bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Kind of Atomic Force Microscopy Scan Control Enabled by Artificial Intelligence: Concept for Achieving Tip and Sample Safety Through Asymmetric Control
Authors: Degenhardt Johannes , Bounaim Mohammed Wassim , Deng Nan , Tutsch Rainer , Dai Gaoliang
Published: April 2024

This paper introduces a paradigm shift in atomic force microscope (AFM) scan control, leveraging an artificial intelligence (AI)-based controller. In contrast to conventional control methods, which either show a limited performance, such as proportional integral differential (PID) control, or which purely focus on mathematical optimality as classical optimal control approaches, our proposed AI approach redefines the objective of control for achieving practical optimality. This presented AI controller minimizes the root-mean-square control deviations in routine scans by a factor of about 4 compared to PID control in the presented setup and also showcases a distinctive asymmetric response in complex situations, prioritizing the safety of the AFM tip and sample instead of the lowest possible control deviations. The development and testing of the AI control concept are performed on simulated AFM scans, demonstrating its huge potential.
Kindergynäkologische Notfälle
Authors: Semrl Neli
Published: April 2024

Mädchen mit akuten Beschwerden suchen häufig medizinische Hilfe außerhalb von kinder- und jugendärztlichen Sprechstunden. Aufgrund der begrenzten Berührungspunkte der Facharztausbildung mit der Kindergynäkologie stellen solche Situationen oft eine Herausforderung dar. Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, eine kindergynäkologische Untersuchung näher zu erläutern und häufige Vorstellungsgründe, wie präpubertäre vaginale Blutungen, Vulvovaginitiden und gynäkologische Ursachen akuter Bauchschmerzen, zu beschreiben.
Applications of knot theory to the detection of heteroclinic connections between quasi-periodic orbits
Authors: Owen Danny , Baresi Nicola
Published: April 2024

Heteroclinic connections represent unique opportunities for spacecraft to transfer between isoenergetic libration point orbits for zero deterministic ΔV expenditure. However, methods of detecting them can be limited, typically relying on human-in-the-loop or computationally intensive processes. In this paper we present a rapid and fully systematic method of detecting heteroclinic connections between quasi-periodic invariant tori by exploiting topological invariants found in knot theory. The approach is applied to the Earth–Moon, Sun–Earth, and Jupiter–Ganymede circular restricted three-body problems to demonstrate the robustness of this method in detecting heteroclinic connections between various quasi-periodic orbit families in restricted astrodynamical problems.
Basic Characteristics and Vibration-Serviceability-Related Properties of Recent Footbridges in China
Authors: Gong Ming , Shen Ruili , Song Shubao , Wei Xinxin
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study identifies basic characteristics and vibration-serviceability-related properties of recent footbridges in China. Also, it characterizes relations between vibration-serviceability-related properties and basic characteristics.

Methods

A database is constructed for recent footbridges in China based on systematic literature survey. For each footbridge, it collects basic information (name, function, province, location, service year), structural information (girder cross-section type, main span length, width, bridge type, girder material, deck material, first lateral and vertical natural frequencies, first lateral and vertical damping ratios), response information (crowd density, acceleration responses, mitigation measures), etc.

Results

Data analysis shows natural frequencies decrease with increasing bridge span. Estimation relations are proposed to quantitatively express fundamental natural frequencies and main spans in vertical and lateral directions. Damping ratios vary from 0.0015 to 0.0325, indicating the low damping capacity of the footbridges. Footbridges with non-solid cross-section are more vulnerable to human-induced excitations. Most footbridges apply mitigation measures, with mitigation efficiency from 18% to 70%.

Conclusion

This study provides designers with first judgements on feasibility of footbridges’ design scheme, for instance, a first estimation of natural frequency. Also, the reported information may guide them towards right directions of better design scheme, for example, by adjusting structural information.
Effect mechanism of phosphorous-containing additives on carbon structure evolution and biochar stability enhancement
Authors: Yang Haiping , Yu Yamian , Zhang Han , Wang Wanwan , Zhu Jinjiao , Chen Yingquan , Zhang Shihong , Chen Hanping
Published: April 2024

The regulation of the pyrolysis process is a key step in increasing the carbon sequestration capacity of biochar. The effect of K3PO4 addition on the yield, chemical composition, characteristic functional groups, macromolecular skeleton, graphite crystallites, and stability of biochar was studied in this paper using two-dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopy (2D-PCIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectrum, and other characterization methods combined with thermal/chemical oxidation analysis. It is discovered that adding K3PO4 may effectively minimize the graphitization temperature range and increase biochar's yield, aromaticity, H/C ratio, and proportion of refractory/recalcitrant organic carbon. The 2D-PCIS and Raman analysis revealed that K3PO4 mostly promoted the dehydrogenation and polycondensation process of the aromatic rings in the char precursor, transforming the amorphous carbon structure of biochar into an ordered turbostratic microcrystalline structure. K3PO4 enhanced biochar stability mostly at medium-high temperatures (350 ~ 750℃) by stimulating the transformation of unstable structures of biochar to stable carbon-containing structures or by inhibiting the interaction of its active sites with oxidants through the mineralization process. A 20% phosphorus addition increased biochar's refractory index (R50) by roughly 11%, and it also boosted biochar's oxidation resistance (H2O2 or K2CrO4) efficiency, reducing carbon oxidation loss by up to 7.31%. However, at higher temperatures (> 750 ℃), the doping of phosphorus atoms into the carbon skeleton degraded the biochar structure's stability. The results of this study suggest that using exogenous phosphorus-containing additives is an efficient way to improve the stability of biochar.

Graphical abstract
Influence of grain boundary plane distribution on ionic conductivity in yttria-stabilized zirconia sintered at elevated temperatures
Authors: Faryna Marek , Adamczyk-Habrajska Małgorzata , Lubszczyk Marta
Published: April 2024

The paper investigates electrical properties of fully stabilized zirconia, which is widely applied as a solid electrolyte in electrochemical devices such as solid oxide fuel cells. High ionic conductivity of these materials is crucial for effective operating of the devices; however, grain boundary resistivity limits conductivity in polycrystalline ceramics. Thus, optimisation of the microstructure of zirconia is necessary from an application point of view. Based on three-dimensional electron backscatter diffraction (3D EBSD) data, the research employed a complex impedance spectroscopy to establish a correlation between microstructure of cubic zirconia sinters and their conductivity. Samples with different levels of anisotropy in grain boundary plane parameters were investigated. The obtained results indicate that the conduction of ions through the grain boundaries is higher in the sample with the higher representation of the near-(001) grain boundaries. Such a relationship suggests that an over-representation of low-energy grain boundaries in zirconia polycrystals leads to an increase of ionic conductivity.
Recognising small colour changes with unsupervised learning, comparison of methods
Authors: Isohanni Jari
Published: April 2024

Colour differentiation is crucial in machine learning and computer vision. It is often used when identifying items and objects based on distinct colours. While common colours like blue, red, green, and yellow are easily distinguishable, some applications require recognising subtle colour variations. Such demands arise in sectors like agriculture, printing, healthcare, and packaging. This research employs prevalent unsupervised learning techniques to detect printed colours on paper, focusing on CMYK ink (saturation) levels necessary for recognition against a white background. The aim is to assess whether unsupervised clustering can identify colours within QR-Codes. One use-case for this research is usage of functional inks, ones that change colour based on environmental factors. Within QR-Codes they serve as low-cost IoT sensors. Results of this research indicate that K-means, C-means, Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), Hierarchical clustering, and Spectral clustering perform well in recognising colour differences when CMYK saturation is 20% or higher in at least one channel. K-means stands out when saturation drops below 10%, although its accuracy diminishes significantly, especially for yellow or magenta channels. A saturation of at least 10% in one CMYK channel is needed for reliable colour detection using unsupervised learning. To handle ink densities below 5%, further research or alternative unsupervised methods may be necessary.
Food security and dietary diversity patterns amongst female handloom workers: a cross sectional study from Kerala, India
Authors: Nair Devika , Muley Arti
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The onset of COVID-19 in December 2019 bought the entire world to a standstill and had a major impact on the social and economic sectors in India. One of the most affected groups in this pandemic has been the female handloom workers.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess food security and dietary diversity amongst female handloom workers in Kerala.

Methods

After obtaining informed consent, data was collected from 140 respondents working in handloom cooperative societies across Ernakulum, Kerala. Data regarding the food security and dietary diversity status of female handloom workers were collected using the validated Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and the Individual Dietary Diversity Scale respectively. Descriptive statistics was used to calculate the mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage while the independent t-test and Chi-Square test were used to compare means and examine the relationship between continuous and categorical variables respectively.

Results

The mean age of the respondents was reported to be 53.69 ± 8.39. Majority of the respondents (91.4%) had co-morbidities with the most prevalent one being occupational hazards (45.7%). 96.4% and 53.5% of respondents were found to be food insecure and have poor dietary diversity respectively. In unadjusted analyses, statistical relationships were found between several variables and food security status, like milk and milk products (p = 0.045), flesh meats (p = 0.007), and history of disease and limited variety of foods due to lack of resources (p = 0.003). A strong relationship was also established between receiving extra rations through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and food security status (p = 0.002).

Conclusion

The results revealed the bleak state of nutrition in the community. Further research into their nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practices needs to be carried out to recognize efficient variables for comparison from an Indian context.
Background Music Cultures in Finnish Urban Life
Authors: Uimonen Heikki , Kilpiö Kaarina , Kytö Meri
Published: April 2024

This Element focuses on how music is experienced, articulated, and reclaimed in urban commercial environments. Special attention is paid to listeners, spaces, and music, co- and re-produced continuously in their triangular relationship affected by social, legal, economic, and technological factors. The study of the historical development of background music industries, construction of contemporary sonic environments, and individual meaning-making is based on extensive data gathered through interviews, surveys, and fieldwork, and supported by archival research. Due to the Finnish context and the ethnomusicological approach, this study is culture-sensitive, providing a fresh 'factory-to-consumer' perspective on a phenomenon generally understood as industry-lead, behavioral, and global. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Antithetic multilevel particle filters
Authors: Jasra Ajay , Maama Mohamed , Ombao Hernando
Published: April 2024

In this paper we consider the filtering of partially observed multidimensional diffusion processes that are observed regularly at discrete times. This is a challenging problem which requires the use of advanced numerical schemes based upon time-discretization of the diffusion process and then the application of particle filters. Perhaps the state-of-the-art method for moderate-dimensional problems is the multilevel particle filter of Jasra et al. (SIAM J. Numer. Anal.55 (2017), 3068–3096). This is a method that combines multilevel Monte Carlo and particle filters. The approach in that article is based intrinsically upon an Euler discretization method. We develop a new particle filter based upon the antithetic truncated Milstein scheme of Giles and Szpruch (Ann. Appl. Prob.24 (2014), 1585–1620). We show empirically for a class of diffusion problems that, for
$\epsilon>0$
given, the cost to produce a mean squared error (MSE) of
$\mathcal{O}(\epsilon^2)$
in the estimation of the filter is
$\mathcal{O}(\epsilon^{-2}\log(\epsilon)^2)$
. In the case of multidimensional diffusions with non-constant diffusion coefficient, the method of Jasra et al. (2017) requires a cost of
$\mathcal{O}(\epsilon^{-2.5})$
to achieve the same MSE.
Mechanistic phylodynamic models do not provide conclusive evidence that non-avian dinosaurs were in decline before their final extinction
Authors: Allen Bethany J. , Volkova Oliveira Maria V. , Stadler Tanja , Vaughan Timothy G. , Warnock Rachel C. M.
Published: April 2024

Phylodynamic models can be used to estimate diversification trajectories from time-calibrated phylogenies. Here we apply two such models to phylogenies of non-avian dinosaurs, a clade whose evolutionary history has been widely debated. Although some authors have suggested that the clade experienced a decline in diversity, potentially starting millions of years before the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, others have suggested that the group remained highly diverse right up until the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary. Our results show that model assumptions, likely with respect to incomplete sampling, have a large impact on whether dinosaurs appear to have experienced a long-term decline or not. The results are also highly sensitive to the topology and branch lengths of the phylogeny used. Developing comprehensive models of sampling bias, and building larger and more accurate phylogenies, are likely to be necessary steps for us to determine whether dinosaur diversity was or was not in decline before the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.
Social protection as a nutrition-sensitive instrument to address malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: Examining the utility of the UNICEF conceptual model of care for maternal and child nutrition
Authors: Zembe-Mkabile Wanga
Published: April 2024

Child nutrition, health and development are closely tied to maternal nutrition, health and well-being. The underlying drivers of poor maternal and child nutritional outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa are structural in nature. These risks include social, economic, and environmental factors that together compound vulnerability to poor outcomes. Poverty, as a driver of poor maternal and child health outcomes, is an important determinant that is both a cause and a consequence of malnutrition. The United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s conceptual model for determinants of maternal and child nutrition outcomes released in 2020, is the agency’s latest iteration of child nutrition frameworks. The model identifies the underlying causes of malnutrition as extending beyond food and diets, to include household level dynamics, maternal factors, and the external environment. The manuscript discusses UNICEF’s conceptual model and its applicability in sub-Saharan Africa. It also considers the evidence on interventions aimed at addressing maternal and child nutrition in the region and the location of social protection among these policy tools, with a special focus on the extent to which these resonate with the conceptual model. It concludes by considering the conditions required for social protection instruments to work in the region and similar settings in the Global South. In this way, the manuscript provides a critical reflection about the role of social protection as a nutrition-sensitive instrument in sub-Saharan Africa, in the context of maternal and child nutrition outcomes.
Peeling fingers in an elastic Hele-Shaw channel
Authors: Fontana João V. , Cuttle Callum , Pihler-Puzović Draga , Hazel Andrew L. , Juel Anne
Published: April 2024

Using experiments and a depth-averaged numerical model, we study instabilities of two-phase flows in a Hele-Shaw channel with an elastic upper boundary and a non-uniform cross-section prescribed by initial collapse. Experimentally, we find increasingly complex and unsteady modes of air-finger propagation as the dimensionless bubble speed

$Ca$

and level of collapse are increased, including pointed fingers, indented fingers and the feathered modes first identified by Cuttle et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 886, 2020, A20). By introducing a measure of the viscous contribution to finger propagation, we identify a

$Ca$

threshold beyond which viscous forces are superseded by elastic effects. Quantitative prediction of this transition between ‘viscous’ and ‘elastic’ reopening regimes across levels of collapse establishes the fidelity of the numerical model. In the viscous regime, we recover the non-monotonic dependence on

$Ca$

of the finger pressure, which is characteristic of benchtop models of airway reopening. To explore the elastic regime numerically, we extend the depth-averaged model introduced by Fontana et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 916, 2021, A27) to include an artificial disjoining pressure that prevents the unphysical self-intersection of the interface. Using time simulations, we capture for the first time the majority of experimental finger dynamics, including feathered modes. We show that these disordered states evolve continually, with no evidence of convergence to steady or periodic states. We find that the steady bifurcation structure satisfactorily predicts the bubble pressure as a function of

$Ca$

, but that it does not provide sufficient information to predict the transition to unsteady dynamics that appears strongly nonlinear.
Mechanism for axial pattern formation of concentrated suspension in a horizontal rotating cylinder
Authors: Konidena Sudarshan , Vowinckel Bernhard , Seto Ryohei , Anki Reddy K. , Singh Anugrah
Published: April 2024

We have performed numerical simulations to investigate the phenomenon of axial pattern formation exhibited by a non-neutrally buoyant concentrated suspension. Continuum modelling of the concentrated suspension is done using the suspension balance model to identify the underlying mechanism of the phenomenon. We demonstrate that axial concentration variations become amplified to axial bands owing to the influence of the second normal stress difference (

$N_2$

), and the first normal difference (

$N_1$

) accentuates the effect of

$N_2$

. We demonstrate that the end walls of the rotating cylinder are necessary to prevent the smearing out of axial bands but are not a direct cause of the phenomenon.
Investigation of ambient-pressure absorbance characteristics of cartilage-grafted tympanic membranes
Authors: Asta Beyza , Bozdemir Kazım , Şahin Mehmet İlhan
Published: April 2024

Objective

To investigate alterations in middle-ear mechanics after type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty by comparing the ambient pressure absorbance values of the perforated tympanic membrane, normal tympanic membrane and cartilage-grafted tympanic membrane.

Methods

Twenty patients diagnosed with non-suppurative chronic otitis media and 20 healthy controls were included. Pure tone audiometry and wideband tympanometry were performed once in the healthy controls and pre-operatively, one month and three months post-operatively in the patients.

Results

Using wideband tympanometry, the patients’ three-month post-operative ambient pressure absorbance values were found to be similar to those of the healthy controls at low frequencies, while lower ambient pressure absorbance values were recorded at middle and high frequencies. Air–bone gap and ambient pressure absorbance values showed significant negative correlations at 1000 and 4000 Hz both pre- and post-operatively.

Conclusion

Generally, the patients’ ambient pressure absorbance values were significantly lower at middle and high frequencies than those of the healthy controls. Post-operative wideband tympanometry is a practical tool for investigating the effects of a repaired tympanic membrane on middle-ear dynamics.
Risk factors for suicide reattempt: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pemau Andres , Marin-Martin Carolina , Diaz-Marsa Marina , de la Torre-Luque Alejandro , Ayad-Ahmed Wala , Gonzalez-Pinto Ana , Garrido-Torres Nathalia , Garrido-Sanchez Lucia , Roberto Natalia , Lopez-Peña Purificación , Mar-Barrutia Lorea , Grande Iria , Guinovart Marti , Hernandez-Calle Daniel , Jimenez-Treviño Luis , Lopez-Sola Clara , Mediavilla Roberto , Perez-Aranda Adrian , Ruiz-Veguilla Miguel , Seijo-Zazo Elisa , Toll Alba , Elices Matilde , Perez-Sola Victor , Ayuso-Mateos Jose Luis ,   the SURVIVE Consortium
Published: April 2024

Background

Suicide is one of the main external causes of death worldwide. People who have already attempted suicide are at high risk of new suicidal behavior. However, there is a lack of information on the risk factors that facilitate the appearance of reattempts. The aim of this study was to calculate the risk of suicide reattempt in the presence of suicidal history and psychosocial risk factors and to estimate the effect of each individual risk factor.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA-2020 guidelines. Studies on suicide reattempt that measured risk factors were searched from inception to 2022. The risk factors studied were those directly related to suicide history: history of suicide prior to the index attempt, and those that mediate the transition from suicidal ideation to attempt (alcohol or drug misuse, impulsivity, trauma, and non-suicidal self-injury).

Results

The initial search resulted in 11 905 articles. Of these, 34 articles were selected for this meta-analysis, jointly presenting 52 different effect sizes. The pooled effect size across the risk factors was significant (OR 2.16). Reattempt risk may be increased in presence of any of the following risk factors: previous history, active suicidal ideation, trauma, alcohol misuse, and drug misuse. However, impulsivity, and non-suicidal self-injury did not show a significant effect on reattempt.

Conclusion

Most of the risk factors traditionally associated with suicide are also relevant when talking about suicide reattempts. Knowing the traits that define reattempters can help develop better preventive and intervention plans.
Political Obligation and Self-Sufficiency in Leonardo Bruni's History of the Florentine People
Authors: Ridley Griffin
Published: April 2024

Leonardo Bruni (1377–1444), chancellor of Florence, is today more famous as an initiator of civic humanism and a proponent of early modern republicanism than as a historian of medieval Florence. He owes this position most of all to Hans Baron, who argued that Florentine civic humanism—an exemplary mode of communal existence dedicated to the active life—as found particularly in Bruni's writings, stemmed from the resurgence of interest in antiquity, which pointed forward to a liberating, civilizing, and progressive modernity. Though James Hankins has recently argued that the dual theses of civic humanism and republicanism are mischaracterizations of the larger thrust of Italian Renaissance political thought, the scholarly literature overwhelmingly portrays Leonardo Bruni as incipiently modern and, by definition, un-medieval. But in emphasizing the role of antiquity in Bruni's “modern” thought, scholars have overlooked the importance of medieval history in the formulation and the content of Bruni's arguments. This article seeks to rectify this misappreciation by demonstrating how that quintessential medieval struggle, the conflict between popes and emperors, plays a central role in Bruni's political thought as it is found in the History of the Florentine People, written from 1415/16 to 1444.
Multibody dynamics in robotics with focus on contact events
Authors: da Silva Mariana Rodrigues , Coelho Joana , Gonçalves Fernando , Novais Francisco , Flores Paulo
Published: April 2024

Multibody dynamics methodologies have been fundamental tools utilized to model and simulate robotic systems that experience contact conditions with the surrounding environment, such as in the case of feet and ground interactions. In addressing such problems, it is of paramount importance to accurately and efficiently handle the large body displacement associated with locomotion of robots, as well as the dynamic response related to contact-impact events. Thus, a generic computational approach, based on the Newton–Euler formulation, to represent the gross motion of robotic systems, is revisited in this work. The main kinematic and dynamic features, necessary to obtain the equations of motion, are discussed. A numerical procedure suitable to solve the equations of motion is also presented. The problem of modeling contacts in dynamical systems involves two main tasks, namely, the contact detection and the contact resolution, which take into account for the kinematics and dynamics of the contacting bodies, constituting the general framework for the process of modeling and simulating complex contact scenarios. In order to properly model the contact interactions, the contact kinematic properties are established based on the geometry of contacting bodies, which allow to perform the contact detection task. The contact dynamics is represented by continuous contact force models, both in terms of normal and tangential contact directions. Finally, the presented formulations are demonstrated by the application to several robotics systems that involve contact and impact events with surrounding environment. Special emphasis is put on the systems’ dynamic behavior, in terms of performance and stability.
Large Péclet number forced convection from a circular wire in a uniform stream: hybrid approximations at small Reynolds numbers
Authors: Yariv Ehud
Published: April 2024

We consider heat or mass transport from a circular cylinder under a uniform crossflow at small Reynolds numbers,
$\mathrm{Re}\ll 1$
. This problem has been thwarted in the past by limitations inherent in the classical analyses of the singular flow problem, which have used asymptotic expansions in inverse powers of
$\log \mathrm{Re}$
. We here make use of the hybrid approximation of Kropinski, Ward & Keller [(1995) SIAM J. Appl. Math.55, 1484], based upon a robust asymptotic expansion in powers of
$\mathrm{Re}$
. In that approximation, the “inner” streamfunction is provided by the product of a pre-factor
$S$
, a slowly varying function of
$\mathrm{Re}$
, with a
$\mathrm{Re}$
-independent “canonical” solution of a simple mathematical form. The pre-factor, in turn, is determined as an implicit function of
$\log \mathrm{Re}$
via asymptotic matching with a numerical solution of the nonlinear single-scaled “outer” problem, where the cylinder appears as a point singularity. We exploit the hybrid approximation to analyse the transport problem in the limit of large Péclet number,
$\mathrm{Pe}\gg 1$
. In that limit, transport is restricted to a narrow boundary layer about the cylinder surface – a province contained within the inner region of the flow problem. With
$S$
appearing as a parameter, a similarity solution is readily constructed for the boundary-layer problem. It provides the Nusselt number as
$0.5799(S\,\mathrm{Pe})^{1/3}$
. This asymptotic prediction is in remarkably close agreement with that of the numerical solution of the exact problem [Dennis, Hudson & Smith (1968) Phys. Fluids11, 933] even for moderate
$\mathrm{Re}$
-values.
Did Homo erectus Have Language? The Seafaring Inference
Authors: Botha Rudolf
Published: April 2024

Various authors have claimed over the years that Homo erectus had language. Since there is no direct evidence about the matter, this claim represents the conclusion of a multi-step composite inference drawn from putative non-linguistic attributes of the species. Three maritime behaviours are central among these attributes: crossing open seas to get to insular islands such as Flores in the Indian ocean and Crete in the Mediterranean; building complex watercraft for the crossings; and undertaking navigation in making the crossings. Dubbing it the ‘Seafaring Inference’, the present article reconstructs and appraises the way in which Barham and Everett use the Seafaring Inference to build a case for the claim that Homo erectus had language. This composite inference starts from certain lithic objects found on Flores and ends, via six simple inferences, with the conclusion that Homo erectus had a form of language. The main finding of the article is that this composite inference is flawed in including a simple inference which is unsound and, accordingly, cannot be used to make a strong case for the claim that Homo erectus had language. There is a less well-developed variant of the Seafaring Inference which proceeds from the recovery of lithic objects on Crete. This variant is found to be multiply flawed, there being several simple unsound simple inferences among its components.
Geosocietal Support for Democracy: Survey Evidence from Ukraine
Authors: Alexseev Mikhail A. , Dembitskyi Serhii
Published: April 2024

We examine why public support for democracy in Ukraine increased after Russia’s 2014 intervention and surged after Russia’s 2022 invasion—despite concerns that the wartime quest for security would diminish support for political freedoms. We statistically analyze original data generated as part of annual opinion surveys by the Institute of Sociology at Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in 2017 (N = 2,199), 2018 (N = 1,800), and a 2021–22 panel survey with the same respondents (N = 475) interviewed before and after Russia’s invasion. Our findings indicate that wartime support for democracy is in significant respects geosocietal—arising from the mobilization of civic national identity conditioned by salient geopolitical threats. Civic pride, attribution of threat to an external authoritarian aggressor, and war onset were the strongest and most robust predictors of multiple democracy support indicators, overriding personal loss and stress. The findings call for more attention to the interaction of geopolitical and social contexts shaping political attitudes, with implications for democratic futures globally.
The Jungle, The Harbor, and the Left’s Early Reception of Radical Sentimentalism
Authors: Cadle Nathaniel
Published: April 2024

This essay examines the efforts of Upton Sinclair and Ernest Poole to connect their respective novels The Jungle and The Harbor to the nineteenth-century sentimental literary tradition, as well as their leftist allies’ reception of those efforts. Sinclair consistently presented The Jungle as a second Uncle Tom’s Cabin, capable of moving readers to agitate on behalf of working-class immigrants, while Poole engaged reflexively with the tropes and traditions of sentimentalism in order to model for his readers how they should respond to The Harbor. Although both novels became bestsellers and influenced later writers of proletarian fiction, early leftist critics dismissed Sinclair and Poole’s sentimentalism as aesthetically simplistic and politically naïve. This essay turns instead to a slightly later contemporary of those critics, Antonio Gramsci, whose prison writings argue for the revolutionary potential of sentimentalism. Reading The Jungle and The Harbor through the lens of Gramsci’s analysis of organic intellectuals and the cathartic power of popular literary forms, this essay contends, resolves many of the problems those early critics identified in the novels.
Teaching Charles Alexander Eastman’s “The North American Indian” in Dialogue with Elaine Goodale Eastman’s Yellow Star
Authors: Robbins Sarah Ruffing
Published: April 2024

Charles Eastman’s “The North American Indian” address for the 1911 Universal Races Congress (URC) in London provides multiple pathways for teaching in a comparative context. One productive approach involves setting the lecture in dialogue with Elaine Goodale Eastman’s Yellow Star, published in the same year. Another entails asking students to situate Charles Eastman’s talk in the context of the URC as a vital milestone in global thought leaders’ engagement with questions about race. This approach could include juxtaposing Eastman’s lecture with one by W. E. B. Du Bois delivered at the same convention. Pedagogy for Eastman’s speech can also locate this text in the context of his larger oeuvre, including more assertively anticolonial discourse in later writings for Indigenous readers.
Distribution, Seasonality, and Water‐Mass Transformation of Temperature and Salinity Inversions in the Southern Yellow Sea
Authors: Wang Zhaoyi , Yang Wei , Song Guisheng , Zhang Haiyan , Wei Hao
Published: April 2024

In the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) there are temperature and salinity inversions associated with the presence of middepth low temperature and salinity water. Many questions regarding with the inversions, such as the seasonal variation and transformation mechanism, still remain unexplained. In this study, based on hydrographic measurements obtain from 12 cruises within 6‐year (2017–2022), we explored the distribution, seasonality, generation, and transformation mechanism of temperature and salinity inversions in the SYS. Observations reveal widespread temperature and salinity inversions in the Yellow Sea (YS) during both spring and summer. More temperature and salinity inversions are found in spring and summer, respectively. The relative motion between the fresh, cold, high‐dissolved‐oxygen (DO) water at the local shelf/slope and the salty, warm, low‐DO water at the central trough is the key to answering the formation of temperature/salinity inversions. The salinity at the low‐salinity water (LSW) layer increases towards the central YS suggesting the origin of LSW at the local shelf/slope region. Assuming the gain of salinity is caused primarily by vertical diffusion at the upper and lower boundary of the LSW, the propagation speed of the LSW lense is estimated which compares favorably with the magnitude of observed residual currents at the LSW layer. We further note that the depth of subsurface dissolved oxygen maximum agrees well with the LSW layer depth, especially for summer. The influence of the lateral transport of nutrients, and dissolved oxygen on the local biogeochemical environment in the YS is worth further examination.
The Response of the Upper Ocean to Tropical Cyclones in the South Pacific
Authors: Han Chao , Bowen Melissa , Sutton Philip
Published: April 2024

Consecutive Argo float profiles are used to observe upper ocean changes resulting from the passage of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the South Pacific between 2001 and 2023. Cross‐sectional composites of the ocean response are produced by normalizing the distance between the profile and cyclone track by the 34‐knot wind radius (R34) of each TC to better resolve the average changes in water properties. Surface cooling in the initial mixed layer (ML) extends from the center to about twice R34 and is stronger to the left of the TC track. Subsurface warming at the base of the ML is observed between 0.4 and 2 R34 on both sides of the track. Strong cooling is observed in a distinct core directly under the TC path, reaching temperature changes of over −1.6°C between 70 and 450 m depth. Significant upwelling of over 40 m displacement is observed within ±0.05 R34, extending to 1,000 m depth. Surface cooling (and subsurface warming at the base of the ML) are positively correlated with wind stress on the ocean from the TC, quantified by the Local Wind Power Dissipation (PDL), and negatively correlated with the energy required to destratify the upper ocean, defined by a Cooling Inhibition index (CI). Subsurface warming is common with low CI but is not observed with high CI. We demonstrate an improved method to analyze Argo float data for measuring TC‐upper ocean interaction in remote oceans and the usefulness of PDL and CI in calibrating the TC‐ocean interaction.
Tailored apoptotic vesicles promote bone regeneration by releasing the osteoinductive brake
Authors: Cheng Yawen , Zhu Yuan , Liu Yaoshan , Liu Xuenan , Ding Yanan , Li Deli , Zhang Xiao , Liu Yunsong
Published: April 2024

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that apoptotic vesicles (apoVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs; MSC-apoVs) are vital for bone regeneration, and possess superior capabilities compared to MSCs and other extracellular vesicles derived from MSCs (such as exosomes). The osteoinductive effect of MSC-apoVs is attributed to their diverse contents, especially enriched proteins or microRNAs (miRNAs). To optimize their osteoinduction activity, it is necessary to determine the unique cargo profiles of MSC-apoVs. We previously established the protein landscape and identified proteins specific to MSC-apoVs. However, the features and functions of miRNAs enriched in MSC-apoVs are unclear. In this study, we compared MSCs, MSC-apoVs, and MSC-exosomes from two types of MSC. We generated a map of miRNAs specific to MSC-apoVs and identified seven miRNAs specifically enriched in MSC-apoVs compared to MSCs and MSC-exosomes, which we classified as apoV-specific miRNAs. Among these seven specific miRNAs, hsa-miR-4485-3p was the most abundant and stable. Next, we explored its function in apoV-mediated osteoinduction. Unexpectedly, hsa-miR-4485-3p enriched in MSC-apoVs inhibited osteogenesis and promoted adipogenesis by targeting the AKT pathway. Tailored apoVs with downregulated hsa-miR-4485-3p exhibited a greater effect on bone regeneration than control apoVs. Like releasing the brake, we acquired more powerful osteoinductive apoVs. In summary, we identified the miRNA cargos, including miRNAs specific to MSC-apoVs, and generated tailored apoVs with high osteoinduction activity, which is promising in apoV-based therapies for bone regeneration.
Mucopolysaccharidosis type II zebrafish model exhibits early impaired proteasomal-mediated degradation of the axon guidance receptor Dcc
Authors: Manzoli Rosa , Badenetti Lorenzo , Bruzzone Matteo , Macario Maria Carla , Rubin Michela , Dal Maschio Marco , Roveri Antonella , Moro Enrico
Published: April 2024

Most of the patients affected by neuronopathic forms of Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by defects in iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) activity, exhibit early neurological defects associated with white matter lesions and progressive behavioural abnormalities. While neuronal degeneration has been largely described in experimental models and human patients, more subtle neuronal pathogenic defects remain still underexplored. In this work, we discovered that the axon guidance receptor Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (Dcc) is significantly dysregulated in the brain of ids mutant zebrafish since embryonic stages. In addition, thanks to the establishment of neuronal-enriched primary cell cultures, we identified defective proteasomal degradation as one of the main pathways underlying Dcc upregulation in ids mutant conditions. Furthermore, ids mutant fish-derived primary neurons displayed higher levels of polyubiquitinated proteins and P62, suggesting a wider defect in protein degradation. Finally, we show that ids mutant larvae display an atypical response to anxiety-inducing stimuli, hence mimicking one of the characteristic features of MPS II patients. Our study provides an additional relevant frame to MPS II pathogenesis, supporting the concept that multiple developmental defects concur with early childhood behavioural abnormalities.
POLE2 promotes osteosarcoma progression by enhancing the stability of CD44
Authors: Wang Baichuan , Hu Hongzhi , Wang Xiaohui , Shao Zengwu , Shi Deyao , Wu Fashuai , Liu Jianxiang , Zhang Zhicai , Li Juan , Xia Zhidao , Liu Weijian , Wu Qiang
Published: April 2024

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most prevalent primary malignancy of bone in children and adolescents. It is extremely urgent to develop a new therapy for OS. In this study, the GSE14359 chip from the GEO database was used to screen differentially expressed genes in OS. DNA polymerase epsilon 2 (POLE2) was confirmed to overexpress in OS tissues and cell lines by immunohistochemical staining, qPCR and Western blot. Knockdown of POLE2 inhibited the proliferation and migration of OS cells in vitro, as well as the growth of tumors in vivo, while the apoptosis rate was increased. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that CD44 and Rac signaling pathway were the downstream molecule and pathway of POLE2, which were inhibited by knockdown of POLE2. POLE2 reduced the ubiquitination degradation of CD44 by acting on MDM2. Moreover, knockdown of CD44 inhibited the tumor-promoting effects of POLE2 overexpression on OS cells. In conclusion, POLE2 augmented the expression of CD44 via inhibiting MDM2-mediated ubiquitination, and then activated Rac signaling pathway to influence the progression of OS, indicating that POLE2/CD44 might be potential targets for OS treatment.
ANKFY1 bridges ATG2A-mediated lipid transfer from endosomes to phagophores
Authors: Wei Bin , Fu Yuhui , Li Xiuzhi , Chen Fang , Zhang Yiqing , Chen Hanmo , Tong Mindan , Li Linsen , Pan Yi , Zhang Shen , Chen She , Liu Xiaoxia , Zhong Qing
Published: April 2024

Macroautophagy is a process that cells engulf cytosolic materials by autophagosomes and deliver them to lysosomes for degradation. The biogenesis of autophagosomes requires ATG2 as a lipid transfer protein to transport lipids from existing membranes to phagophores. It is generally believed that endoplasmic reticulum is the main source for lipid supply of the forming autophagosomes; whether ATG2 can transfer lipids from other organelles to phagophores remains elusive. In this study, we identified a new ATG2A-binding protein, ANKFY1. Depletion of this endosome-localized protein led to the impaired autophagosome growth and the reduced autophagy flux, which largely phenocopied ATG2A/B depletion. A pool of ANKFY1 co-localized with ATG2A between endosomes and phagophores and depletion of UVRAG, ANKFY1 or ATG2A/B led to reduction of PI3P distribution on phagophores. Purified recombinant ANKFY1 bound to PI3P on membrane through its FYVE domain and enhanced ATG2A-mediated lipid transfer between PI3P-containing liposomes. Therefore, we propose that ANKFY1 recruits ATG2A to PI3P-enriched endosomes and promotes ATG2A-mediated lipid transfer from endosomes to phagophores. This finding implicates a new lipid source for ATG2A-mediated phagophore expansion, where endosomes donate PI3P and other lipids to phagophores via lipid transfer.
Bioadhesive interface for marine sensors on diverse soft fragile species
Authors: Duque Londono Camilo , Cones Seth F. , Deng Jue , Wu Jingjing , Yuk Hyunwoo , Guza David E. , Mooney T. Aran , Zhao Xuanhe
Published: April 2024

Marine animals equipped with sensors provide vital information for understanding their ecophysiology and collect oceanographic data on climate change and for resource management. Existing methods for attaching sensors to marine animals mostly rely on invasive physical anchors, suction cups, and rigid glues. These methods can suffer from limitations, particularly for adhering to soft fragile marine species such as squid and jellyfish, including slow complex operations, unreliable fixation, tissue trauma, and behavior changes of the animals. However, soft fragile marine species constitute a significant portion of ocean biomass (>38.3 teragrams of carbon) and global commercial fisheries. Here we introduce a soft hydrogel-based bioadhesive interface for marine sensors that can provide rapid (time <22 s), robust (interfacial toughness >160 J m−2), and non-invasive adhesion on various marine animals. Reliable and rapid adhesion enables large-scale, multi-animal sensor deployments to study biomechanics, collective behaviors, interspecific interactions, and concurrent multi-species activity. These findings provide a promising method to expand a burgeoning research field of marine bio-sensing from large marine mammals and fishes to small, soft, and fragile marine animals.
Resolved magnetohydrodynamic wave lensing in the solar corona
Authors: Zhou Xinping , Shen Yuandeng , Yuan Ding , Keppens Rony , Zhao Xiaozhou , Fu Libo , Tang Zehao , Wang Jiaoyang , Zhou Chengrui
Published: April 2024

Electromagnetic wave lensing, a common physical phenomenon recognized in visible light for centuries, finds extensive applications in manipulating light in optical systems such as telescopes and cameras. Magnetohydrodynamic wave is a common perturbation phenomenon in the corona. By using high spatio-temporal resolution observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, here, we report the observation of a magnetohydrodynamic wave lensing in the highly ionized and magnetized coronal plasma, where quasi-periodic wavefronts emanated from a flare converged at a specific point after traversing a coronal hole. The entire process resembles an electromagnetic wave lensing from the source to the focus. Meanwhile, the magnetohydrodynamic wave lensing is well reproduced through a magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation with full spatio-temporal resolution. We further investigate potential applications for coronal seismology, as the lensing process encodes information on the Alfvén speed, in conjunction with favorable geometric and density variations.
The physiological interactome of TCR-like antibody therapeutics in human tissues
Authors: Marrer-Berger Estelle , Nicastri Annalisa , Augustin Angelique , Kramar Vesna , Liao Hanqing , Hanisch Lydia Jasmin , Carpy Alejandro , Weinzierl Tina , Durr Evelyne , Schaub Nathalie , Nudischer Ramona , Ortiz-Franyuti Daniela , Breous-Nystrom Ekaterina , Stucki Janick , Hobi Nina , Raggi Giulia , Cabon Lauriane , Lezan Emmanuelle , Umaña Pablo , Woodhouse Isaac , Bujotzek Alexander , Klein Christian , Ternette Nicola
Published: April 2024

Selective binding of TCR-like antibodies that target a single tumour-specific peptide antigen presented by human leukocyte antigens (HLA) is the absolute prerequisite for their therapeutic suitability and patient safety. To date, selectivity assessment has been limited to peptide library screening and predictive modeling. We developed an experimental platform to de novo identify interactomes of TCR-like antibodies directly in human tissues using mass spectrometry. As proof of concept, we confirm the target epitope of a MAGE-A4-specific TCR-like antibody. We further determine cross-reactive peptide sequences for ESK1, a TCR-like antibody with known off-target activity, in human liver tissue. We confirm off-target-induced T cell activation and ESK1-mediated liver spheroid killing. Off-target sequences feature an amino acid motif that allows a structural groove-coordination mimicking that of the target peptide, therefore allowing the interaction with the engager molecule. We conclude that our strategy offers an accurate, scalable route for evaluating the non-clinical safety profile of TCR-like antibody therapeutics prior to first-in-human clinical application.