our genetic screen for sex differentiation mutants identifies a Bursaphelenchus ortholog of tra-1, the major output of the C. elegans sex determination cascade. Nematode sex determination pathways might have evolved by “bottom-up” accretion from the most downstream regulator, tra-1.
Genetic analyses identify pleiotropy and causality for blood proteins and highlight Wnt/β-catenin signalling in migraine
Authors: Tanha Hamzeh M. ,   The International Headache Genetics Consortium, Nyholt Dale R. , Nyholt Dale R.
Published: May 2022

Migraine is a common complex disorder with a significant polygenic SNP heritability ($${h}_{{SNP}}^{2}$$hSNP2). Here we utilise genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics to study pleiotropy between blood proteins and migraine under the polygenic model. We estimate$${h}_{{SNP}}^{2}$$hSNP2for 4625 blood protein GWASs and identify 325 unique proteins with a significant$${h}_{{SNP}}^{2}$$hSNP2for use in subsequent genetic analyses. Pleiotropy analyses link 58 blood proteins to migraine risk at genome-wide, gene and/or single-nucleotide polymorphism levels—suggesting shared genetic influences or causal relationships. Notably, the identified proteins are largely distinct from migraine GWAS loci. We show that higher levels of DKK1 and PDGFB, and lower levels of FARS2, GSTA4 and CHIC2 proteins have a significant causal effect on migraine. The risk-increasing effect of DKK1 is particularly interesting—indicating a role for downregulation of β-catenin-dependent Wnt signalling in migraine risk, suggesting Wnt activators that restore Wnt/β-catenin signalling in brain could represent therapeutic tools against migraine.