bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physics and chemistry of mantle plumes
Authors: DePaolo Donald J. , Stolper Edward M. , Thomas Donald M.
Published: September 2022

Hot spot volcanic chains are a fundamental feature of the Earth's crust, but their origins are still poorly understood [Okal and Batiza, 1987]. The Hawaiian‐Emperor volcanic chain, which dominates the topography of the central Pacific ocean floor, is the best developed and most intensely studied of the known hot spot tracks. It continues to be one of the world's most important field laboratories for the study of igneous processes, plate movements, mantle convection, structure, geochemical evolution, and the properties of the lithosphere.

Despite continued effort, fundamental questions regarding the composition, structure, and evolution of Hawaiian volcanos and their magma sources remain unanswered. This is largely due to the fact that only lavas representing the late stages in the evolution of the volcanos can be sampled at the surface. Most of the internal structure of the volcanos and evidence of their growth history and geochemical evolution are hidden from view. The most deeply eroded volcanos are exposed only to depths of a kilometer or so, whereas the volcanos rise some 5–15 km above the old ocean floor [Moore, 1987].
An Allen receives Vannevar Bush Award
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

James A. Van Allen, an internationally known pioneer in space science research and education, was recently honored with the National Science Board's Vannevar Bush Award. Van Allen, who served as AGU president from 1982 to 1984, “has pioneered with vision, boldness, and drive the discovery and exploration of new frontiers in space science,” commented Mary Good, NSB chair. “His career as a scientist and mentor reflects hard work, frugality, and devotion to education.”

The award acknowledges outstanding contributions in science and technology that are significant to the national welfare. It was named after Vannevar Bush, director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II, who managed the first successful federal efforts to support large‐scale scientific research. In receiving the award, Van Allen was recognized for his long and productive career in space science, including his discovery of the radiation belt around Earth (the Van Allen belt), his advocacy of the use of satellites for exploring the planets, his role as a government advisor on space science policy, and his effectiveness and dedication as an educator of young scientists.
Who will fund Landsat?
Authors: Bush Susan
Published: September 2022

A first‐ever joint hearing of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence was held on June 26 to ascertain the true value of the civilian satellite program—Landsat—to the scientific, environmental, and military communities.

Landsats collect multispectral images that are used for such purposes as environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, and national security. Since the first launch in 1972, Landsat has provided a continuous data record that has proved invaluable in global change research. Currently, Landsats 4 and 5 are in orbit, with Landsat 6 still on schedule for a mid‐1992 launch. No funding has been requested for any follow‐on to Landsat 6, making users of the data uncertain that their future projects will go ahead.
Early data on Earth's wobble reexamined
Authors: Blue Charles
Published: September 2022

Modern data show that the Earth is wobbling much differently than earlier data indicated, according to a paper published in the September issue of Geophysical Research Letters. The paper examines flaws that exist in two data sets commonly used to determine the amount of the Earth's wobble.

N. E. King and D. C. Agnew of the University of California at San Diego compared recent measurements of polar motion (wobble) made by space survey methods with older optical measurements. The new data reveal that the retrograde (clockwise) annual wobble of the Earth is much less than in the older data. The researchers state that this implies systematic errors in the older data.
Current international ionosphere‐thermosphere research
Authors: Cole Keith
Published: September 2022

Working group 3 of the Solar‐Terrestrial Energy Program (STEP) will be coordinating research on “Ionosphere‐Thermosphere Coupling and Response to Energy and Momentum Inputs” in 1990–1995. The research is on plasma processes leading to ionospheric structure and irregularities, the coupling of the ionosphere‐thermosphere‐magnetosphere system, the special electrodynamics of the equatorial ionosphere‐thermosphere region, wave processes, coupling of the mesosphere to the lower thermosphere, and aeronomic models of the ionosphere.

The earliest viewpoint of the ionosphere and thermosphere was that the state of each was determined by local processes, for example, photoionization by solar extreme ultraviolet radiation, ion chemistry, and diffusion under gravity. However, it is now understood that the states of the local ionosphere and thermosphere depend, in a complex way, not only on these factors but also on distant and global processes, such as the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere and the input of tidal and gravity wave energy from the lower atmosphere. The most spectacular outcome of solar wind interaction is the polar aurora and its accompanying electrojets. Their effects are not confined to the polar regions; they result in global changes in the ionosphere‐thermosphere system.
Pinatubo pumice contains anhydrite
Authors: Knittel Ulrich , Oles Dietmar , Förster Hansgeorg , Punongbayan Raymundo
Published: September 2022

The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines ranks among the largest of this century, surpassed only by the 1902 eruption of volcano Santa Maria in Guatemala, which produced an estimated 10 km3 of volcanic deposits.

Recently (July 16, 1991, p. 305), Eos reported that in terms of SO2 emission, the aerosol cloud produced by Pinatubo's June 15 eruption may be as large or bigger than the 1982 eruption of El Chichon. While this, in part, may be due to the larger volume of erupted material (about 3 km3 for Pinatubo as compared to 0.5–0.6 km3 for El Chichon), it certainly indicates the production of sulfur‐rich lava.
Symposium links geophysical structure and process
Authors: Aki Keiiti
Published: September 2022

The Jeffreys Symposium at the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics meeting in Vienna (August 11–24 presented a wonderful symphony of 19 maestros performing throughout the whole spectrum of Earth and planetary sciences. The symposium was well‐received by the audience and ended with a standing ovation to Lady Jeffreys, who listened to all presentations with keen interest.

B. Bolt opened the symposium with “Jeffreys and the Earth,” a paper that succinctly reviewed Jeffreys' overwhelming work, based largely on his mastery of simple representations to produce mathematical models of complicated structures and processes. A model simple enough for the application of principles of mathematical physics, and yet capable of capturing the essence of the subject phenomenon, is essential to successful geophysics.
ODP Leg 136 sets seismograph test site
Authors:   Leg 136 Drilling Party
Published: September 2022

On the evening of March 2, 1991, the research vessel JOIDES Resolution departed from Honolulu harbor for a 17‐day mission that reflects an important new trend in the international Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). The primary objective of ODP Leg 136 was to prepare a seafloor site for future experiments needed to develop the Ocean Seismographic Network (OSN). The focus of OSN is much deeper than the strata reached by the drill bit of the Resolution, and this cooperative effort will enable the drilling ship's resources to be shared with a community whose interests extend to the inner core of the Earth.

During Leg 136, ODP Hole 843B (proposed Site OSN‐1) was established on the Hawaiian Arch, approximately 225 km south‐southwest of the island of Oahu (Figure 1). The hole was drilled through 242 m of sediment and 70 m into the basaltic basement. It will provide a site for performing borehole seismometer experiments that include noise measurements, recording data from teleseismic events for comparison with an existing high‐quality station on Oahu, and testing new broad‐band sensors and other instrumentation for long‐term deployment. A significant part of this report will be devoted to providing the reader with the background and objectives of the OSN.
Addendum
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

The Magellan Project appreciates David Morrison's reminder that our vertically exaggerated (22.5 times) images and videos are produced by combining images with altimetry, a fact that we try to point out on both videos and images released to the public. The computer‐generated scenes are produced as part of a solar system visualization project that combines various data sets for scientific computer visualization and analysis. We felt that the images would be of interest to others. Part of the reason that we use vertical exaggeration is that we are trying to show topographic variations over very large areas, the scale at which we have accurate topographic information. (There is a disparity between the 120–300 m resolution of the images and the greater than 10 km resolution of the topography.)
In Memoriam
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

Yukio Sugimura, an AGU member (Ocean Sciences) since 1963, died in November 1991 at age 59.

Mae D. Silbergeld, an AGU member (Planetology) since 1972, died recently at age 69.
From the President
Authors: Cicerone Ralph J.
Published: September 2022

When I attended my first AGU meeting I was in awe of the depth and breadth of the research that was reported there, and I still feel that way today. I was drawn to AGU by its journals and meetings, its focus on research, and its openness to new member‐participants. I had no intention of becoming an officer of AGU, it just happened in the course of time as I found that AGU is the scientific society that I found most useful and most open to members' needs and ideas.

AGU continues to grow, partly because prospective new members sense that they and their science are welcome, and partly because geophysical research, in all of its manifestations, is expanding in volume and in societal importance. In his Handbook message two years ago, Brent Dalrymple summarized how AGU has grown and how large it is projected to be in the future. Will AGU continue to be an active, research‐oriented union of its members, with journals, meetings, and programs that are lively and useful? How can we assure that AGU will be better and not just bigger?
Small expectations from Congress for U.S. science enterprise
Authors: Wakefield Julie , Mockler Susan Bucci
Published: September 2022

Less money and more cuts are what U.S. science agencies can expect to receive as a result of the Republican “Contract with America,” according to U.S. Rep. Robert S. Walker (R‐Pa.), the new chairman of the recently renamed House Committee on Science.

Although the news was not surprising, it was also not what key agency heads wanted to hear from Walker at a January 6 hearing that kicked off discussions of science funding in the 104th Congress.
More evidence indicates link between El Niños and seismicity
Authors: Walker Daniel A.
Published: September 2022

In 1988, evidence showed a correlation between the five extreme lows in the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) from 1964 through 1987 and episodic seismic activity along the East Pacific Rise (EPR) from 20°S to 40°S. This area contains one of the Earth's most rapidly spreading ridge systems (Figure 1), where large amounts of energy are released through submarine volcanism and hydrothermal activity. Now that another El Nin˜o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episode may have drawn to a close, it is time to examine additional seismicity and SOI values.

Observed coincidences are often the basis for discovery, and reviewing the available data led us to note several. Two distinct phenomena—El Niños and earthquake swarms—seem to occur almost simultaneously in spite of their irregular recurrence rates and durations. Also, we found that what may be the longest lasting of the past six Niños coincides with the longest lasting and most anomalous episode of seismic activity, which occurred from 1964 through 1992 along the EPR from 15°S to 40°S.
Debate over free exchange of data roils geophysical world
Authors: Wakefield Julie
Published: September 2022

As the information age impinges upon the world, issues surrounding the exchange of data are becoming increasingly contentious. In the geosciences, a leading area of concern is the free and open exchange of meteorological data.

In fact, the more than century‐old tradition of the free exchange of international meteorological data may be in jeopardy, some American scientists worry. For starters, they cite the evolution of increasingly anticompetitive measures that violate “free market” concepts. And how this policy issue plays out may prove a bellwether for exchange of other forms of international environmental data, they say.
Alfred O.C. Nier (1911”1994)
Authors: Goldich Samuel S.
Published: September 2022

Alfred O.C. Nier was a friendly, helpful person who got along remarkably well with people from all walks of life. For the scientific community, his work opened new possibilities for discovery in many fields. His skill in designing and operating mass spectrometers and in interpreting the data brought him worldwide recognition.

Nier was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 28, 1911, and lived most of his life in the state. He earned three degrees from the University of Minnesota: a Bachelor of Engineering, 1931; an M.S. in electrical engineering, 1933; and a Ph.D. in physics, 1936. For his doctoral research, Nier measured the relative abundance of the isotopes of Ar, K, Zn, Rb, Cd [Nier, 1936].
Chapman Conference Probes Water Vapor in the Climate System
Authors: Elliott William P. , Gaffen Dian J.
Published: September 2022

About 125 scientists from 11 countries met in Jekyll Island, Ga., in October to discuss the unique role that water vapor plays in the climate system. Water vapor links the surface and atmospheric branches of the global hydrologic cycle. Its horizontal and vertical fluxes are key to the energy cycle, and its radiative effects are the major factor in the atmospheric greenhouse effect.

Theoretical calculations indicate that global climate is highly sensitive to small changes in humidity at all levels in the atmosphere, but observations to test this hypothesis are lacking. Because few high‐quality humidity observations exist, especially in the upper troposphere, researchers are uncertain of the nature and strength of climate feedback mechanisms involving water vapor and its distribution and long‐term changes. Consequently, water vapor is not well treated in global climate models and requires more attention.
Tornado alley
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

Researchers in Norman, Oklahoma are spinning the largest web ever to catch tornadoes. By next month, the largest net of weather instruments ever deployed to track tornado development will be spread across the Southern Plains as the season arrives. In its second year of field activity, the Verification of the Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX) from April 1 to June 15 will target supercells or long‐lived severe thunderstorms with circulation patterns that are ripe for producing tornadoes. Less than 50% of such supercells actually produce tornadoes. On any given day, VORTEX will deploy about 20 instrument‐studded vehicles around a supercell and follow the storm for several hours. Aboard each of the vehicles are compact weather stations that use Global Positioning System technology to report weather data every few seconds.
Curtains for ATP?
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

The administration's efforts to keep various technology‐transfer programs afloat in the budget process appear to be stalled. House Science Committee chair Robert Walker (R‐Pa.) advised in early April that the Republican agenda for the pending budget process entails zeroing out the Commerce Department's Advanced Technology Program (ATP), which was funded at $431 million in fiscal year 1995. The ATP would lose about $90 million from its FY 95 budget. Although Walker says that the Republican leadership has no intention to dictate to the subcommittees how cuts should be made, they will be held to the “fairly severe caps” established by the House Budget Committee. In other words, Walker says, if ATP stays, something else will have to go in its place. In addition, a bill to rescind about $223 million from the FY 1995 budget of the Technology Reinvestment Project and another $77 million from TRP's FY 1994 budget, which has not been spent, is heading for the president's signature. Yet Walker says while he supports the merits of technology transfer, “the question is do you have to create government programs to get the technology out?”
Kuiper confirmed
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has detected a long‐sought population of comets known as the Kuiper belt that dwells at the icy fringe of the Solar System. The observation, which is the astronomical equivalent to finding the proverbial needle‐in‐a‐haystack, bolsters proof for a primordial comet reservoir just beyond Neptune, currently the farthest planet from the Sun. On the basis of Hubble observations, astronomers estimate the belt contains at least 200 million comets that have remained essentially unchanged since the birth of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. The region is thought to be the source of the comet that struck Jupiter in July 1994. “For the first time, we have a direct handle on the population of comets in this outer region. We now know, conclusively, that our solar system does not end at Neptune. The solar system just got a lot more interesting,” says Anita Cochran of the University of Texas, Austin.
Quake lessons
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

Purdue University engineers are applying lessons learned from Japan's Kobe earthquake to their own research into the stability of bridges. Julio A. Ramirez, associate professor of structural engineering at Purdue, was one of a seven‐member reconnaisance team that traveled to Japan just a few days after the January 17 quake. In general, he says, the buildings and bridges that suffered the most damage were those built between the end of World War II and the 1970s, when building materials such as steel were expensive and modern building codes were not yet in place.
NASA seeks comment
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

NASA is seeking public comment on a new science policy guide that will become the agency's major instrument for communication about its conduct of science. Called “Science in Air and Space: NASA's Science Policy Guide,” the document will publish the framework for pursuing the agency's science goals.

“One of the most far‐reaching discussions in the guide is how partnership—diverse representations of individuals, groups, and institutions—and contributions by the international scientific community are important to enhance the quality and vitality of NASA's science programs,” said NASA's Chief Scientist, France Cordova.
Legendary Mount Vesuvius is subject of intensive volcanological study
Authors: Spera Frank
Published: September 2022

The Roman population centers of Pompeii and Herculaneum (circa 15,000 inhabitants) were destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. after centuries of repose. Many times since then its eruptions have claimed human lives; basaltic lava flows from an eruption in 1631 killed 3,000. Vesuvius' location, near the heart of the Roman empire—a center of learning in the ancient world—led it to become the site ofsome of the earliest volcanological studies on record.

In letters to Tacitus, Pliny the Younger documented the sequence of events of the 79 A.D. plinian eruption. Geophysical studies of volcanoes were pioneered by Italian volcanologists who installed seismographs in an observatory on the flanks of Vesuvius to study volcano seismology and to forecast and monitor eruptions early this century. It is easy to understand why interest in Vesuvius has been so keen: it is accessible, persistently active, and a large population resides nearby. Today, around 1 million people live within the shadow of this potentially explosive and dangerous volcano.
In Memoriam
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

Fred S. Anderson died recently at age 90. He had been a life member (Hydrology), joining AGU in 1943.

Dimitrios Ginis died October 7, 1995, at age 24. He had been a student member (Planetology), joining AGU in 1991.
Air apparent
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2022

Astronomers peering through the Hubble Space Telescope at Jupiter's moon Ganymede have found that the Jovian satellite produces ozone. Keith Noll and colleagues at the Space Telescope Science Institute have found evidence to suggest that charged particles trapped in Jupiter's magnetic field help pound ozone out of the icy surface of its moon. Though the process of ozone production on Ganymede is far from understood, the researchers suggest that the charged particles penetrate the moon's surface and disrupt water molecules.
Researchers note smog reduction in some urban areas
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2022

Long‐term trends in summertime ground‐level ozone—smog that is formed through a series of chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight—decreased significantly in the United States′ three largest metropolitan areas—New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago between 1980 and 1995—according to a report published in the January 20 issue of AGU's Journal of Geophysical Research.

Researchers from Harvard University, who used data from the nearly 900 ozone monitoring sites in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's nationwide network, also found that despite an estimated 60% increase in vehicle miles traveled during the study period, no significant regional increases in ozone were recorded.
NASA selects Earth science information partners
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2022

NASA recently announced its selection of two dozen proposals to develop working prototypes of innovative uses and applications of the agency's Earth science data and related research.

Known as the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIPs), the awards—which total approximately $50 million over the 3–5 year lifetimes of the projects—are part of NASA's effort to evaluate alternative ways to implement product generation, publication, and user services for the agency's planned Earth Observing System (EOS) science data system.
EPA plans to issue consumer reports about water
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2022

Under a new rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in February, 240 million Americans are about to learn a lot more than they already know about the sources of their water and its purity or contamination levels. The EPA rule would, for the first time, provide Americans with an annual Consumer Confidence Report about the safety of their water, beginning in October 1999. The reports could help consumers make informed choices about drinking water as well as become involved in safeguarding and improving their water supplies, according to the EPA. The reports are a key public information provision of the amended Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996, and would be delivered to consumers by mail or in their local newspapers.
The legacy of President Drake
Authors: Spilhaus Fred
Published: September 2022

When Chuck Drake became presidentelect of AGU in July 1982 the Union was digging itself out of a financial hole and beginning to expand its horizons. In the United States, AGU reached out by joining the American Institute of Physics, internally strengthening the role of sections; it also established a committee on snow, ice, and permafrost. Groundwork was also laid for AGU's role in Earth system science with the publication of Paleoceanography and the authorization of Global Biogeochemical Cycles.
Navy closes Antarctic unit
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2022

After 42 years as a key participant in the United States Antarctic Program (USAP), the U.S. Navy held a ceremony on February 20 to commemorate the closing of its Naval Antarctic Support Unit stationed in New Zealand. The Navy originally had announced its decision to “disestablish” the unit in 1993, citing new global priorities with the end of the Cold War.

The Navy will continue to provide limited flight support to the USAP through the end of the 1998–1999 austral research season.
Switching satellites
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2022

At 12:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on July 27, an engineer at the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service's (NESDIS) Satellite Operations Control Center in Suitland, Md.— a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—executed a computer schedule that sent instructions to the Command and Data Acquisition facility in Wallops, Va. That facility, in turn, relayed the message about 35,800 km above the Earth to the 2100 kg GOES‐8 and GOES‐10 geostationary operational environmental satellites.
Global fishing fleet over capacity
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2022

World fishing fleet overcapacity is five times greater than previously estimated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and two and a half times greater than is needed to catch fish at a sustainable rate, according to a new study released by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on August 18.

According to the report, this means that nearly two‐thirds of the fishing fleet worldwide could be eliminated and still allow enough fishing boats to catch all the fish that can be sustainably harvested.
Test hole for earthquake research planned
Authors: Zoback Mark
Published: September 2022

A 2‐km deep, vertical test hole will be drilled near the site of the planned San Andreas Fault Zone Observatory at Depth (SAFOD), ∼−1.6 km southwest of the San Andreas fault near Parkfield, California. The project is planned for late spring/early summer 2002
Cotton in a warming climate
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2022

Summertime, and the cotton is…higher. That could be the future theme song for “King Cotton” in the southeastern United States, according to two climate change scenarios analyzed by researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado.

While elevated carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere could cause a number of significant concerns, it appears that increased cotton yields in the U.S. southeast could be a plus, if farmers can adapt to climate changes. The study was presented on December 10 at the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco.
Unraveling the epigenomic and transcriptomic interplay during alcohol-induced anxiolysis
Authors: Krishnan Harish R. , Zhang Huaibo , Chen Ying , Bohnsack John Peyton , Shieh Annie W. , Kusumo Handojo , Drnevich Jenny , Liu Chunyu , Grayson Dennis R. , Maienschein-Cline Mark , Pandey Subhash C.
Published: September 2022

Positive effects of alcohol drinking such as anxiolysis and euphoria appear to be a crucial factor in the initiation and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the mechanisms that lead from chromatin reorganization to transcriptomic changes after acute ethanol exposure remain unknown. Here, we used Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin followed by high throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) and RNA-seq to investigate epigenomic and transcriptomic changes that underlie anxiolytic effects of acute ethanol using an animal model. Analysis of ATAC-seq data revealed an overall open or permissive chromatin state that was associated with transcriptomic changes in the amygdala after acute ethanol exposure. We identified a candidate gene, Hif3a (Hypoxia-inducible factor 3, alpha subunit), that had ‘open’ chromatin regions (ATAC-seq peaks), associated with significantly increased active epigenetic histone acetylation marks and decreased DNA methylation at these regions. The mRNA levels of Hif3a were increased by acute ethanol exposure, but decreased in the amygdala during withdrawal after chronic ethanol exposure. Knockdown of Hif3a expression in the central nucleus of amygdala attenuated acute ethanol-induced increases in Hif3a mRNA levels and blocked anxiolysis in rats. These data indicate that chromatin accessibility and transcriptomic signatures in the amygdala after acute ethanol exposure underlie anxiolysis and possibly prime the chromatin for the development of AUD.
Crosstalk of Synapsin1 palmitoylation and phosphorylation controls the dynamicity of synaptic vesicles in neurons
Authors: Yan Peipei , Liu Huicong , Zhou Tao , Sun Pu , Wang Yilin , Wang Xibin , Zhang Lin , Wang Tian , Dong Jing , Zhu Jiangli , Lv Luxian , Li Wenqiang , Qi Shiqian , Liang Yinming , Kong Eryan
Published: September 2022

The dynamics of synaptic vesicles (SVs) within presynaptic domains are tightly controlled by synapsin1 phosphorylation; however, the mechanism underlying the anchoring of synapsin1 with F-actin or SVs is not yet fully understood. Here, we found that Syn1 is modified with protein palmitoylation, and examining the roles of Syn1 palmitoylation in neurons led us to uncover that Syn1 palmitoylation is negatively regulated by its phosphorylation; together, they manipulate the clustering and redistribution of SVs. Using the combined approaches of electron microscopy and genetics, we revealed that Syn1 palmitoylation is vital for its binding with F-actin but not SVs. Inhibition of Syn1 palmitoylation causes defects in SVs clustering and a reduced number of total SVs in vivo. We propose a model in which SVs redistribution is triggered by upregulated Syn1 phosphorylation and downregulated Syn1 palmitoylation, and they reversibly promote SVs clustering. The crosstalk of Syn1 palmitoylation and phosphorylation thereby bidirectionally manipulates SVs dynamics in neurons.
Improved immunoassay sensitivity and specificity using single-molecule colocalization
Authors: Hariri Amani A. , Newman Sharon S. , Tan Steven , Mamerow Dan , Adams Alexandra M. , Maganzini Nicolò , Zhong Brian L. , Eisenstein Michael , Dunn Alexander R. , Soh H. Tom
Published: September 2022

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are a cornerstone of modern molecular detection, but the technique still faces notable challenges. One of the biggest problems is discriminating true signal generated by target molecules versus non-specific background. Here, we developed a Single-Molecule Colocalization Assay (SiMCA) that overcomes this problem by employing total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to quantify target proteins based on the colocalization of fluorescent signal from orthogonally labeled capture and detection antibodies. By specifically counting colocalized signals, we can eliminate the effects of background produced by non-specific binding of detection antibodies. Using TNF-α, we show that SiMCA achieves a three-fold lower limit of detection compared to conventional single-color assays and exhibits consistent performance for assays performed in complex specimens such as serum and blood. Our results help define the pernicious effects of non-specific background in immunoassays and demonstrate the diagnostic gains that can be achieved by eliminating those effects.
sciCAN: single-cell chromatin accessibility and gene expression data integration via cycle-consistent adversarial network
Authors: Xu Yang , Begoli Edmon , McCord Rachel Patton
Published: September 2022

The boom in single-cell technologies has brought a surge of high dimensional data that come from different sources and represent cellular systems from different views. With advances in these single-cell technologies, integrating single-cell data across modalities arises as a new computational challenge. Here, we present an adversarial approach, sciCAN, to integrate single-cell chromatin accessibility and gene expression data in an unsupervised manner. We benchmarked sciCAN with 5 existing methods in 5 scATAC-seq/scRNA-seq datasets, and we demonstrated that our method dealt with data integration with consistent performance across datasets and better balance of mutual transferring between modalities than the other 5 existing methods. We further applied sciCAN to 10X Multiome data and confirmed that the integrated representation preserves biological relationships within the hematopoietic hierarchy. Finally, we investigated CRISPR-perturbed single-cell K562 ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data to identify cells with related responses to different perturbations in these different modalities.
Brain-enriched RagB isoforms regulate the dynamics of mTORC1 activity through GATOR1 inhibition
Authors: Figlia Gianluca , Müller Sandra , Hagenston Anna M. , Kleber Susanne , Roiuk Mykola , Quast Jan-Philipp , ten Bosch Nora , Carvajal Ibañez Damian , Mauceri Daniela , Martin-Villalba Ana , Teleman Aurelio A.
Published: September 2022

Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) senses nutrient availability to appropriately regulate cellular anabolism and catabolism. During nutrient restriction, different organs in an animal do not respond equally, with vital organs being relatively spared. This raises the possibility that mTORC1 is differentially regulated in different cell types, yet little is known about this mechanistically. The Rag GTPases, RagA or RagB bound to RagC or RagD, tether mTORC1 in a nutrient-dependent manner to lysosomes where mTORC1 becomes activated. Although the RagA and B paralogues were assumed to be functionally equivalent, we find here that the RagB isoforms, which are highly expressed in neurons, impart mTORC1 with resistance to nutrient starvation by inhibiting the RagA/B GTPase-activating protein GATOR1. We further show that high expression of RagB isoforms is observed in some tumours, revealing an alternative strategy by which cancer cells can retain elevated mTORC1 upon low nutrient availability.
Effect of temperature on the life cycle of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), and its predation rate on the Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) eggs
Authors: Islam Yasir , Güncan Ali , Zhou Xingmiao , Naeem Afifa , Shah Farhan Mahmood
Published: September 2022

Biological control is one of the strategies of pest control which is determined by the biological fitness and metabolic rates of the predator species used. Temperature and resource are important factors which influence the role of insects as biocontrol agents. Harmonia axyridis is a cosmopolitan and non-specific polyphagous predator. It can survive ecologically diverse environments and exploit multiple preys. This study investigated the effects of temperature on the population parameters of H. axyridis and its predation on the eggs of prey Spodoptera litura. For this purpose, an age–stage, two-sex life table of the predator was constructed at four constant temperatures, i.e. 15, 20, 25 and 30 °C, under laboratory settings of: 70 ± 5% RH, and 16:8 h (L: D) photoperiod. A computer simulation was then used to project the population and predation responses with respect to temperatures tested. We found that the development of larvae and adult (male/female) stages of H. axyridis decreased with colder temperatures (i.e., 15 and 20 °C) but increased with warmer temperatures (25 and 30 °C). The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and mean generation time (T) were 0.0662 d−1 and 79.84 d at 15 °C, 0.0843 d−1 and 64.90 d at 20 °C, 0.1067 d−1 and 48.89 d at 25 °C, and 0.1378 d−1 and 35.55 d at 30 °C, respectively. The mean duration of the total pre-adult stage was 44.26, 32.91, 20.63, and 15.39 d at 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C, respectively. At 30 °C. the finite rate of increase (1.1477 d−1) was the highest and the mean generation time (35.55 d) was the shortest. The net predation rate (C0) was 7935.54, 10,466.28, 10,139.38, and 7126.36 eggs at 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C, respectively. Population and predation projections were proportional to temperature. These findings are important for modelling the population responses of H. axyridis to climate change and tailoring integrated pest management strategies to altered climates.
Fluorochromized tyramide-glucose oxidase as a multiplex fluorescent tyramide signal amplification system for histochemical analysis
Authors: Yamauchi Kenta , Okamoto Shinichiro , Ishida Yoko , Konno Kohtarou , Hoshino Kisara , Furuta Takahiro , Takahashi Megumu , Koike Masato , Isa Kaoru , Watanabe Masahiko , Isa Tadashi , Hioki Hiroyuki
Published: September 2022

Tyramide signal amplification (TSA) is a highly sensitive method for histochemical analysis. Previously, we reported a TSA system, biotinyl tyramine-glucose oxidase (BT-GO), for bright-filed imaging. Here, we develop fluorochromized tyramide-glucose oxidase (FT-GO) as a multiplex fluorescent TSA system. FT-GO involves peroxidase-catalyzed deposition of fluorochromized tyramide (FT) with hydrogen peroxide produced by enzymatic reaction between glucose and glucose oxidase. We showed that FT-GO enhanced immunofluorescence signals while maintaining low background signals. Compared with indirect immunofluorescence detections, FT-GO demonstrated a more widespread distribution of monoaminergic projection systems in mouse and marmoset brains. For multiplex labeling with FT-GO, we quenched antibody-conjugated peroxidase using sodium azide. We applied FT-GO to multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization, and succeeded in labeling neocortical interneuron subtypes by coupling with immunofluorescence. FT-GO immunofluorescence further increased the detectability of an adeno-associated virus tracer. Given its simplicity and a staining with a high signal-to-noise ratio, FT-GO would provide a versatile platform for histochemical analysis.
Epitaxial growth of SiGe films by annealing Al–Ge alloyed pastes on Si substrate
Authors: Fukuda Keisuke , Miyamoto Satoru , Nakahara Masahiro , Suzuki Shota , Dhamrin Marwan , Maeda Kensaku , Fujiwara Kozo , Uraoka Yukiharu , Usami Noritaka
Published: September 2022

A simple, low-cost, and non-vacuum epitaxial growth method to realize large-area semiconductors on crystalline silicon will become the game-changer for various applications. For example, we can expect the disruptive effect on the cost of large-scale III–V multi-junction solar cells if we could replace the high-cost germanium substrate with silicon–germanium (SiGe) on Si. For SiGe epitaxial growth, we attempted to develop a process using original Al–Ge pastes for screen printing and subsequent annealing. We compare two pastes including Al–Ge alloyed pastes with compositional uniformity in each particle and Al–Ge mixed pastes. We revealed that Al–Ge alloyed paste could form flatter SiGe film with much less residual pastes, supported by in-situ observations. The uniform and sufficient dissolution of the alloyed paste is responsible for these and led to higher average Ge-composition by annealing at 500 °C. The composition in SiGe was vertically graded up to ~ 90% at the topmost surface. These results show that printing and firing of Al–Ge alloyed paste on Si is the desirable, simple, and high-speed process for epitaxial growth of SiGe, which could be potentially used as the lattice-matched virtual substrate with III–V semiconductors.
Quantum Zeno repeaters
Authors: Bayrakci Veysel , Ozaydin Fatih
Published: September 2022

Quantum repeaters pave the way for long-distance quantum communications and quantum Internet, and the idea of quantum repeaters is based on entanglement swapping which requires the implementation of controlled quantum gates. Frequently measuring a quantum system affects its dynamics which is known as the quantum Zeno effect (QZE). Beyond slowing down its evolution, QZE can be used to control the dynamics of a quantum system by introducing a carefully designed set of operations between measurements. Here, we propose an entanglement swapping protocol based on QZE, which achieves almost unit fidelity. Implementation of our protocol requires only simple frequent threshold measurements and single particle rotations. We extend the proposed entanglement swapping protocol to a series of repeater stations for constructing quantum Zeno repeaters which also achieve almost unit fidelity regardless of the number of repeaters. Requiring no controlled gates, our proposal reduces the quantum circuit complexity of quantum repeaters. Our work has potential to contribute to long distance quantum communications and quantum computing via quantum Zeno effect.
An in-depth analysis of nucleation and growth mechanism of CdS thin film synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique
Authors: Najm A. S. , Naeem Hasanain Salah , Majdi Hasan Sh. , Hasbullah Siti Aishah , Hasan Hiba Ali , Sopian K. , Bais Badariah , Al-Iessa Heidar J. , Dhahad Hayder A. , Ali Jamal M. , Sultan Abbas J.
Published: September 2022

The aim of this study is to acquire a deeper understanding of the response mechanism that is associated with the formation of CdS thin films. We presented an effective and new hybrid sensitisation technique, which involved the 1-step linker between the related chemical bath deposition (CBD) process and the traditional doping method during CBD for synthesising high-quality, CdS thin films. The mechanism for the combined synthesis of the films is also describes. CdS films were electrostatically bonded to soda-lime glass, causing the formation of the intermediate complexes [Cd(NH3)4]2+, which aided in the collision of these complexes with a soda-lime glass slide. In the one-step fabrication technique, 3-Mercaptopropionic Acid (MPA) was employed as a second source of sulphur ions and a linker molecule. Optical studies showed that the bandgap ranged between (2.26–2.52) eV. CdS + MPA films exhibited a uniform distribution of spherical molecules based on their morphological properties. After annealing, this approach significantly altered the electrical characteristics of CdS films. The CdS + MPA films displayed the highest carrier concentration whereas the CdS + Ag + MPA films exhibited the lowest resistivity, with a jump of 3 orders of magnitude.
Structural plasticity driven by task performance leads to criticality signatures in neuromorphic oscillator networks
Authors: Feketa Petro , Meurer Thomas , Kohlstedt Hermann
Published: September 2022

Oscillator networks rapidly become one of the promising vehicles for energy-efficient computing due to their intrinsic parallelism of execution. The criticality property of the oscillator-based networks is regarded to be essential for performing complex tasks. There are numerous bio-inspired synaptic and structural plasticity mechanisms available, especially for spiking neural networks, which can drive the network towards the criticality. However, there is no solid connection between these self-adaption mechanisms and the task performance, and it is not clear how and why particular self-adaptation mechanisms contribute to the solution of the task, although their relation to criticality is understood. Here we propose an evolutionary approach for the structural plasticity that relies solely on the task performance and does not contain any task-independent adaptation mechanisms, which usually contribute towards the criticality of the network. As a driver for the structural plasticity, we use a direct binary search guided by the performance of the classification task that can be interpreted as an interaction of the network with the environment. Remarkably, such interaction with the environment brings the network to criticality, although this property was not a part of the objectives of the employed structural plasticity mechanism. This observation confirms a duality of criticality and task performance, and legitimizes internal activity-dependent plasticity mechanisms from the viewpoint of evolution as mechanisms contributing to the task performance, but following the dual route. Finally, we analyze the trained network against task-independent information-theoretic measures and identify the interconnection graph’s entropy to be an essential ingredient for the classification task performance and network’s criticality.
Amelioration of prevalence of threatened preterm labor during the COVID-19 pandemic: nationwide database analysis in Japan
Authors: Ohashi Mizuki , Tsuji Shunichiro , Tanaka-Mizuno Sachiko , Kasahara Kyoko , Kasahara Makiko , Miura Katsuyuki , Murakami Takashi
Published: September 2022

We aimed to evaluate the changes in maternal and neonatal complications such as threatened preterm labor (TPL) and preterm birth before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic using large-scale real-world data in Japan. We obtained data from the Japan Medical Data Center claims database and evaluated differences in maternal and neonatal complications, such as the prevalence of TPL and preterm birth before the COVID-19 pandemic (in the year 2018 or 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (in 2020). We included 5533, 6257, and 5956 deliveries in the years 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. TPL prevalence and preterm birth had significantly decreased in 2020 (41.3%, 2.6%, respectively) compared with those reported in 2018 (45.3%, 3.9%, respectively) and 2019 (44.5%, 3.8%, respectively). Neonatal outcomes such as low-birth-weight infants and retinopathy of prematurity were also improved during the pandemic. There were no clear trends in the prevalence of maternal complications such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome; and preeclampsia. Oral ritodrine hydrochloride usage in all participants had significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, our results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has ameliorated TPL and consequently reduced the number of preterm births.
Bioengineering of CuO porous (nano)particles: role of surface amination in biological, antibacterial, and photocatalytic activity
Authors: Bagherzadeh Mojtaba , Safarkhani Moein , Ghadiri Amir Mohammad , Kiani Mahsa , Fatahi Yousef , Taghavimandi Fahimeh , Daneshgar Hossein , Abbariki Nikzad , Makvandi Pooyan , Varma Rajender S. , Rabiee Navid
Published: September 2022

Nanotechnology is one of the most impressive sciences in the twenty-first century. Not surprisingly, nanoparticles/nanomaterials have been widely deployed given their multifunctional attributes and ease of preparation via environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and simple methods. Although there are assorted optimized preparative methods for synthesizing the nanoparticles, the main challenge is to find a comprehensive method that has multifaceted properties. The goal of this study has been to synthesize aminated (nano)particles via the Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract-mediated copper oxide; this modification leads to the preparation of (nano)particles with promising biological and photocatalytic applications. The synthesized NPs have been fully characterized, and biological activity was evaluated in antibacterial assessment against Bacillus cereus as a model Gram-positive and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model Gram-negative bacterium. The bio-synthesized copper oxide (nano)particles were screened by MTT assay by applying the HEK-293 cell line. The aminated (nano)particles have shown lower cytotoxicity (~ 21%), higher (~ 50%) antibacterial activity, and a considerable increase in zeta potential value (~ + 13.4 mV). The prepared (nano)particles also revealed considerable photocatalytic activity compared to other studies wherein the dye degradation process attained 97.4% promising efficiency in only 80 min and just 7% degradation after 80 min under dark conditions. The biosynthesized copper oxide (CuO) (nano)particle’s biomedical investigation underscores an eco-friendly synthesis of (nano)particles, their noticeable stability in the green reaction media, and impressive biological activity.