bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can't find that perfect gift? Blame the bots
Authors: Somanath Gayathri
Published: March 2021

Online fraud rings and retail scalping outfits are increasingly turning to automation and artificial intelligence (AI) for the same reasons that businesses in every industry have embraced these technologies. Simply put, deploying smart machines allows businesses to become more accurate, more efficient and more profitable. In the end, bad actors who work to take advantage of online brands and retailers are entrepreneurs. They embrace innovation and new ways of expanding their portfolios – and their success.

Online fraud rings and retail scalping outfits are increasingly turning to automation and artificial intelligence (AI).

As much as 70% of traffic to ecommerce checkout pages is generated by malicious bots. Retailers need to turn to machine learning and a powerful data platform, combining a robust fraud solution that can differentiate legitimate from fraudulent transactions with a flexible tool that can understand and monitor complex business policies, explains Gayathri Somanath of Signifyd.
Maximising protection in an era of remote working
Authors: Graham Laurie
Published: March 2021

Businesses have thrown themselves into working from home to keep the wheels turning during the current global health crisis. As IT-dependent organisations have logged on remotely to ensure their survival, cyber security has become a paramount issue.
The Effect of Greenhouse Pollination Methods on Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Tomatoes in Japan
Authors: Nishimura Takeshi
Published: March 2021

Since 2017, the Japanese government has been phasing out the use of non-native bumblebees as greenhouse tomato pollinators due to their ecological risks. We used an online questionnaire to investigate whether pollination methods affect consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for tomatoes. We found that consumers valued the use of non-native bumblebees more than hormonal treatment and native more than non-native bees. Moreover, we found that informing consumers of the ecological risks increased WTP for native bumblebees and hormonal treatment. These results suggest that pollination method labeling may help protect ecosystems from the threat of non-native species.
An Inka Unku from Caleta Vitor Bay, Northern Chile
Authors: Martens Tracy , Correa-Lau Jacqueline , Santoro Calogero M. , Carter Christopher , Cameron Judith
Published: March 2021

As insignia of power and prestige, Inka unku (tapestry tunics) communicated the strength and extent of Inka sociopolitical hegemony in the Andes. Of the 36 known full-size examples in museum collections, only one, found in Argentina, comes from outside Peru. This article investigates another recently excavated unku found out of context on Chile's northernmost coast. To confirm its authenticity, we compiled a database showing the technical and stylistic attributes of previous finds for comparison. We conclude that this artifact is indeed a new type of unku and that the discovery affects our understanding of the complex relationship between the people of this province and the Inka state.
Excavaciones arqueológicas en el sitio de Bolonkin, Chiapas, México
Authors: Sheseña Alejandro , Tovalín Alejandro
Published: March 2021

El presente trabajo da a conocer materiales cerámicos y líticos excavados del sitio arqueológico de Bolonkin, localizado al norte de Chiapas, México. A pesar del grave saqueo del que ha sido objeto el lugar, la naturaleza de los materiales hallados permite discutir aquí acerca del estatus sobresaliente de este sitio y sobre la participación que habría tenido en las redes de intercambio del occidente del área maya durante el Clásico tardío.
2-dimensional Coxeter groups are biautomatic
Authors: Munro Zachary , Osajda Damian , Przytycki Piotr
Published: March 2021

Let W be a 2-dimensional Coxeter group, that is, one with 1/mst + 1/msr + 1/mtr ≤ 1 for all triples of distinct s, t, r ∈ S. We prove that W is biautomatic. We do it by showing that a natural geodesic language is regular (for arbitrary W), and satisfies the fellow traveller property. As a consequence, by the work of Jacek Świątkowski, groups acting properly and cocompactly on buildings of type W are also biautomatic. We also show that the fellow traveller property for the natural language fails for $W=\widetilde {A}_3$.
Priorities in Medical Research: elite dynamics in a pivotal episode for British health research
Authors: Davies Stephen M.
Published: March 2021

Priorities in Medical Research(PMR) was published in 1988 by a select committee of the House of Lords. The report ushered in an era of NHS research and development (R & D) that lasted from 2001 to 2006. The inquiry's origins lay in concerns about academic medicine in the United Kingdom, yetPMRgave relatively little attention to this subject. Instead the report focused critically on the disconnect between the Department of Health and the NHS in R & D. This, the committee argued, had led to the neglect of research into health services and public health. To sidestep the report's unwelcome proposal for a National Health Research Agency, the department eventually grafted R & D management onto structures created as part of wider NHS reforms. The Medical Research Council successfully pursued a strategy of keeping the committee's attention away from sensitive aspects of its own programme. The final focus ofPMRwas shaped by an alignment between committee members with an industrial view of research and champions of health services research. The actions of the various actors involved are interpreted using elite models of the state, and the applicability of these models is critically examined.
PSEUDO-APULEIUS’DE FATO
Authors: Costantini Leonardo
Published: March 2021

The note presents the discovery of a spurious Apuleian work entitledDe fatofrom MS n° 1040 at the Bibliothèque patrimoniale Villon in Rouen. This work is, in fact, a series of excerpts from Firmicus Maternus, MathesisBook 1.
Velar lateral allophony in Mee (Ekari)
Authors: Staroverov Peter , Tebay Sören E.
Published: March 2021

Velar lateral sounds are rare and their acoustics and contextual effects are understudied. Positional variants of velar laterals are also rarely reported. This paper documents a previously unknown allophony pattern of the velar lateral in Mee (Trans New Guinea; Indonesia), based on an elicitation study with two speakers and a controlled set of recordings from one of the speakers. Our main dataset included carrier phrase recordings of Mee words with the velar lateral, representing the diverse set of contexts where the velar lateral occurs. Our acoustic findings suggest that the Mee velar lateral is realized as a laterally released velar stop [ɡᶫ] before front vowels, and with uvular closure followed by a fricative release [ɢʁ] before back vowels. In line with this description, we found differences in the second formant of the preceding vowel and the periodicity of the release for the two allophones. We explore the implications of our findings for the typology of velar laterals.
What leads government officials to use impact evidence?
Authors: Beesley Celeste , Hawkins Darren , Moffitt Nicholas
Published: March 2021

Although the amount of policy-relevant academic research has grown in recent years, studies still find that policy practitioners seldom employ such research in their decisionmaking. This study considers potential methods for increasing government officials’ use of academic studies (impact evidence). We investigate how administrative accountability mechanisms as suggested by principal-agent approaches – screening, monitoring, autonomy and sanctions – correlate with practitioner engagement with impact evidence. Original survey data from 300 government officials in two developing countries, Peru and India, suggest that all four mechanisms are correlated with self-reported interest in or use of impact evidence. When we measured the actual use of such evidence on a website we created to facilitate that outcome; however, we found that only sanctions (income) correlate with actual use. These findings highlight the potential of administrative accountability to increase bureaucrats’ use of impact evidence but also warn of possible limitations.
Determining the likelihood of incidents caused by human error during dynamic positioning drilling operations
Authors: Sanchez-Varela Zaloa , Boullosa-Falces David , Larrabe-Barrena Juan L. , Gomez-Solaeche Miguel A.
Published: March 2021

The probability of a human-caused incident occurring during dynamic positioning (DP) drilling operations is determined in this paper using binary logistic regression models built with data on 42 incidents that took place during the period 2011–2015. For each case, a range of variables characterising the configuration of the DP system, weather conditions and water depth are taken into account. These variables are taken into account to develop a logistic regression model that shows the likelihood of an incident being caused by human error. The results obtained show that human-based incidents are significantly more likely to occur when there is a lower usage of thrusters. These results are useful for focusing our attention on variables that may be associated with incidents attributable to human error, as well as for setting operational limits that could help to prevent these incidents and improve safety during these operations.
Powers of paths in tournaments
Authors: Draganić Nemanja , Dross François , Fox Jacob , Girão António , Havet Frédéric , Korándi Dániel , Lochet William , Correia David Munhá , Scott Alex , Sudakov Benny
Published: March 2021

In this short note we prove that every tournament contains the k-th power of a directed path of linear length. This improves upon recent results of Yuster and of Girão. We also give a complete solution for this problem when k=2, showing that there is always a square of a directed path of length , which is best possible.
Kant on the Fundamental Forces of Matter: Why Attraction and Repulsion?
Authors: Howard Stephen
Published: March 2021

This article addresses a simple question that has rarely been asked of Kant’s philosophy of nature: why are attraction and repulsion the two fundamental forces of matter? Where proposals can be found in the literature, they are divergent. I provide a new answer, which has strong support from the historical context: Kant pursues a modified version of what I call the ‘reduction method’ that was much debated in the German metaphysical tradition. To this, Kant crucially adds his critical doctrine of regulative ideas, revealing an overlooked way that the Appendix to theCritiqueinforms his philosophy of nature.
Examining Democratic and Republican National Committee Party Branding Activity, 1953–2012
Authors: Heersink Boris
Published: March 2021

Recent scholarship on the role of national party organizations in American politics—specifically, the Democratic and Republican National Committees—has argued that political science research has thus far undervalued the importance of these organizations. These studies have noted the importance that party leaders—including presidents, Congressional leaders, and governors—place on the national committees’ role in shaping a party brand. Notably, these studies are all qualitative historical accounts—perhaps because finding consistent quantitative data from within the DNC and RNC across time is complicated due to limitations in access to archival resources across both parties and time. I present a new quantitative data set measuring DNC and RNC activity on the basis of an external source:New York Timescoverage of national committee activity in the period 1953–2012. I use this data to test the claim that, while “party branding” is a core national committee goal, the DNC and RNC do not consistently engage in it. I find that monthlyNew York Timesreferences of party branding operations decline for parties that hold the White House. Meanwhile, coverage of other service operations does not decline, suggesting committees step back their branding role when their party has control of the executive branch of the federal government.
Gaining understanding of different perspectives in Virgil'sAeneidthrough creative writing: an action research project with a sixth form Classical Civilisation class in a mixed comprehensive
Authors: Lucas Eleanor
Published: March 2021

Creative writing is a teaching strategy employed increasingly less frequently as students progress through their secondary education. From my own school experience and observing other teachers, many such tasks are set in Year 7 but then later give way to the pressure of preparing students for exams. In the first Professional Placement of my postgraduate teacher training, I observed a Classical Civilisation teacher set her sixth form students to write a poem about Hector or Andromache from theIliadBook 6. Although there was some initial reluctance, students largely engaged with the task and we were both impressed by the results. This prompted me to carry out my own research project to explore further the potential impact of creative writing, following the argument that one way into a text is to understand the characters within it.
A case study into pupil perceptions of Latin, conducted with a mixed-ability Year 9 Latin class at a comprehensive faith school
Authors: Bennett David
Published: March 2021

This case study was prompted by the identification, in observations and in discussion with the normal class teacher, of pupil demotivation and disaffection during Latin lessons, and the fact that this represented a considerable barrier to attainment and progress. My observation of this phenomenon coincided with Year 9 submitting their GCSE options. The combination of apparently ambiguous attitudes towards the subject and the fact that these attitudes were being brought to the fore explicitly because of the options choices drew my attention to pupil perceptions of the subject. It seemed to me that understanding the way in which pupils perceive the subject might be instructive for my own teaching practice, allowing me to better understand what pupils enjoy about the subject, what they find difficult, what enthuses them and what turns them off. Furthermore, the place of Latin within schools in general, and the particular school in which I conducted this study, is not something that should be taken for granted. It seemed to me, therefore, that this case study might provide some insight into whether Latin is a subject that young people feel is relevant and perhaps might offer some insight into what can allow Latin to have as inclusive an appeal as possible.
The Strasbourg Speeches
Authors: Moran Jerome
Published: March 2021

[Readers of this article should be aware of the revisionist (in their time, certainly) and controversial views of Roger Wright (1982) about the relationship between Latin and Romance, the separation of Latin and Romance, and the dates he proposes for these and for the beginning of Medieval Latin as a newly constituted form of Latin.]
High‐Resolution Crustal and Uppermost Mantle Structure Beneath Central Mongolia From Rayleigh Waves and Receiver Functions
Authors: Feng Lili
Published: March 2021

In this study, I present a high‐resolution 3‐D Vs model of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath central Mongolia, based on seismic data recorded at the Central Mongolia Seismic Experiment array and some other networks. The model is constructed by a Bayesian Monte Carlo inversion that jointly interprets Rayleigh wave phase speeds and receiver functions. The Rayleigh wave dispersion measurements are derived from both ambient noise and teleseismic earthquake data. To improve ambient noise data coverage, a recently developed three‐station interferometry (Zhang et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa046) technique is applied to produce high‐quality three‐station interferograms that augment the ambient noise data base. There are several prominent geological and tectonic features captured by the model, including (1) the Khövsgöl rift system is imaged as a high‐speed anomaly in the upper crust, whose southern edge follows the Bulnay fault. (2) The estimated crustal thickness map identifies relatively thick crust beneath the Khövsgöl rift system, the Hangay Dome, and the Gobi‐Altai Mountains. (3) A crustal high‐velocity anomaly is imaged beneath the Taryatu‐Chulutu volcanic field, which is interpreted as a solidified intrusive magma body. (4) Dispersed low‐velocity anomalies in the mantle identify locations with possible partial melting. The melting zones could be related to small‐scale asthenospheric upwelling and convective removal of lithosphere, which produces uplift of the Hangay Dome.
Estimation of Radiation Doses Delivered by Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes Within Leader‐Based Production Models
Authors: Pallu Melody , Celestin Sebastien , Trompier Francois , Klerlein Michel
Published: March 2021

With a typical production altitude of ∼12 km, Terrestrial Gamma ray Flash (TGF) sources are close to commercial flight altitudes, and these events could potentially be an unforeseen exposure to ionizing radiation for aircraft passengers and crews. Dwyer et al. (2010) estimated the dose that a TGF could produce, and showed that TGFs in principle could be an additional non‐negligible factor to the exposure for aircraft passengers. The regulations for aircrew protection against radiation, only consider the radiation of galactic and solar origin (Bottollier‐Depois et al., 2012; ICRP, 2007). Other possible sources of exposure, such as TGFs, are not yet considered, mainly because of the lack of reliable data on possible dose levels and on the probability for an airplane to be in the vicinity of such an event. In order to improve the evaluation of the TGF exposure level and associated risks, and as there is still a divergence of opinion about the exact source mechanisms, we present calculations of doses produced by high‐energy electrons in TGF sources, within two different lightning leader‐based production models: (1) a pure lightning leader model and (2) considering further avalanches in a homogeneous electric field region. We find that although the doses from photon and secondary electron beams are weak, the dose potentially received by passengers inside the TGF electron source regions may be very high (>20 mSv). The results reported in the present paper call for a need to perform a thorough risk assessment including the probability for an aircraft to be in a TGF source region.
Respective Advantages of “Top‐Down” Based GPM IMERG and “Bottom‐Up” Based SM2RAIN‐ASCAT Precipitation Products Over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Fan Yixi , Ma Ziqiang , Ma Yaoming , Ma Weiqiang , Xie Zhipeng , Ding Leiding , Han Yizhe , Hu Wei , Su Rongmingzhu
Published: March 2021

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is characterized by complex topography and heterogeneous surface cover, which makes it difficult to obtain accurate precipitation data at a regional scale. Therefore, it is important to use dense ground observations to evaluate satellite‐derived precipitation products. In this study, the top‐down‐based Global Precipitation Measurement Integrated MultisatellitE Retrievals (GPM IMERG) and bottom‐up‐based Soil Moisture TO RAIN‐Advanced SCATterometer (SM2RAIN‐ASCAT; SM2RASC) precipitation products were evaluated against 1,584 unevenly distributed rain gauges over the TP from May to October 2015. Results show: (1) The overall performances of IMERG and SM2RASC are comparable at the daily scale, with a higher correlation coefficient (CC) for IMERG and lower root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) for SM2RASC. Regarding the precipitation detectability, IMERG outperforms SM2RASC; (2) Spatially, SM2RASC shows better performance than IMERG in grasslands, but IMERG outperforms SM2RASC in forest areas, due to the low quality of the soil moisture retrieved by satellite in the areas; (3) The accuracy of both SM2RASC and IMERG is closely correlated with altitude and rainfall intensity. The SM2RASC product estimates light to moderate rainfall (5–25 mm/day) more accurately than the IMERG, but the IMERG product shows better performance for drizzle and heavy rainfall (>25 mm/day). Due to relatively frequent fluctuations of the ASCAT soil moisture product, SM2RASC frequently reports false rainfall in dry conditions. This study demonstrates the good performance of the SM2RASC product over the TP and suggests that the impact of vegetation density and topography should be considered for improving the SM2RAIN algorithm.
A 4,300‐year History of Dietary Changes in a Bat Roost Determined From a Tropical Guano Deposit
Authors: Gallant L. R. , Fenton M. B. , Grooms C. , Bogdanowicz W. , Stewart R. S. , Clare E. L. , Smol J. P. , Blais J. M.
Published: March 2021

Bats provide numerous ecosystem services as they pollinate, disperse seeds, and reduce insect populations. It is thus vital to monitor and understand their foraging habits. We analyzed sterols and stanols in a rare discovery of a ∼4,300‐year‐old bat guano deposit from a Jamaican cave to infer relative changes in bat feeding guilds over four millennia. In this deposit, zoosterols and phytosterols, in conjunction with δ13C and C/N data, revealed two periods of increased frugivory relative to insectivory from ca. 1000‐500 BCE and ca. 700–1900 CE. We propose two possible explanations for these intervals of increased frugivory relative to insectivory. (1) Previous paleoclimate data suggested these intervals were warmer and drier in the region, which we hypothesize resulted in reduced insect availability. We supported these inferences by comparing the same analytes in fresh guano from frugivorous, insectivorous, and sanguinivorous (blood‐drinking) bats, which showed that bats with animal‐based diets produced guano with lower C/N ratios and higher cholesterol/(cholesterol + sitosterol) ratios than those with fruit‐based diets. (2) The change in the chemical composition of the bat guano during these two periods may also be the result of a shift in the relative species composition of the bat roost that is a greater proportion of frugivorous relative to insectivorous bats during these two periods. This novel, non‐invasive method, based on the chemical composition of bat guano, tracked changes in tropical bat foraging habits extending back in time over four millennia.
Early Growing Season Anomalies in Vegetation Activity Determine the Large‐Scale Climate‐Vegetation Coupling in Europe
Authors: Wu Minchao , Vico Giulia , Manzoni Stefano , Cai Zhanzhang , Bassiouni Maoya , Tian Feng , Zhang Jie , Ye Kunhui , Messori Gabriele
Published: March 2021

The climate‐vegetation coupling exerts a strong control on terrestrial carbon budgets and will affect the future evolution of global climate under continued anthropogenic forcing. Nonetheless, the effects of climatic conditions on such coupling at specific times in the growing season remain poorly understood. We quantify the climate‐vegetation coupling in Europe over 1982–2014 at multiple spatial and temporal scales, by decomposing sub‐seasonal anomalies of vegetation greenness using a grid‐wise definition of the growing season. We base our analysis on long‐term vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and two‐band Enhanced Vegetation Index), growing conditions (including 2m temperature, downwards surface solar radiation, and root‐zone soil moisture), and multiple teleconnection indices that reflect the large‐scale climatic conditions over Europe. We find that the large‐scale climate‐vegetation coupling during the first two months of the growing season largely determines the full‐year coupling. The North Atlantic Oscillation and Scandinavian Pattern phases one‐to‐two months before the start of the growing season are the dominant and contrasting drivers of the early growing season climate‐vegetation coupling over large parts of boreal and temperate Europe. The East Atlantic Pattern several months in advance of the growing season exerts a strong control on the temperate belt and the Mediterranean region. The strong role of early growing season anomalies in vegetative activity within the growing season emphasizes the importance of a grid‐wise definition of the growing season when studying the large‐scale climate‐vegetation coupling in Europe.
A Window into the Weather on Titan
Authors: Wheeling Kate
Published: March 2021

Cassini’s final flybys of Saturn’s largest moon may have captured a temperature drop due to rainfall, one of the first observations of weather changes on Titan.
SIRT1 attenuates renal fibrosis by repressing HIF-2α
Authors: Li Peipei , Liu Yue , Qin Xiaogang , Chen Kairen , Wang Ruiting , Yuan Li , Chen Xiaolan , Hao Chuanming , Huang Xinzhong
Published: March 2021

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylase belonging to class III histone deacetylases. Previous studies have shown that SIRT1 is involved in kidney physiology regulation and protects the kidney from various pathological factors. However, the underlying mechanisms behind its function have yet to be fully elucidated. In our study, we found that ablation of Sirt1 in renal interstitial cells resulted in more severe renal damage and fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model mice. We also observed that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2α expression was increased in Sirt1 conditional knockout mice, suggesting that HIF-2α might be a substrate of SIRT1, mediating its renoprotective roles. Therefore, we bred Hif2a deficient mice and subjected them to renal trauma through UUO surgery, ultimately finding that Hif2a ablation attenuated renal fibrogenesis induced by UUO injury. Moreover, in cultured NRK-49F cells, activation of SIRT1 decreased HIF-2α and fibrotic gene expressions, and inhibition of SIRT1 stimulated HIF-2α and fibrotic gene expressions. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that SIRT1 directly interacted with and deacetylated HIF-2α. Together, our data indicate that SIRT1 plays a protective role in renal damage and fibrosis, which is likely due to inhibition of HIF-2α.
Promoting photocatalytic CO2 reduction with a molecular copper purpurin chromophore
Authors: Yuan Huiqing , Cheng Banggui , Lei Jingxiang , Jiang Long , Han Zhiji
Published: March 2021

CO2 reduction through artificial photosynthesis represents a prominent strategy toward the conversion of solar energy into fuels or useful chemical feedstocks. In such configuration, designing highly efficient chromophores comprising earth-abundant elements is essential for both light harvesting and electron transfer. Herein, we report that a copper purpurin complex bearing an additional redox-active center in natural organic chromophores is capable to shift the reduction potential 540 mV more negative than its organic dye component. When this copper photosensitizer is employed with an iron porphyrin as the catalyst and 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole as the sacrificial reductant, the system achieves over 16100 turnover number of CO from CO2 with a 95% selectivity (CO vs H2) under visible-light irradiation, which is among the highest reported for a homogeneous noble metal-free system. This work may open up an effective approach for the rational design of highly efficient chromophores in artificial photosynthesis.
Herbaceous perennial plants with short generation time have stronger responses to climate anomalies than those with longer generation time
Authors: Compagnoni Aldo , Levin Sam , Childs Dylan Z. , Harpole Stan , Paniw Maria , Römer Gesa , Burns Jean H. , Che-Castaldo Judy , Rüger Nadja , Kunstler Georges , Bennett Joanne M. , Archer C. Ruth , Jones Owen R. , Salguero-Gómez Roberto , Knight Tiffany M.
Published: March 2021

There is an urgent need to synthesize the state of our knowledge on plant responses to climate. The availability of open-access data provide opportunities to examine quantitative generalizations regarding which biomes and species are most responsive to climate drivers. Here, we synthesize time series of structured population models from 162 populations of 62 plants, mostly herbaceous species from temperate biomes, to link plant population growth rates (λ) to precipitation and temperature drivers. We expect: (1) more pronounced demographic responses to precipitation than temperature, especially in arid biomes; and (2) a higher climate sensitivity in short-lived rather than long-lived species. We find that precipitation anomalies have a nearly three-fold larger effect onλthan temperature. Species with shorter generation time have much stronger absolute responses to climate anomalies. We conclude that key species-level traits can predict plant population responses to climate, and discuss the relevance of this generalization for conservation planning.
Single-atom alloy catalysts designed by first-principles calculations and artificial intelligence
Authors: Han Zhong-Kang , Sarker Debalaya , Ouyang Runhai , Mazheika Aliaksei , Gao Yi , Levchenko Sergey V.
Published: March 2021

Single-atom-alloy catalysts (SAACs) have recently become a frontier in catalysis research. Simultaneous optimization of reactants’ facile dissociation and a balanced strength of intermediates’ binding make them highly efficient catalysts for several industrially important reactions. However, discovery of new SAACs is hindered by lack of fast yet reliable prediction of catalytic properties of the large number of candidates. We address this problem by applying a compressed-sensing data-analytics approach parameterized with density-functional inputs. Besides consistently predicting efficiency of the experimentally studied SAACs, we identify more than 200 yet unreported promising candidates. Some of these candidates are more stable and efficient than the reported ones. We have also introduced a novel approach to a qualitative analysis of complex symbolic regression models based on the data-mining method subgroup discovery. Our study demonstrates the importance of data analytics for avoiding bias in catalysis design, and provides a recipe for finding best SAACs for various applications.
Organic multicomponent microparticle libraries
Authors: Zhang Dandan , De Jianbo , Lei Yilong , Fu Hongbing
Published: March 2021

Multimetallic nanostructures can be synthesized by integrating up to seven or eight metallic elements into a single nanoparticle, which represent a great advance in developing complex multicomponent nanoparticle libraries. Contrary, organic micro- and nanoparticles beyond three π-conjugated components have not been explored because of the diversity and structural complexity of molecular assemblies. Here, we report a library of microparticles composed of an arbitrary combination of four luminescent organic semiconductors. We demonstrate that the composition and emission color of each domain as well as its spatial distribution can be rationally modulated. Unary, binary, ternary, and quaternary microparticles are thus realized in a predictable manner based on the miscibility of the components, resulting in mixed-composition phases or alloyed or phase separated heterostructures. This work reports a simple yet available synthetic methodology for rational modulation of organic multicomponent microparticles with complex architectures, which can be used to direct the design of functional microparticles.
Functional annotations of three domestic animal genomes provide vital resources for comparative and agricultural research
Authors: Kern Colin , Wang Ying , Xu Xiaoqin , Pan Zhangyuan , Halstead Michelle , Chanthavixay Ganrea , Saelao Perot , Waters Susan , Xiang Ruidong , Chamberlain Amanda , Korf Ian , Delany Mary E. , Cheng Hans H. , Medrano Juan F. , Van Eenennaam Alison L. , Tuggle Chris K. , Ernst Catherine , Flicek Paul , Quon Gerald , Ross Pablo , Zhou Huaijun
Published: March 2021

Gene regulatory elements are central drivers of phenotypic variation and thus of critical importance towards understanding the genetics of complex traits. The Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes consortium was formed to collaboratively annotate the functional elements in animal genomes, starting with domesticated animals. Here we present an expansive collection of datasets from eight diverse tissues in three important agricultural species: chicken (Gallus gallus), pig (Sus scrofa), and cattle (Bos taurus). Comparative analysis of these datasets and those from the human and mouse Encyclopedia of DNA Elements projects reveal that a core set of regulatory elements are functionally conserved independent of divergence between species, and that tissue-specific transcription factor occupancy at regulatory elements and their predicted target genes are also conserved. These datasets represent a unique opportunity for the emerging field of comparative epigenomics, as well as the agricultural research community, including species that are globally important food resources.
A wearable patch for continuous analysis of thermoregulatory sweat at rest
Authors: Nyein Hnin Yin Yin , Bariya Mallika , Tran Brandon , Ahn Christine Heera , Brown Brenden Janatpour , Ji Wenbo , Davis Noelle , Javey Ali
Published: March 2021

The body naturally and continuously secretes sweat for thermoregulation during sedentary and routine activities at rates that can reflect underlying health conditions, including nerve damage, autonomic and metabolic disorders, and chronic stress. However, low secretion rates and evaporation pose challenges for collecting resting thermoregulatory sweat for non-invasive analysis of body physiology. Here we present wearable patches for continuous sweat monitoring at rest, using microfluidics to combat evaporation and enable selective monitoring of secretion rate. We integrate hydrophilic fillers for rapid sweat uptake into the sensing channel, reducing required sweat accumulation time towards real-time measurement. Along with sweat rate sensors, we integrate electrochemical sensors for pH, Cl−, and levodopa monitoring. We demonstrate patch functionality for dynamic sweat analysis related to routine activities, stress events, hypoglycemia-induced sweating, and Parkinson’s disease. By enabling sweat analysis compatible with sedentary, routine, and daily activities, these patches enable continuous, autonomous monitoring of body physiology at rest.
Network community structure of substorms using SuperMAG magnetometers
Authors: Orr L. , Chapman S. C. , Gjerloev J. W. , Guo W.
Published: March 2021

Geomagnetic substorms are a global magnetospheric reconfiguration, during which energy is abruptly transported to the ionosphere. Central to this are the auroral electrojets, large-scale ionospheric currents that are part of a larger three-dimensional system, the substorm current wedge. Many, often conflicting, magnetospheric reconfiguration scenarios have been proposed to describe the substorm current wedge evolution and structure. SuperMAG is a worldwide collaboration providing easy access to ground based magnetometer data. Here we show application of techniques from network science to analyze data from 137 SuperMAG ground-based magnetometers. We calculate a time-varying directed network and perform community detection on the network, identifying locally dense groups of connections. Analysis of 41 substorms exhibit robust structural change from many small, uncorrelated current systems before substorm onset, to a large spatially-extended coherent system, approximately 10 minutes after onset. We interpret this as strong indication that the auroral electrojet system during substorm expansions is inherently a large-scale phenomenon and is not solely due to many meso-scale wedgelets.
The M-phase regulatory phosphatase PP2A-B55δ opposes protein kinase A on Arpp19 to initiate meiotic division
Authors: Lemonnier Tom , Daldello Enrico Maria , Poulhe Robert , Le Tran , Miot Marika , Lignières Laurent , Jessus Catherine , Dupré Aude
Published: March 2021

Oocytes are held in meiotic prophase for prolonged periods until hormonal signals trigger meiotic divisions. Key players of M-phase entry are the opposing Cdk1 kinase and PP2A-B55δ phosphatase. In Xenopus, the protein Arpp19, phosphorylated at serine 67 by Greatwall, plays an essential role in inhibiting PP2A-B55δ, promoting Cdk1 activation. Furthermore, Arpp19 has an earlier role in maintaining the prophase arrest through a second serine (S109) phosphorylated by PKA. Prophase release, induced by progesterone, relies on Arpp19 dephosphorylation at S109, owing to an unknown phosphatase. Here, we identified this phosphatase as PP2A-B55δ. In prophase, PKA and PP2A-B55δ are simultaneously active, suggesting the presence of other important targets for both enzymes. The drop in PKA activity induced by progesterone enables PP2A-B55δ to dephosphorylate S109, unlocking the prophase block. Hence, PP2A-B55δ acts critically on Arpp19 on two distinct sites, opposing PKA and Greatwall to orchestrate the prophase release and M-phase entry.
G-quadruplexes originating from evolutionary conserved L1 elements interfere with neuronal gene expression in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Hanna Roy , Flamier Anthony , Barabino Andrea , Bernier Gilbert
Published: March 2021

DNA sequences containing consecutive guanines organized in 4-interspaced tandem repeats can form stable single-stranded secondary structures, called G-quadruplexes (G4). Herein, we report that the Polycomb group protein BMI1 is enriched at heterochromatin regions containing putative G4 DNA sequences, and that G4 structures accumulate in cells with reduced BMI1 expression and/or relaxed chromatin, including sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neurons. In AD neurons, G4 structures preferentially accumulate in lamina-associated domains, and this is rescued by re-establishing chromatin compaction. ChIP-seq analyses reveal that G4 peaks correspond to evolutionary conserved Long Interspersed Element-1 (L1) sequences predicted to be transcriptionally active. Hence, G4 structures co-localize with RNAPII, and inhibition of transcription can reverse the G4 phenotype without affecting chromatin’s state, thus uncoupling both components. Intragenic G4 structures affecting splicing events are furthermore associated with reduced neuronal gene expression in AD. Active L1 sequences are thus at the origin of most G4 structures observed in human neurons.
A new radio-frequency acoustic method for remote study of liquids
Authors: Kramarenko Alexander V. , Kramarenko Andrey V. , Savenko Oksana
Published: March 2021

In the present work, a novel study method of conductive liquids has been proposed. It is based on a discovered phenomenon of radiofrequency anisotropy of electrolyte solution, which arises in response to mechanical excitation of the solution. The phenomenon was observed during the development of a radiofrequency polarimetric contactless cardiograph. The electric field vector rotates after its transition through the pericardial region due to the acceleration changes of blood. Numerous in vitro experiments with monochromatic and impulse acoustic waves always induced the polarization rotation of the RF wave passing through an electrolyte solution. The response obtained from the solutions on acoustic excitation of the Heaviside function form demonstrates the effect of a solution “memory”. The dynamics of this process resembles the spin glasses magnetization. We hypothesized that there was a magnetic moment change within the solution, and the possible reason for it is an appearance of electromagnetic impulse caused by the same acoustic excitation. In a further experiment, we really captured a suspected electrical potential. Given that, we can declare at least three new physical effects never observed before for an electrolyte solution. The study method itself may provide broad options for remote measurement of the electrolyte solution parameters.
Author Correction: Mir142 loss unlocks IDH2R140-dependent leukemogenesis through antagonistic regulation of HOX genes
Authors: Marshall A. , Kasturiarachchi J. , Datta P. , Guo Y. , Deltcheva E. , James C. , Brown J. , May G. , Anandagoda N. , Jackson I. , Howard J. K. , Ghazaly E. , Brooks S. , Khwaja A. , Araki M. , Araki K. , Linch D. , Lord G. M. , Enver T. , Nimmo R.
Published: March 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Local adaptation to continuous mowing makes the noxious weed Solanum elaeagnifolium a superweed candidate by improving fitness and defense traits
Authors: Chavana Jesus , Singh Sukhman , Vazquez Alejandro , Christoffersen Bradley , Racelis Alexis , Kariyat Rupesh R.
Published: March 2021

The role of disturbance in accelerating weed growth is well understood. While most studies have focused on soil mediated disturbance, mowing can also impact weed traits. Using silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium), a noxious and invasive weed, through a series of field, laboratory, and greenhouse experiments, we asked whether continuous mowing influences growth and plant defense traits, expressed via different avenues, and whether they cascade into offspring. We found that mowed plants produced significantly less number of fruits, and less number of total seeds per plant, but had higher seed mass, and germinated more and faster. When three herbivores were allowed to feed, tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) caterpillars, gained more mass on seedlings from unmowed plants, while cow pea aphid (Aphis craccivora), a generalist, established better on mowed seedlings; however, leaf trichome density was higher on unmowed seedlings, suggesting possible negative cross talk in defense traits. Texas potato beetle (Leptinotarsa texana), a co-evolved specialist on S. elaeagnifolium, did not show any differential feeding effects. We also found that specific root length, an indicator of nutrient acquisition, was significantly higher in first generation seedlings from mowed plants. Taken together, we show that mowing is a selective pressure that enhances some fitness and defense traits and can contribute to producing superweeds.
Molecular characterisation of rare loss-of-function NPAS3 and NPAS4 variants identified in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Rossi Joseph J. , Rosenfeld Jill A. , Chan Katie M. , Streff Haley , Nankivell Victoria , Peet Daniel J. , Whitelaw Murray L. , Bersten David C.
Published: March 2021

Aberrations in the excitatory/inhibitory balance within the brain have been associated with both intellectual disability (ID) and schizophrenia (SZ). The bHLH-PAS transcription factors NPAS3 and NPAS4 have been implicated in controlling the excitatory/inhibitory balance, and targeted disruption of either gene in mice results in a phenotype resembling ID and SZ. However, there are few human variants in NPAS3 and none in NPAS4 that have been associated with schizophrenia or neurodevelopmental disorders. From a clinical exome sequencing database we identified three NPAS3 variants and four NPAS4 variants that could potentially disrupt protein function in individuals with either developmental delay or ID. The transcriptional activity of the variants when partnered with either ARNT or ARNT2 was assessed by reporter gene activity and it was found that variants which truncated the NPAS3/4 protein resulted in a complete loss of transcriptional activity. The ability of loss-of-function variants to heterodimerise with neuronally enriched partner protein ARNT2 was then determined by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. It was determined that the mechanism for the observed loss of function was the inability of the truncated NPAS3/4 protein to heterodimerise with ARNT2. This further establishes NPAS3 and NPAS4 as candidate neurodevelopmental disorder genes.
New understanding of electrical activity brought by surface potential of cardiomyocytes
Authors: Zhou Ying , Hao Yanfei , Sun Pei , Li Guang , Dong Mengqi , Fan Xuehui , He Xiuyun
Published: March 2021

Aiming at the problem encountered in the previous research: during the electrical activity of cardiomyocytes, the influent ions do not seem to be directly derived from the extracellular fluid. We chose to cut in from the colloidal properties of the cells, follow the basic principles of physical chemistry, and establish hypotheses along the derivation of the structural characteristics of cardiomyocytes. Through the surface ion adsorption experiment and patch clamp experiment of living cells, under the condition of sequentially reducing the concentration of Na+ in the extracellular fluid, we observed the exchange and diffusion of adsorbed ions on the cell surface; the changes of inflow INa, ICa-L and action potential; and correlation between results. The results showed that the hypothesis is true. The observed parameter changes were consistent with the fact that during depolarization of cardiomyocytes, the ions of influx were derived from the inference of adsorbed ions on the cell surface; at the same time, it also provided an objective and realistic explanation for the generation of electrocardiogram.
Astaxanthin protects against early acute kidney injury in severely burned rats by inactivating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB axis and upregulating heme oxygenase-1
Authors: Guo Songxue , Guo Linsen , Fang Quan , Yu Meirong , Zhang Liping , You Chuangang , Wang Xingang , Liu Yong , Han Chunmao
Published: March 2021

Early acute kidney injury (AKI) contributes to severe morbidity and mortality in critically burned patients. Renal inflammation plays a vital role in the progression of early AKI, acting as a therapeutic target. Astaxanthin (ATX) is a strong antioxidant widely distributed in marine organisms that exerts many biological effects in trauma and disease. ATX is also suggested to have anti-inflammatory activity. Hence, we attempted to explore the role of ATX in protecting against early postburn AKI via its anti-inflammatory effects and the related mechanisms. A severely burned model was established for histological and biochemical assessments based on adult male rats. We found that oxidative stress-induced tissue inflammation participated in the development of early AKI after burn injury and that the MyD88-dependent TLR4/NF-κB pathway was activated to regulate renal inflammation. The TLR4 and NF-κB inhibitors TAK242 and PDTC showed similar effects in attenuating burn-induced renal inflammation and early AKI. Upon ATX treatment, the release of inflammatory mediators in the kidneys was downregulated, while the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB axis was inhibited in a dose-related manner. TAK242 and PDTC could enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of high-dose ATX, whereas lipopolysaccharide (LPS) reversed its action. Furthermore, the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 was upregulated by ATX in a dose-related manner. Collectively, the above data suggest that ATX protects against renal inflammation in a dose-related manner by regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB axis and HO-1 and ultimately prevents early AKI following severe burns.