bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Buyouts with rentbacks: a policy proposal for managing coastal retreat
Authors: Keeler Andrew G. , Mullin Megan , McNamara Dylan E. , Smith Martin D.
Published: April 2022

The discussion of adaptation to climate change in coastal areas has focused on short-term risk reduction and climate-proofing, but there is growing recognition that—at some point in the future—relocation to less vulnerable geographical areas will become necessary for large numbers of residents in many coastal communities. Spontaneous relocations that occur after catastrophic events can entail high costs, both for those who resettle elsewhere and for the remaining community. Managed retreat attempts to reduce such costs, thereby facilitating the relocation process. Property buyouts, the most prominently discussed policy tool for managed retreat, present significant challenges in terms of equity, timing, finance, and scale. We discuss innovation in buyout policy that allows residents to remain in their homes as renters after being bought out. We develop the basic structure of such a policy and show the pathways through which it can help to finance buyouts, harmonize public and private decision-making, and manage the timing of community transition. We also recommend funding mechanisms and other details to overcome the substantial barriers to implementation. Although buyouts with rentbacks will require institutional innovation in order to serve as an effective policy framework, the policy has the potential to improve social, economic, and environmental outcomes from the eventual unfortunate but necessary migration away from coastal areas.
Sensory-Friendly Emergency Department Visit for Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder—A Scoping Review
Authors: Sadatsafavi Hessam , Vanable Lena , DeGuzman Pam , Sochor Mark
Published: April 2022

Our goal was to develop non-pharmacologic strategies for addressing sensory challenges that patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face in emergency departments (EDs). Search of five databases for articles written in English and published since 1980 returned 816 citations, of which 28 papers were selected for review. All studies were published in the last nine years, with 92.85% (n = 26) conducted in North America. We developed 26 consolidated strategies, encompassing five major domains, including guiding principles, care processes, people (behavior of staff members), objects, and places (facility design). Sensory-friendly care in ED requires an integrative approach and its success depends on guiding principles that tie various aspects of care and distinguishes ASD care from non-ASD care.
Medicinal Cannabis for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: a Narrative Review
Authors: Stack Sophie K. , Wheate Nial J. , Schubert Elise A.
Published: April 2022

Purpose of review

Anxiety is a prevalent mental health condition which manifests as a disproportionate response of fear to a perceived threat. Different types of anxiety disorders vary in their pathophysiology, symptoms and treatments. The causes of anxiety disorders are complex and largely unknown; however, it has been suggested that a number of brain mechanisms and neurotransmitters are involved in the development of these conditions. While there are non-pharmacological treatments for anxiety, many patients are prescribed medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors and/or benzodiazepines. Unfortunately, these medications have issues with efficacy and safety, and therefore, there is a continuing need for newer medicines. The cannabis constituents of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and terpenes have been proposed as a potential treatment for anxiety conditions.

Recent findings

Medicinal cannabis constituents act on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and other targets. The ECS affects several physiological functions through modulation of the central nervous system and inflammatory pathways. In particular, CBD has been suggested to exhibit anxiolytic properties, whereas THC can either have an anxiogenic or anxiolytic effect, depending on the dose, route of administration and individual genetic and environmental factors. There is also evidence that terpenes could be effective in anxiety management.

Currently, there is a gap in the literature as to whether standardised CBD and/or THC preparations can be used for anxiety disorders. Further information is required to know the precise doses and CBD-THC ratios from human clinical trials and real-world patient use.
Nanotribology of SiP nanosheets: Effect of thickness and sliding velocity
Authors: Wu Zishuai , Yu Tongtong , Wu Wei , Liu Jianxi , Zhang Zhinan , Wang Daoai , Liu Weimin
Published: April 2022

Two-dimensional compounds combining group IV A element and group V A element were determined to integrate the advantages of the two groups. As a typical 2D group IV–V material, SiP has been widely used in photodetection and photocatalysis due to its high carrier mobility, appropriate bandgap, high thermal stability, and low interlayer cleavage energy. However, its adhesion and friction properties have not been extensively grasped. Here, large-size and high-quality SiP crystals were obtained by using the flux method. SiP nanosheets were prepared by using mechanical exfoliation. The layer-dependent and velocity-dependent nanotribological properties of SiP nanosheets were systematically investigated. The results indicate the friction force of SiP nanosheets decreases with the increase in layer number and reaches saturation after five layers. The coefficient of friction of multilayer SiP is 0.018. The mean friction force, frictional vibrations, and the friction strengthening effect can be affected by sliding velocity. Specially, the mean friction force increases with the logarithm of sliding velocity at nm/s scale, which is dominated by atomic stick-slip. The influence of frequency on frictional vibration is greater than speed due to the different influences on the change in contact quality. The friction strengthening saturation distance increases with the increase in speed for thick SiP nanosheets. These results provide an approach for manipulating the nanofriction properties of SiP and serve as a theoretical basis for the application of SiP in solid lubrication and microelectromechanical systems.
Numerical optimisation of the diffuser in a typical turbocharger compressor using the adjoint method
Authors: Hazizi Kristaq , Ramezanpour Ahad , Costall Aaron
Published: April 2022

In the automotive industry, the demand for fuel economy and emission reduction has resulted in engine downsizing, with turbochargers playing a key role in compensating for the performance loss. To be effective, a turbocharger’s compressor must be accurately designed to match the engine’s requirements. This study presents a novel non-parametric optimisation of the turbocharger compressor diffuser based on the compressor efficiency. The numerical models are based on the validation and mesh dependency study against experimental data from three points on each speed line of 150,000 (rpm) and 80,000 (rpm). The geometry and case data are related to the TD025-05T4 compressor from the 1.2-L Renault Megane passenger car. The turbocharger compressor diffuser geometry was optimised using the adjoint solver method within ANSYS FLUENT 2019 R1. The adjoint solver provides a gradient-based optimisation that can automatically create a series of iterations of a design, so that the mesh gradually deforms into an optimal shape to achieve a single target, the compressor efficiency in this study. The study considers a total of six operating cases on the compressor map to optimise the full and partial load compressor operations, leading to a real-world drive cycle. These cases are the three cases (closer to surge, stable midpoint, and closer to the choke point) on each of the speed lines. A typical result for mid-stable operation on a 150,000 (rpm) speed line shows a gradual increase in efficiency up to a maximum of 2.6% improvement. The optimal diffuser geometry impacts the overall car engine efficiency for real-world drive cycles, increasing power output and improving thermal efficiency.
Accuracy, feasibility and predictive ability of different frailty instruments in an acute geriatric setting
Authors: Bielza Rafael , Balaguer Cristina , Zambrana Francisco , Arias Estefanía , Thuissard Israel J. , Lung Ana , Oñoro Carlos , Pérez Patricia , Andreu-Vázquez Cristina , Neira Marta , Anguita Noemi , Sáez Carmen , de la Puente Eva María Fernández
Published: April 2022

Purpose

To analyze the feasibility, accuracy and the ability of different frailty instruments to predict adverse outcomes.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted in patients ≥ 70 years admitted to the acute care setting (ACS). Feasibility and prevalence of frailty were assessed by FRAIL, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), hand grip strength (HGS) and the Spanish Frailty-VIG. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) were performed to identify frailty according to each instrument, setting VIG as the reference. For each instrument, multiple logistic regressions were used to examine the effect of frailty on primary outcome (i.e., three-month mortality) and secondary outcomes (i.e., in-hospital mortality, length of stay, institutionalization, functional decline and 30-day readmission).

Results

A total of 185 patients were included, with a median age of 89 years. The feasibility of the instruments was 100%, except for HGS (67%). The prevalence of frailty varied from 65.2% (FRAIL) to 86.7% (VIG). AUCs against VIG ranged from 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57–0.81: FRAIL) to 0.77 (95% CI 63.5–90.2: CFS). Frail patients defined by FRAIL were 2.7times more likely to have a prolonged length of stay than non-frail patients (95% CI 1.385–5.416). Three-month mortality occurred more among frail patients, either defined by FRAIL (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.072–5.881) or CFS (OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.255–10.812), than in non-frail patients.

Conclusion

The four instruments had high feasibility providing variable prevalence of frailty. FRAIL and CFS predicted well for three-month mortality, and FRAIL also for length of stay. However, none of the instruments predicted for the other secondary outcomes of the study.
Mission ORCA: Orbit Refinement for Collision Avoidance
Authors: Barles Anaïs , Bilkhu Satnam , Boulnois Anthony , Arija Francisco Javier Cuesta , Albacete Guillem Duarri , Easdown William , Silvela Alvaro Estalella , Fernández Ramiro Gallego , Kent Ben , Mariscal Javier Martínez , Mata Alfonso Martinez , Pradeep Shilpa , Sinclair Giovanni , Stephens-Simonazzi Benedict , Yan Wenhan , Felicetti Leonard
Published: April 2022

Forecasting of collisions between resident space objects (RSOs) is becoming critical for the future exploitation of near-Earth space. A constellation of 28 spacecrafts (plus in-orbit spares) in sun synchronous orbits is proposed as a solution for improving the current space situational awareness capabilities. Each satellite uses an optical payload to track target RSOs, with the satellite's position precisely determined. Multiple pictures of the RSO are taken, and the spacecraft attitude used to calculate the target's position relative to the spacecraft. The target's orbit is then determined from the movement of the target through the field of view over time. The system outputs orbit state vectors of the tracked object, allowing precise orbit characterisation and collision forecasting to be delivered. The constellation's design allows high temporal resolution, so reliable information can be supplied to end-users. The paper shows the results of the system design of a demonstration mission meant to verify the feasibility of the concept, performed by a team of students of Cranfield University. The exercise addresses all the aspects of the preliminary design, including the definition of the mission and system requirements, the selection of the overall mission architecture, operations, and mission phases. A cap on the overall cost allows for the realisation of the platform within a university budget. The outline of the design includes not only the selection and sizing of all the subsystems and payload but also suggests a new strategy for deploying the constellation if the demonstration mission is successful. The utilisation of high TRL and COTS components, as well as mass, power, and link budgets, demonstrate the feasibility of the overall mission concept.
Micro-credentials: A Postdigital Counternarrative
Authors: Pollard Vikki , Vincent Andrew
Published: April 2022

Alternative credentials, such as micro credentials and digital badges, are increasingly being developed in universities. Primarily aimed at employability, these credentials are being scrutinised as it is argued that they are surrounded by ‘great uncertainty’. We contribute to this scrutiny by examining the forms of subjectivity that result from micro-credentials. We argue that, in their current form, they tend to result in a neoliberal subject. Presented is a counter-narrative that examines the current state of micro-credentials and offers an alternative form that refuses instrumentalist logics. In doing so, we draw from Foucault and postdigital research. The result is a recommendation to implement three principles in the design of micro-credentials. The first is the principle of being embedded in the curriculum, the second is alignment with the university mission, and the third is a critical and reflective pedagogy. This recommendation offers further possible subjectivities.
An Efficient and Secure Vehicular Networks Based on IoT and Cloud Computing
Authors: El Zouka Hesham A.
Published: April 2022

Undeniably, the increasing number of vehicles on the roads has automatically led to the unbelievable number of accidents occurring every day and the need for a safe communication system among the vehicles has become quite urgent. Using such systems, vehicles can communicate via wireless communication technologies and protocols like ZigBee, WiMax, Bluetooth, GSM, and RF. This paper introduces a communication system that works on preventing accidents by making all the surrounding vehicles communicate using RF, IoT, and LCD technologies to show all the warnings and the indications sent from other vehicles and a VLC that is connected to every vehicle to detect and send all needed information of occurring accidents on the road to all connected vehicles and to identify the hit or damaged ones. Moreover, the framework proposed in this paper attempts to perform mutual authentication procedures between vehicles and road-side units based on radio frequency identification devices and cloud computing. According to this framework, a low-cost device has been implemented using an LED lamp and an electrical circuit to control the LED luminous flux, and the modulated carrier signal has also been modified to effectively suppress the low-frequency noise. It should be noted that the experiments have shown that vehicular networks must be resilient and self-adapted to failures and potential threats to support coordinated transportation systems. Finally, the security analysis has also shown that the proposed framework is efficient, easily deployed and capable of finding the best routing paths between communicating vehicles.
An after-school STEM program through the lens of intersectionality
Authors: Mistretta S. , Abel Y. , Matos D. , Egger J.
Published: April 2022

This article employs the six tenets of intersectional research to examine the interconnections of oppression, relationality, complexity, context, deconstruction, and comparison that shape study participants’ experiences. This study was conducted at an after-school STEM program in a poverty-demographic through the lens of intersectionality. This is important because present literature that examines urban demographics and underserved students does not take into consideration the intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and citizenship as this study reveals. Digital badges, individually awarded to students upon successful completion of 28 small-skill videos while programming in MIT App Inventor, yielded data about persistence through increasingly difficult coding techniques which is a desirable trait for individuals interested in pursuing STEM-focused high schools or professional careers. The results of this study reveal that the intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and citizenship create a void of power such that children living in this poverty demographic have diminished access to authentic STEM environments and opportunities.
deCS: A Tool for Systematic Cell Type Annotations of Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Data Among Human Tissues
Authors: Pei Guangsheng , Yan Fangfang , Simon Lukas M. , Dai Yulin , Jia Peilin , Zhao Zhongming
Published: April 2022

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is revolutionizing the study of complex and dynamic cellular mechanisms. However, cell type annotation remains a main challenge as it largely relies on a priori knowledge and manual curation, which is cumbersome and subjective. The increasing number of scRNA-seq datasets, as well as numerous published genetic studies, has motivated us to build a comprehensive human cell type reference atlas. Here, we present decoding Cell type Specificity (deCS), an automatic cell type annotation method augmented by a comprehensive collection of human cell type expression profiles and marker genes. We used deCS to annotate scRNA-seq data from various tissue types and systematically evaluated the annotation accuracy under different conditions, including reference panels, sequencing depth, and feature selection strategies. Our results demonstrate that expanding the references is critical for improving annotation accuracy. Compared to many existing state-of-the-art annotation tools, deCS significantly reduced computation time and increased accuracy. deCS can be integrated into the standard scRNA-seq analytical pipeline to enhance cell type annotation. Finally, we demonstrated the broad utility of deCS to identify trait–cell type associations in 51 human complex traits, providing deep insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis. All documents for deCS, including source code, user manual, demo data, and tutorials, are freely available at https://github.com/bsml320/deCS.
A case report: Colonoscopy-induced perforated diverticulitis
Authors: Morgan A. , Yglesias B. , DeVito P.
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction and importance:

Colonoscopies are a common procedure performed today as an outpatient procedure. Currently, colonoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis and surveillance of colon cancer. Colonoscopies are a safe procedure with a low complication risk; however, that risk varies based on if any interventions were performed, such as a polypectomy. A systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force noted that serious harm occurred in 2.8 per 1000 screening colonoscopies. Other studies have demonstrated a perforation rate of 0.5 per 1000 colonoscopies, post-colonoscopy bleeding rate of 2.6 per 1000 colonoscopies, and a mortality rate of 2.9 per 100,000 colonoscopies. A recent systematic review also noted post-colonoscopy diverticulitis as a potential complication, with time to diagnosis ranging from 2 h to 30 days, necessitating early recognition to help guide appropriate treatment. In this case report, we describe a patient who developed post-colonoscopy diverticulitis who presented to the emergency room with perforated diverticulitis requiring emergency sigmoid colectomy with end colostomy.

Case presentation:

A 63-year-old male who presented as an outpatient to the surgery clinic in need of a screening colonoscopy for a history of polyps and family history of colon cancer. He underwent an outpatient colonoscopy, which demonstrated sigmoid and ascending diverticula with no polyps or acute inflammation. One week later, he presented to the emergency room with left lower quadrant pain. He was subsequently diagnosed with perforated diverticulitis and was taken to the operating room for a sigmoid colectomy with an end colostomy.

Clinical discussion:

Although serious complications after a colonoscopy are rare, they do occur, and therefore, patients should be counseled preoperatively regarding the potential risks of the procedure. It is unclear what factors contributed to the patient's post-colonoscopy diverticulitis. He denied any previous abdominal surgeries or previous episodes of diverticulitis. He did have a history of colon polyps, but this colonoscopy did not include a polypectomy or any interventions. He also was taking daily prednisone, which may have increased his risk for an emergency procedure when presenting with diverticulitis. Given the limited data describing post-colonoscopy diverticulitis, further studies are needed to better characterize patients at risk and to decrease the occurrence.

Conclusion:

This case highlights the importance of a thorough discussion of potential complications before any procedure, even if the overall risks are low. In the emergency room, obtaining a detailed patient history, physical exam, laboratory work, and proper imaging lead to a proper diagnosis of post-colonoscopy diverticulitis despite the rare presentation.
Microphysical Characteristics of the Phase‐Locking VRW‐Induced Asymmetric Convection in the Outer Eyewall of Super Typhoon Lekima (2019)
Authors: Huang Hao , Li Qingqing , Zhao Kun , Dai Huaning , Ming Jie , Fan Xueqi , Xu Yuanyuan , Duan Yihong , Lee Wen‐Chau , Zheng Feng
Published: April 2022

Microphysical signatures relevant to the asymmetric convection in the outer eyewall of Super Typhoon Lekima (2019) before its landfall in China were analyzed from ground‐based radar observations. The results indicate that the microphysical characteristics varied in quadrants. In the upshear‐left outer eyewall, the convection was deepened on the inner edge due to the phase locking between vortex Rossby waves (VRWs), and warm rain was the predominant process contributing to the enhancement of rainfall. In contrast, the strongest precipitation occurred on the outer edge of the upshear‐right outer eyewall. In this region, exuberant riming processes and graupel formation prevailed above the melting layer due to the strongest and more outward tilted updrafts induced by the phase locking between the VRWs. A good deal of graupel melted into raindrops, along with significant accretion processes, produced intense rainfall with larger drop sizes.
Phase Coherence Between Surrounding Oceans Enhances Precipitation Shortages in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Mao Y. , Zou Y. , Alves L. M. , Macau E. E. N. , Taschetto A. S. , Santoso A. , Kurths J.
Published: April 2022

Understanding the direct and indirect impact of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans on precipitation in the region of Northeast Brazil (NEB) is crucial for monitoring unprecedented drought events. We propose nonlinear methods of phase coherence and generalized event synchronization analysis to understand the underlying mechanism. In particular, the relationships between sea surface temperature (SST) variability and the standard precipitation index are interpreted as direct interactions, while the relationships between surrounding oceans are interpreted as indirect effects on the precipitation. Our results reveal a dominant role of tropical North Atlantic for precipitation deficit and droughts, particularly in recent decades. Meanwhile, the indirect Pacific‐North Atlantic phase synchronizations have significant influence on and reinforcement of the droughts in NEB. Furthermore, we find that the instantaneous angular frequencies of precipitation and SST are drastically changed after very strong El Niño and La Niña events, therefore resulting in a higher probability of phase coherence.
Fast Inverse Transform Sampling of Non‐Gaussian Distribution Functions in Space Plasmas
Authors: An Xin , Artemyev Anton , Angelopoulos Vassilis , Lu San , Pritchett Philip , Decyk Viktor
Published: April 2022

Non‐Gaussian distributions are commonly observed in collisionless space plasmas. Generating samples from non‐Gaussian distributions is critical for the initialization of particle‐in‐cell simulations that investigate their driven and undriven dynamics. To this end, we report a computationally efficient, robust tool, Chebsampling, to sample general distribution functions in one and two dimensions. This tool is based on inverse transform sampling with function approximation by Chebyshev polynomials. We demonstrate practical uses of Chebsampling through sampling typical distribution functions in space plasmas.
A Study of Post‐Sunset Spread‐F Initiation During the 2013 EVEX Campaign
Authors: Kudeki Erhan , Reyes Pablo , Wallace Aaron , Ye Bingqian , Pfaff Robert F. , Larsen Miguel F. , Groves Keith M.
Published: April 2022

Equatorial Vortex Experiment (EVEX), the EVEX mission of May 2013, carried out from Roi‐Namur, Kwajalein Atoll, explored the initiation physics of equatorial spread‐F with a pair of rockets launched simultaneously during local sunset to apogees of 182 and 331 km, respectively. EVEX measurements presented in this paper establish the existence of a differential zonal flow between plasma and neutrals at bottom‐side F‐region heights during the sunset time in support of a post‐sunset spread‐F initiation mechanism described in Kudeki et al. (2007) that is characterized by large growth rates for oblique‐propagating 10's‐of‐km‐scale electron density perturbations. F‐region plasma drifts were measured in situ using an electric field double‐probe instrument while neutral winds were measured by triangulating drifting vapor clouds. The state of the ionosphere and spread‐F irregularities were monitored by ground based ARPA Long‐Range Tracking and Instrumentation Radar and Illinois Radar Interferometer System radars using incoherent and coherent scatter techniques, respectively, as well as an ionosonde.
Temporal Changes in Seismic Velocity and Attenuation at The Geysers Geothermal Field, California, From Double‐Difference Tomography
Authors: Guo Hao , Thurber Clifford
Published: April 2022

Water injection and Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technologies have been used to exploit heat resources from geothermal reservoirs. Detecting spatial and temporal changes in reservoir physical properties is important for monitoring reservoir condition changes due to water injection and EGS. Here, we determine high‐resolution models of the temporal changes in the three‐dimensional P wave velocity and attenuation (Vp and Qp) structures between the years 2005 and 2011 in the northwestern part of The Geysers geothermal field, California, using double‐difference seismic velocity and attenuation tomography. The northwest Geysers has a shallow normal temperature reservoir (NTR) underlain by a high temperature reservoir (HTR) that has substantial underutilized heat resources but may be more fully utilized in the future through EGS. In the southeastern part of the northwest Geysers, however, EGS has been successfully but unintentionally applied for at least 50 years because the waters injected into the NTR have been flowing into the HTR. Our models are well resolved in this area and show that the NTR and HTR have different seismic responses (seismicity, Vp, and Qp) to water injection, which can be explained by the injection‐induced differences in fracturing and saturation that are likely related to their geological properties. Our results indicate that the joint analysis of changes in seismicity, velocity, and attenuation is valuable for characterizing changes in reservoir fracturing and saturation conditions. Our results suggest that high‐permeability zones and/or pre‐existing permeable fault zones are important for the success of EGS at The Geysers and potentially other geothermal systems.
Melting Behavior of Rimed and Unrimed Snowflakes Investigated With Statistics of Triple‐Frequency Doppler Radar Observations
Authors: Karrer Markus , Dias Neto José , von Terzi Leonie , Kneifel Stefan
Published: April 2022

Comparing the reflectivity flux at the top and bottom of the melting layer (ML) reveals the overall effect of the microphysical processes occurring within the ML on the particle population. If melting is the only process taking place and all particles scatter in the Rayleigh regime, the reflectivity flux increases in the ML by a constant factor given by the ratio of the dielectric factors. Deviations from this constant factor can indicate that either growth or shrinking processes (breakup, sublimation, and evaporation) dominate. However, inference of growth or shrinking dominance from the increase in reflectivity flux is only possible if other influences (e.g., vertical wind speed) are negligible or corrected. By analyzing radar Doppler spectra and multi‐frequency observations, we correct the reflectivity fluxes for vertical wind and categorize the height profiles by the riming degree at the ML top. We apply this reflectivity flux ratio (ZFR) approach to a multi‐month mid‐latitude winter data set that contains mostly stratiform clouds. The profiles of radar variables in the ML are found to be surprisingly similar for both unrimed and rimed profiles with slight differences, for example, in the absolute values of the reflectivity flux. Statistical analysis of the ZFR suggests that either microphysical processes other than melting are not important or strongly compensate for each other. The results seem to confirm that at least for moderately precipitating stratiform clouds, the melting‐only assumption applied in several retrievals and microphysical schemes is reasonable.
Influence of the North Pacific Victoria Mode on the Spring Persistence Barrier of ENSO
Authors: Shi Liang , Ding Ruiqiang , Hu Shujuan , Li Jianping , Tseng Yuheng , Li Xumin
Published: April 2022

This study focuses on the influence of the North Pacific Victoria mode (VM) on the persistence of the sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Both observational data and outputs from phases 5 and 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project show that VM events can enhance the persistence of ENSO SSTAs and reduce the intensity of the spring persistence barrier (SPB) of ENSO SSTAs. The possible reasons for these phenomena are that the SSTAs develop (decay) slowly and do not experience a rapid sign reversal during their decaying phase, indicating a relatively weak ENSO SPB occurs in the spring for strong VM cases. However, during weak VM cases, they transit quickly from positive (negative) SSTAs into negative (positive) SSTAs. The amplitudes of the SSTAs during weak VM cases are relatively greater in the mature phase than those during strong VM cases, resulting in a relatively strong ENSO SPB. Furthermore, VM events can affect the strength of the westerly wind anomalies over the western Pacific. The magnitude of the westerly wind anomalies is weaker when a strong ENSO co‐occurs with a strong VM event than when it is associated with a weak VM event. In addition, the subsurface water during the strong VM case transits slowly from positive to negative while that transits relatively fast during weak VM cases, which are consistent with the evolutions of SSTAs. Thus, they together affect the recharge/discharge oscillation process of ENSO, which eventually lead to a strong or a weak ENSO SPB phenomenon occurring in the spring during strong or weak VM cases, respectively. The findings offer a new sight for studying the persistence of ENSO SSTAs.
Advances in Deformable Plate Tectonic Models: 2. Reconstructing the Southern North Atlantic Back Through Time
Authors: King Michael T. , Welford J. Kim
Published: April 2022

The offshore rifted margins of the North Atlantic have a spatially complex crustal structure comprised of variable crustal morphologies, continental blocks, and inherited structures. Recently, deformable plate tectonic models have permitted the interplay of plate kinematics and deformation to be assessed throughout the North Atlantic, and elsewhere. In particular, the ability to calculate temporal variations in crustal thickness has provided insight into the kinematic role of continental blocks and their interplay with large and micro‐tectonic plates during the formation of the North Atlantic offshore rifted margins. In this study, the deformable plate modeling workflow introduced in the companion contribution of this study (Part 1) is used to investigate previously published and newly presented deformable plate models of the Newfoundland, Irish, and West Iberian margins. This approach permits the deformation and subsequent crustal thickness evolution within previously recognized continental blocks and sedimentary basins throughout the southern North Atlantic Ocean to be visualized and assessed from 200 Ma to present day. The segmentation of early rift crustal thicknesses calculated by deformable plate models demonstrate strong correlations with the offshore extension of Appalachian and Caledonian terrane boundaries. Thus, our observations suggest that inherited orogenic boundaries potentially play a key role in the early rift crustal structure of sedimentary basins and the partitioning of deformation around and within continental blocks.
Thank You to Our 2021 Peer Reviewers
Authors: Lugaz Noé , Carter Brett A. , Gannon Jennifer L. , Hapgood Michael , Liu Huixin , O’Brien T. Paul , Morley Steven K. , Zou Shasha
Published: April 2022

Key Point

The editors thank the 2021 peer reviewers
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Exosomal miR-4466 from nicotine-activated neutrophils promotes tumor cell stemness and metabolism in lung cancer metastasis
Authors: Tyagi Abhishek , Wu Shih-Ying , Sharma Sambad , Wu Kerui , Zhao Dan , Deshpande Ravindra , Singh Ravi , Li Wencheng , Topaloglu Umit , Ruiz Jimmy , Watabe Kounosuke
Published: April 2022

Smoking is associated with lung cancer and has a profound impact on tumor immunity. Nicotine, the addictive and non-carcinogenic smoke component, influences various brain cells and the immune system. However, how long-term use of nicotine affects brain metastases is poorly understood. We, therefore, examined the mechanism by which nicotine promotes lung cancer brain metastasis. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 810 lung cancer patients with smoking history and assessed brain metastasis. We found that current smoker’s lung cancer patients have significantly higher brain metastatic incidence compared to the never smokers. We also found that chronic nicotine exposure recruited STAT3-activated N2-neutrophils within the brain pre-metastatic niche and secreted exosomal miR-4466 which promoted stemness and metabolic switching via SKI/SOX2/CPT1A axis in the tumor cells in the brain thereby enabling metastasis. Importantly, exosomal miR-4466 levels were found to be elevated in serum/urine of cancer-free subjects with a smoking history and promote tumor growth in vivo, suggesting that exosomal miR-4466 may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for predicting increased risk of metastatic disease among smoker(s). Our findings suggest a novel pro-metastatic role of nicotine-induced N2-neutrophils in the progression of brain metastasis. We also demonstrated that inhibiting nicotine-induced STAT3-mediated neutrophil polarization effectively abrogated brain metastasis in vivo. Our results revealed a novel mechanistic insight on how chronic nicotine exposure contributes to worse clinical outcome of metastatic lung cancer and implicated the risk of using nicotine gateway for smoking cessation in cancer patients.
SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cells are associated with long-term persistence of neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Wang Zhongfang , Yang Xiaoyun , Mei Xinyue , Zhou Yumin , Tang Zhiqiang , Li Guichang , Zhong Jiaying , Yu Mengqiu , Huang Mingzhu , Su Xiaoling , Lin Bijia , Cao Pengxing , Yang Ji , Ran Pixin
Published: April 2022

Understanding the decay and maintenance of long-term SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in infected or vaccinated people and how vaccines protect against other SARS-CoV-2 variants is critical for assessing public vaccination plans. Here, we measured different plasm antibody levels 2 and 12 months after disease onset, including anti-RBD, anti-N, total neutralizing antibodies, and two neutralizing-antibody clusters. We found that total neutralizing antibodies declined more slowly than total anti-RBD and anti-N IgG, and the two neutralizing-antibody clusters decayed even more slowly than total neutralizing antibodies. Interestingly, the level of neutralizing antibodies at 12 months after disease onset was significantly lower than that at 2 months but more broadly neutralized SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Lambda (C.37). Significant immune escape by the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) was also observed 2 months post-recovery. Furthermore, we revealed that a high percentage of virus-specific CD4+ T cells and cTfh1 were associated with a slower decline in humoral immunity, accompanied by higher levels of CXCR3 ligands such as CXCL9 and CXCL10, higher frequency of cTfh1, and lower levels of cTfh2 and cTfh17. Our data highlight the importance of coordinating T-cell and humoral immunity to achieve long-term protective immunity.
Individualized prediction of psychiatric readmissions for patients with major depressive disorder: a 10-year retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhu Ting , Jiang Jingwen , Hu Yao , Zhang Wei
Published: April 2022

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are at high risk of psychiatric readmission while the factors associated with such adverse illness trajectories and the impact of the same factor at different follow-up times remain unclear. Based on machine learning (ML) approaches and real-world electronic medical records (EMR), we aimed to predict individual psychiatric readmission within 30, 60, 90, 180, and 365 days of an initial major depression hospitalization. In addition, we examined to what extent our prediction model could be made interpretable by quantifying and visualizing the features that drive the predictions at different follow-up times. By identifying 13,177 individuals discharged from a hospital located in western China between 2009 and 2018 with a recorded diagnosis of MDD, we established five prediction-modeling cohorts with different follow-up times. Four different ML models were trained with features extracted from the EMR, and explainable methods (SHAP and Break Down) were utilized to analyze the contribution of each of the features at both population-level and individual-level. The model showed a performance on the holdout testing dataset that decreased over follow-up time after discharge: AUC 0.814 (0.758–0.87) within 30 days, AUC 0.780 (0.728–0.833) within 60 days, AUC 0.798 (0.75–0.846) within 90 days, AUC 0.740 (0.687–0.794) within 180 days, and AUC 0.711 (0.676–0.747) within 365 days. Results add evidence that markers of depression severity and symptoms (recurrence of the symptoms, combination of key symptoms, the number of core symptoms and physical symptoms), along with age, gender, type of payment, length of stay, comorbidity, treatment patterns such as the use of anxiolytics, antipsychotics, antidepressants (especially Fluoxetine, Clonazepam, Olanzapine, and Alprazolam), physiotherapy, and psychotherapy, and vital signs like pulse and SBP, may improve prediction of psychiatric readmission. Some features can drive the prediction towards readmission at one follow-up time and towards non-readmission at another. Using such a model for decision support gives the clinician dynamic information of the patient’s risk of psychiatric readmission and the specific features pulling towards readmission. This finding points to the potential of establishing personalized interventions that change with follow-up time.
Autophagy guards tendon homeostasis
Authors: Montagna Costanza , Svensson Rene B. , Bayer Monika L. , Rizza Salvatore , Maiani Emiliano , Yeung Ching-Yan Chloé , Filomeni Giuseppe , Kjær Michael
Published: April 2022

Tendons are vital collagen-dense specialized connective tissues transducing the force from skeletal muscle to the bone, thus enabling movement of the human body. Tendon cells adjust matrix turnover in response to physiological tissue loading and pathological overloading (tendinopathy). Nevertheless, the regulation of tendon matrix quality control is still poorly understood and the pathogenesis of tendinopathy is presently unsolved. Autophagy, the major mechanism of degradation and recycling of cellular components, plays a fundamental role in the homeostasis of several tissues. Here, we investigate the contribution of autophagy to human tendons’ physiology, and we provide in vivo evidence that it is an active process in human tendon tissue. We show that selective autophagy of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER-phagy), regulates the secretion of type I procollagen (PC1), the major component of tendon extracellular matrix. Pharmacological activation of autophagy by inhibition of mTOR pathway alters the ultrastructural morphology of three-dimensional tissue-engineered tendons, shifting collagen fibrils size distribution. Moreover, autophagy induction negatively affects the biomechanical properties of the tissue-engineered tendons, causing a reduction in mechanical strength under tensile force. Overall, our results provide the first evidence that autophagy regulates tendon homeostasis by controlling PC1 quality control, thus potentially playing a role in the development of injured tendons.
Tumor stem cell-derived exosomal microRNA-17-5p inhibits anti-tumor immunity in colorectal cancer via targeting SPOP and overexpressing PD-L1
Authors: Sun Wei , Cui Junpeng , Ge Yang , Wang Jinshi , Yu Yifan , Han Bing , Liu Baolin
Published: April 2022

Exosomes are known to transmit microRNAs (miRNAs) to affect human cancer progression, and miR-17-5p has been manifested to exert facilitated effects on colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, while the role of tumor stem cells-derived exosomal miR-17-5p in CRC remains unknown. We aim to explore the effect of CRC stem cells-derived exosomes (CRCSC-exos) conveying miR-17-5p on CRC. The exosomes were isolated from CRC stem cells and identified. HCT116 cells were transfected with speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) interfering vector or co-cultured with exosomes carrying miR-17-5p mimic/inhibitor. Then, the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of the cells were determined. The xenograft mouse model was constructed using BALB/C mice and the serum levels of T cell cytokines were assessed. Expression of miR-17-5p, SPOP, CD4, CD8 and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) was detected. The targeting relationship between miR-17-5p and SPOP was verified. MiR-17-5p was upregulated and SPOP was downregulated in CRC tissues. CRCSC-exos transmitted miR-17-5p to HCT116 cells to promote malignant behaviors and suppress anti-tumor immunity of HCT116 cells. The overexpressed SPOP exerted opposite effects. SPOP was confirmed as a target gene of miR-17-5p. Upregulated CRCSC-exosomal miR-17-5p inhibits SPOP to promote tumor cell growth and dampen anti-tumor immunity in CRC through promoting PD-L1.
Occurrence and phenomenology of hallucinations in the general population: A large online survey
Authors: Linszen Mascha M. J. , de Boer Janna N. , Schutte Maya J. L. , Begemann Marieke J. H. , de Vries Jacqueline , Koops Sanne , Blom Renske E. , Bohlken Marc M. , Heringa Sophie M. , Blom Jan Dirk , Sommer Iris E. C.
Published: April 2022

Although epidemiological studies report that hallucinations occur in 6–15% of the general population, little is known about their phenomenology. To overcome this paucity, this study investigates the phenomenological characteristics of hallucinations in the general population, by using a nationally promoted online survey to assess hallucination phenomenology in four sensory modalities, through a self-report version of the Questionnaire for Psychotic Experiences (QPE), in 10,448 participants (aged 14–88 years). The phenomenology of hallucinations was assessed if hallucinations reportedly occurred in the past month. In the past month, auditory hallucinations were reported most frequently (29.5%), followed by visual (21.5%), tactile (19.9%), and olfactory hallucinations (17.3%); hallucinations in two or more modalities were reported by 47.6%. Substantial numbers of participants rated their hallucinations as severe, due to negative content (16.0–31.6%), previous bothersome experiences (14.8–20.2%), ensuing distress (10.5–16.8%), and/or ensuing disfunctioning (12.7–17.3%). Decreased insight was found in 10.2–11.4%. Hypnagogia was reported by 9.0–10.6%, and bereavement hallucinations by 2.8%. Despite a low prevalence of delusions (7.0%), these phenomena were significantly associated with recent hallucinations, observed in up to 13.4% of the participants with hallucinations during the past week (p < 0.001). Our results indicate a wide variety of the phenomenology of hallucinations in the general population and support the existence of a phenomenological continuum.
Persistent Spike-specific T cell immunity despite antibody reduction after 3 months from SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2-mRNA vaccine
Authors: Agrati Chiara , Castilletti Concetta , Goletti Delia , Sacchi Alessandra , Bordoni Veronica , Mariotti Davide , Notari Stefania , Matusali Giulia , Meschi Silvia , Petrone Linda , Aiello Alessandra , Najafi Fard Saeid , Farroni Chiara , Colavita Francesca , Lapa Daniele , Leone Sara , Agresta Alessandro , Capobianchi Maria , Ippolito Giuseppe , Vaia Francesco , Puro Vincenzo ,   INMI COVID-19 Vaccine Study Group, Cimini Eleonora , Tartaglia Eleonora , Casetti Rita , Grassi Germana , Cristofanelli Flavia , Capri Andrea , Santoro Annapaola , Orchi Nicoletta , Bettini Aurora , Francalancia Massimo , Specchiarello Eliana
Published: April 2022

Vaccine is the main public health measure to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission and hospitalization, and a massive scientific effort worldwide resulted in the rapid development of effective vaccines. This work aimed to define the dynamics and persistence of humoral and cell-mediated immune response in Health Care Workers who received a two-dose BNT162b2-mRNA vaccination. Serological response was evaluated by quantifying anti-RBD and neutralizing antibodies while cell-mediated response was performed by a whole blood test quantifying Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2) produced in response to Spike peptides. BNT162b2-mRNA vaccine induced both humoral and cell-mediated immune response against Spike in all HCW early after the second dose. After 12 weeks from vaccination, the titer of anti-RBD antibodies as well as their neutralization function decreased while the Spike-specific T-cells persisted at the same level as soon after vaccine boost. Of note, a correlation between cellular and humoral response persevered, suggesting the persistence of a coordinated immune response. The long lasting cell-mediated immune response after 3 months from vaccination highlight its importance in the maintaining of specific immunity able to expand again to fight eventual new antigen encountering.